Open Cup Game Day: Hounds vs. FC Tulsa

May 7, 2024 – United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC News Release

PITTSBURGH – A season after the team’s spectacular run to the quarterfinals, the Hounds are set to enter the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in the Round of 32, where they will host fellow USL Championship team FC Tulsa on Tuesday night.

The cup draw creates an interesting match for the Hounds, who will face Tulsa on Tuesday before leaving for Oklahoma to face the same team in league play on Saturday. But the teams that take the field for each of the two matches will have their share of differences, as Hounds coach Bob Lilley indicated some squad rotation was in order with his team playing three times in eight days for the first time this year.

That could mean some of the big contributors from Saturday’s 1-0 win over Miami get a day off, including goal scorer Kazaiah Sterling, setup man Junior Etou, and any (or all) of the midfield grouping of Kenardo Forbes, Danny Griffin and Robbie Mertz.

The Hounds are unbeaten in their past five matches and have never lost to Tulsa, going 3-0-1 in four meetings, but the head-to-head meetings have included some barnburners, including a 4-3 Hounds win in Oklahoma the first time the clubs met and a 3-2 decision at Highmark Stadium in the most recent meeting on Sept. 30 last season.

Tulsa has played their share of tight matches thus far this season, including draws in three of their last five USL matches. Tulsa came under siege late on Saturday at Birmingham, as they let a two-goal lead slip away with Birmingham logging a whopping 30 shots in a 2-2 draw. The big guns up front did the scoring for Tulsa on Saturday. Stefan Stojanovic and Phillip Goodrum had the goals, and they are Tulsa’s top pair with three and two goals, respectively.

The midweek match will bring a few changes to Highmark Stadium, as entry will be limited to the West Gate – the gate still opens at 6 p.m. – and the Tailgate Zone will not be open for Tuesday’s match. Tickets are still available at the Highmark Stadium Box Office and through Ticketmaster, and free tickets for students can be had through the Riverhounds Rush program. (A valid .edu email address is required to redeem the offer.)

The game will not be aired on regular television, but fans who can’t make the match can check it out from anywhere in the world by using the stream provided by the U.S. Soccer Federation.

Match info

Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 32

Riverhounds vs. FC Tulsa

Date: Tuesday, May 7

Time: 7…