December 20, 2024 – United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC News Release
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC midfielder/wing back Junior Etou
(Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC)
PITTSBURGH – Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC has re-signed midfielder/wing back Junior Etou to a two-year deal, plus a third-year team option, bringing back another key contributor to the team’s successes of the past two seasons.
Etou, 30, first signed with the Hounds before the team’s 2023 Players Shield-winning season and emerged as a regular in the lineup on the left side of the defense and the midfield. His deal is pending USL and U.S. Soccer approval.
“Junior is a constant threat to opposing defenses with his pace and engine, and he continues to create dangerous chances for our team on the left side. His voice has grown in the locker room, and he is a fierce competitor on game days. We are fortunate to have back in Pittsburgh,” Riverhounds head coach Bob Lilley said.
A native of the Republic of Congo and raised in Paris, Etou first broke into the professional ranks in France with AS Béziers before coming to the U.S. and playing for the Charlotte Independence in 2020-21 and the Tampa Bay Rowdies in 2022.
In two seasons with the Hounds, Etou has appeared in 64 matches, recording three goals and six assists. He was named the USL Championship Player of the Week in Week 19 last season after a two-goal game against Oakland Roots SC, and his first Hounds goal was the fastest score in team history, coming just 21 seconds into a win over the Charleston Battery on June 10, 2023. Last season, Etou’s play also led to five penalty kicks being awarded to the Hounds – three for fouls committed against him, and two others for handling calls blocking balls played from his foot.
Etou also made his senior international debut in 2024, appearing as a substitute for the Republic of Congo in a 1-0 win over South Sudan in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying.
The Hounds currently have 11 players announced under contract for 2025, and talks are ongoing with additional players from last year’s team and potential new signings for the upcoming season.
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