Before a record crowd of 6,220 the Hounds, for the second straight week advance in a penalty shootout 4-3 vs Detroit. The first half started with a golden opportunity in the 2nd minute with a Bradley Sample shot from the top of the box which required a save from the Detroit GK SAALDANA In the 8th minute, Detroit countered with a free kick won by DCFC’s M Jeciel Cedeno in the defensive half, he stays down for 3 minutes, the game continues and F Augie Williams in the 19th minute which sails left.
Match Overview
Before a record crowd of 6,220, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds withstood a late, tense finish and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals after winning a second consecutive penalty shootout, 4–3 over Detroit City FC. The night felt like a city-wide exhale: steel-gray skies, stadium lights burning bright, and a crowd that rose and fell with every save, clearance, and breathless moment on the ball.
First Half Timeline
• 2nd minute — A near-instant threat set the tone. Bradley Sample received the ball at the top of the box and ripped a low, driven shot that forced a full-stretch save from Detroit goalkeeper Saaldana, who kept his team level and ignited the away bench.
• 8th minute — Detroit answered with a quick transition and won a free kick after a misplaced pass. Midfielder Jeciel Cedeno went down in the defensive half and stayed down for nearly three minutes while trainers attended him. Play resumed to a tense, watchful silence from the crowd.
• 19th minute — Augie Williams found space on the right and let fly; his curling attempt drifted left of target and missed by inches, a reminder that chances were scarce and would be precious tonight.
The remainder of the half tightened into midfield battles, with both defenses crowding passing lanes and goalkeepers called on for command of their areas. Pittsburgh carved out promising sequences but could not convert before the break.
Second Half and Extra Time
The Hounds came out after halftime with sharper shape and more urgency. Small tactical shifts—pushing the wingbacks higher and inviting Detroit to press—paid dividends in possession and created a couple of half-chances that tested Saaldana again. Detroit countered with the physicality that has defined them all season, and the match settled into a chess match of set pieces and tight marking.
As minutes ticked away, neither side could find the decisive finish. Substitutions introduced fresh legs and a few near-misses, but the scoreboard would not be moved. Extra time brought stretched nerves and heroic defending: last-ditch tackles, blocked shots, and goalkeepers making themselves large on crosses. The 120 minutes closed with grit and inevitability—the only way forward was from the penalty spot.
Penalty Shootout Details
The shootout became a test of composure, one-on-one drama, and the kind of heroics that stay with a club forever.
• Round 1: Both takers found the net, calm and clinical.
• Round 2: Pittsburgh converted; Detroit matched them.
• Round 3: Saaldana guessed right and got a fingertip to a Detroit attempt, but the ball still crossed the line—saved? no—goal. The shootout remained even.
• Round 4: The Hounds’ fourth penalty was saved by Saaldana, giving Detroit a glimmer of advantage.
• Round 5: Bradley Sample stepped up and delivered a composed spot kick. Detroit’s fifth taker, under the roar of 6,220 fans and the weight of the night, sent his shot wide, swinging the pendulum.
• Sudden death: A perfectly struck Hounds penalty, followed by a nervy Detroit attempt that clipped the woodwork and rebounded to safety.
When the final whistle of the shootout sounded, the scoreboard read Pittsburgh Riverhounds 4, Detroit City FC 3 on penalties. The Hounds’GK Eric Dick, whose reflexes and late-game leadership kept Detroit at bay, became the evening’s unlikely hero.
Thanks to a win by Rhode Island over North Carolina, the Hounds will host the Eastern Conference Finals, home at Highmark Stadium next Saturday.
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