Riverhounds win PK shootout to reach conference finals

A very raucous and record crowd of soccer fans jammed into Highmark Stadium on Saturday evening with hopes of watching their side do something the Pittsburgh Riverhounds franchise had never done.

Make an Eastern Conference final in the USL Championship.

Since the league adopted its current playoff format in 2016, the club has failed to get that far in postseason play.

Check that box off as mission accomplished.

With a stadium game record 6,220 fans in attendance, the team’s 13th sellout of 2025, the Riverhounds beat Detroit City FC in penalties and will host Rhode Island FC next Saturday at Highmark.

The winner will play for the USL Championship on Nov. 22.

The Riverhounds held a 4-3 advantage in penalties after the teams played 120 scoreless minutes.

It was the second straight PK shootout win for the Riverhounds in the playoffs.

“It’s not the way we want to do it by any means, but we’re not conceding goals, which is good and we’re not giving up a ton of chances either,” acting coach Rob Vincent said.

Beto Ydrach scored the decisive PK in the fifth round. Bertin Jacquesson, Augi Williams and Sean Suber also converted for the Riverhounds. Detroit City hit the woodwork on two of its five chances.

The Riverhounds used the same shootout lineup as last week’s conference quarterfinal win over Hartford.

“The vibes are good,” Vincent said. “There was no real need to change.”

It was clear from the start that Pittsburgh would be the aggressor offensively, as the Hounds dominated possession time and controlled the ball for virtually the entire first half.

The game’s first scoring chance came in the second minute as the Riverhounds got an early break when midfielder Bradley Sample worked his way through a series of defenders right atop the 18-yard box and placed a well-timed shot to the far post where Detroit City goaltender Carlos Saladana made a diving save to his right to keep the game scoreless.

In the 19th minute, it was Williams who got a ball about 25 yards out at the top of the 18-yard box. His right-footed blast went high and wide, leaving the sides still scoreless.

Then again in the 42nd minute, it was the local 11 being aggressive and getting another quality chance when Charles Ahl made a run down the right side of the attacking third. His shot was blocked but found its way to Perrin Barnes, who slid a pass to Augi. His shot was blocked and led to a corner that got sent away easily.

The Riverhounds spent a good portion of the first 45 minutes inside Detroit City’s side, but came away with just one shot on goal.

“I think it’s kind of a byproduct of how we’re playing right now,” Vincent said. “We’re trying to keep teams pinned back for long stretches. It kind of almost feels like teams are sitting in a lot, but I don’t think that’s by design necessarily.”

The second half got underway and Le Rouge made a mistake sending a ball back towards their side of an open field. Ahl got the possession and was alone from 25 yards out but launched a shot well over the net.

More chances came the Hounds’ way in the 51st minute as Robbie Mertz was taken down just outside the left of the 18-yard box. His free kick glanced off a Le Rouge defender and just missed the far right post.

The ensuing corner kick made its way into the box and the head of Ydrach, who pushed a shot just off the top of the far back of the Detroit net and another missed opportunity.

Then again in the 67th minute, Mertz was tasked with another free kick. This time his ball fell to the feet of Beto, who flicked a pass to Danny Griffin. His header went across and past the net.

Just three minutes later, Perrin Barnes placed a ball directly into the box where Williams got a head on it and past Saldaña and a goal. That was until head referee Natalie Simon called the striker for a foul, nullifying the goal.

Both teams continued to fight, but would take their war into overtime.

The first extra session saw Pittsburgh chip away at Le Rouge, but failed to score. That story continued in the 2nd OT, and it was off to penalty kicks.

“I thought we were the better team,” Vincent said. “I can think of at least three, four really good chances that we probably should have scored, would have scored on another day. But yeah, the intent is to take care of it in regulation.”