Robbie Mertz buries winning goal in 90th minute to lift Riverhounds past Miami

Upper St. Clair’s Robbie Mertz scored a dramatic late-game goal to give the Pittsburgh Riverhounds a 2-1 road win over Miami FC on Saturday night.

The Riverhounds (16-5-9, 57 points) lengthened their lead in the USL Championship Eastern Conference standings on Charleston and Tampa Bay, who are tied with 53 points.

The Riverhounds took a 1-0 lead in the 62nd minute when JC Obregon was fouled by Miami’s Paco Craig in the box and a penalty shot was awarded. USL Championship goal leader Albert Dikwa converted with a low, hard shot inside the left post, past a diving goalkeeper.

Miami (7-14-8) tied the score in th 88th minute while playing down a man. Ryan Telfer gathered a bouncing cross pass along the right side of the box and scored to make it 1-1.

Mertz, who came on as a second-half substitute, scored the game-winner in the 90th minute. In a nifty passing sequence off a throw-in, Luke Blasi found Danny Griffin who found Mertz at the top of the 6-yard box near the right post for a goal.

The Riverhounds, who have four games left in the regular season, will host New Mexico United at 7 p.m. next Saturday at Highmark Stadium.