PITTSBURGH – Saint Louis FC rallied from a two-goal deficit against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Saturday night as the playoff contenders played to a 2-2 draw at Highmark Stadium in a contest that saw its fair share of goalmouth action.

Hoping to build on a midweek victory, Saint Louis almost created the first good chance in the 10th minute when Mour Samb regained possession after having an initial attempt to cross from the right blocked. His second delivery was flicked on at the near post and ran just out of the reach of Sam Fink at the back post and behind for a goal kick.

The Hounds grabbed the lead seven minutes later, however, as a good challenge near the halfway line sprang the hosts forward through Robbie Mertz. The Pittsburgh native played the ball to Steevan Dos Santos in the right side of the penalty area, and he sent a low pass to the top of the six-yard area that took a deflection off a defender and caromed off the crossbar and straight down. Ropapa Mensah reacted first, applying the final touch to put Pittsburgh ahead.

The hosts added their second five minutes before the halftime break as Mertz found the net. A long-range shot by Kenardo Forbes deflected off a defender and caromed to Mensah near the top of the penalty area. The Ghanaian tried to wriggle into space, but a challenge from an STLFC player redirected the ball into the run of Mertz as he broke forward hoping for a pass from Mensah, and the Hounds midfielder tucked his finish into the bottom-right corner of the net.

Saint Louis pulled a goal back just before halftime, however, as a long ball forward from Fink picked out Russell Cicerone, whose first touch dropped the ball nicely for Kyle Greig. The veteran forward’s initial shot was saved by Hounds goalkeeper Tomas Gomez, but Greig recovered to put home the rebound and make it a one-goal game at the break.

The game was then delayed for more than two-and-a-half hours thanks to lightning, but when action resumed Saint Louis picked up its rally where it had left off. Off a free kick 25 yards from goal and left of center, Wal Fall curled home a beautiful finish that dipped over the wall and just inside the left post to pull the visitors level in the 57th minute.

The Hounds looked to respond with 18 minutes to go as Mertz sent a low cross from the right that reached Forbes, and his turning shot through traffic was just turned wide by an excellent low save by Morton to deny his former teammate. STLFC’s Cicerone then hit the woodwork with 12 minutes to go as a cross from the right by Paris Gee got a small flick from a defender that brought it to Cicerone in the left side of the penalty area, only for his shot to come back off the crossbar and be cleared to safety.

Both teams had chance to grab the lead late as Fall had a volleyed finish from the left side of the penalty area saved by Gomez with seven minutes remaining. Jordan Dover then threatened for the hosts as he wove into the right side of the penalty area but couldn’t find a way past Morton before Danny Griffin’s follow-up chance was cleared, and moments later a long-range strike by STLFC’s Todd Wharton was kept out by a diving stop from Gomez.

The Hounds then almost grabbed a late winner in second-half stoppage time as Forbes regained possession off a throw-in deep in the right corner and delivered a great cross to the top of the six-yard area that was met by a header from Steevan Dos Santos, but Morton made a good save to claim. The visitors then swung the ball up the other end and went close themselves from a free kick only for a knock-back header into the six-yard area by Samb to be cleared to safety by Hounds defender Thomas Vancaeyezeele. That would prove the final chance for either side, though, as honors ended even.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Wal Fall, Saint Louis FC – Fall produced an outstanding free kick that proved the deciding goal in the contest, and won 8 of 12 duels while making eight recoveries in a typically aggressive midfield display.