HARTFORD, Conn. – Ryan James scored twice as Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC moved three points clear of Hartford Athletic after a 3-0 victory at Dillon Stadium in the first meeting the top two teams in Group F of the Championship. The loss was Hartford’s first at home this season.

Following the opening minutes of the contest, between 7:00 and 8:46 of the match, players from both sides came together at the center circle, united against racism, and in support of equality, diversity and compassion.

In the game, the Hounds were dealt an early blow when playmaker Kenardo Forbes went off with an injury in the sixth minute, but Pittsburgh didn’t miss a beat as it took the lead five minutes later. The move began on the right side as Jordan Dover played inside to Ropapa Mensah, who cleverly played a backheeled pass back to Dover as he drove inside the forward and into the right channel. Dover delivered a cross to the center of the penalty area that found Anthony Velarde, who played a lateral pass to James arriving in the left side of the area for a first-time shot to the right corner.

The Athletic had earned an early chance to take the lead prior to the Hounds from a free kick on the right side of the penalty area that Tyreke Johnson fired on frame to the far post, but it was snagged by Pittsburgh goalkeeper Tomas Gomez. Hartford playmaker Danny Barrera also fired a shot that forced a low save in the 15th minute from just inside the penalty area.

Pittsburgh doubled its lead in the 22nd minute, however, as a free kick from the left by Robbie Mertz was punched away by Hartford goalkeeper Parfait Mandanda but came straight to the Hounds’ Danny Griffin. After taking a touch to control at the top of the penalty area, Griffin fired a shot that found the left corner of the net past a diving Mandanda.

Dover almost added a third for the visitors three minutes later as he once again linked up well with Mensah on the right, but his shot from just inside the penalty area was deflected wide by Hartford defender Kevin Politz. Four minutes into the second half, however, the Hounds had a third, and Dover had a role to play. After a strong shot by Mensah was parried away by Mandanda to the right side, Mertz found Dover inside the right side of the penalty area, and Dover’s chipped cross to the back post was volleyed home for James’ second of the night.

Hartford almost pulled a goal back in the 54th minute as Nicky Downs fired a long-range shot toward the right corner that Gomez parried away. The hosts threatened again four minutes later when Danny Barrera’s corner kick from the right was headed on goal by Sam Strong, only for Dover to clear to safety for the Hounds, and Ever Guzman flicked a header over the crossbar in the 66th minute off a cross by Alejandro Lara from the right.

As the second half wore on, however, the Hounds maintained control and stifled the Athletic’s clear looks on goal in the final 20 minutes. A late chance for a consolation by Hartford’s Alex Dixon drifted wide of the left post for the last real chance for the hosts as the Hounds sealed a comfortable road victory.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Ryan James, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC – James notched two goals on his two shots for the game, completed 52 of 58 passes overall and won 6 of 8 duels in a complete two-way performance on the left flank.