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Matchday Report: Velarde Lifts Hounds Past Independence

By USLChampionship.com Staff, 07/03/21, 9:14PM EDT

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Goal in first-half stoppage time provides payoff in 1-0 victory at Highmark Stadium

PITTSBURGH – Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC rebounded from its midweek defeat to earn a 1-0 victory against the Charlotte Independence on Saturday night at Highmark Stadium as Anthony Velarde’s goal in first-half stoppage time proved the difference in an impressive display by the hosts.

The game saw Pittsburgh look to get on the front foot and in the 14th minute off a corner kick from the left Kenardo Forbes delivered a cross that forced Independence goalkeeper Brandon Miller to punch clear from under his own crossbar. Forbes had a more conventional effort two minutes later, but his curling shot from 25 yards went just over the crossbar.

Charlotte’s Miller was called on to save again in the 29th minute as Velarde picked out Shane Wiedt with a corner kick from the right to the back post for a header that the veteran shot-stopper handled easily. The pressure from the hosts continued to build as the half went on, and six minutes before the break Todd Wharton cut into the penalty area and tried to center from the byline, and on the second attempt found Velarde. He turned and laid a pass back to Forbes, whose first-time shot to the right corner was just turned wide by Miller.

The pressure for the hosts paid off right before the break as Forbes sent a pass forward into the left side of the penalty area that Albert Dikwa flicked back into the path of Velarde, whose low shot to the left corner of the net left Miller frozen.

Pittsburgh quickly got back onto the front foot to start the second half as Alex Dixon forced Miller into a pair of saves, the first on a free kick from outside the top-left edge of the penalty area that Dixon curled low on target that Miller held as attackers rushed forward hoping for a rebound. The second came a minute later as Wharton played Dixon into the right side of the penalty area, but his attempt to finish was too close to the goalkeeper.

Louis Perez was the next Hound to test Miller with a curling free kick from left of center that went around the left edge of the wall and toward the corner of the net only for Miller to get across his goal and turn the ball wide. Off the ensuing corner kick, Forbes delivered a deep cross to the back post where Dikwa headed on target, only for Miller to come up big again.

Charlotte was held without a shot in the opening hour, but thanks to Miller’s heroics had a chance to equalize in the 65th minute when a corner kick from the left by Marcelo Palomino to the back post was headed back across goal but just over the crossbar by Kevin Riascos. The hosts then got a narrow escape with 14 minutes to go as Christian Dean sent a perfect ball over the top for Irvin Parra, who lifted his finish over Hounds goalkeeper Danny Vitiello only for Wiedt to cover and head the ball behind for a corner to keep it from finding the net.

The hosts almost put the game away with seven minutes to go as Forbes played Russell Cicerone into the left side of the penalty area after a good passing move before a low shot that Miller kept out at the near post, but Velarde’s goal proved enough as the Hounds saw out the remaining minutes to claim all three points.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Anthony Velarde, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC – Velarde scored the only goal of the game, had two shots and two key passes while completing 21 of 26 passes overall as his side took victory.

Scoring Summary
PIT
– Anthony Velarde (Albert Dikwa) 45+3’

Full Box Score

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