PITTSBURGH – A pair of goals by second-half substitute Dane Kelly saw Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC to a 2-0 victory against Loudoun United FC on Saturday night at Highmark Stadium as the hosts became the first team to score against United this season on the way to their third win of the campaign overall.

The Hounds opened on the front foot, but it was the visitors that carved out the first big chance of the night in the 15th minute when Michael Gamble’s cross from the right was cushioned down by Jacob Greene to Jackson Hopkins inside the penalty area for a shot that was parried over the crossbar by Pittsburgh’s Kevin Silva. Loudoun’s Azaad Liadi also had a shot blocked wide of the right post in the 38th minute by the Hounds’ Danny Rovira, but the game went to the break scoreless.

The hosts went close to breaking the deadlock just over 90 seconds after the resumption when Danny Griffin fired a first-time shot from 25 yards that was parried over the crossbar by Loudoun’s Luis Zamudio. United’s Hopkins was also denied again by Silva on a shot from the right side of the penalty area a few minutes later, but the Hounds began to apply more pressure as the game entered the final half-hour with Zamudio making saves to deny Kelly and Dikwa, the second a tip onto the crossbar off a header.

That pressure paid off for the hosts in the 65th minute as Kelly notched his second goal of the season after Dikwa had drawn Zamudio, allowing the Jamaican to finish into an open net. Kelly added a second eight minutes later as he got to a near-post corner kick by Kenardo Forbes and headed home to solidify Pittsburgh’s advantage. Pittsburgh almost added a third with six minutes remaining as Russell Cicerone cut back a pass for Alex Dixon that he shot off the left post, but from there they saw out the victory to continue a solid start to the campaign.

USLChampionship.com Player of the Match

Kenardo Forbes, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC – Forbes notched his first assist of the season and had six chances created overall as he helped the hosts find the breakthrough on the way to all three points.

Scoring Summary
PIT – Dane Kelly (Albert Dikwa) 65’
PIT – Dane Kelly (Kenardo Forbes) 73’

Full Box Score