PITTSBURGH – Dane Kelly scored a pair of goals to move level for the league lead on six for the season, while Kenardo Forbes moved to 49 regular-season assists for his career as Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC took a 4-0 victory against Atlanta United 2 on Saturday night at Highmark Stadium.

The Hounds had the first good chance in the eighth minute when Kenardo Forbes broke onto a through-ball as the defense hesitated with Kelly in an offside position, but Bryce Washington recovered well to make a sliding challenge inside the penalty area to deny the chance. Kelly put the hosts ahead with 20 minutes gone, however, after Alex Dixon controlled a looping ball into the right side of the penalty area well and cut back a cross to the Jamaican, who roofed home a finish from 11 yards from the center of the box.

Pittsburgh went close to a second five minutes later when Dixon broke into space on the left and centered for Luis Argudo, whose shot clipped the outside of the left post and went behind. Argudo made up for his miss four minutes later, however, as he crashed home a near-post finish off a low cross by Nathan Dossantos from the left side. Atlanta had a chance to pull a goal back just past the half-hour mark when Aidan McFadden headed over from the top-of the six-yard area after a good cross by Robbie Mertz, and a few minutes later Mikey Ambrose shot wide after an initial free kick by Darwin Matheus deflected off the wall and into the center of the penalty area for the center back to shoot.

Argudo was denied his second of the game nine minutes into the second half as his turning shot was parried over by Atlanta’s Vicente Reyes, but two minutes Kelly made no mistake after Kenardo Forbes played him into the left side of the penalty area for a low shot to the right corner on a quick move upfield. Hounds USL Academy signing Wyatt Borso went close to a fourth for the hosts with a looping shot that was saved by Reyes midway through the second half, but with 14 minutes to go Russell Cicerone converted on Forbes’ second assist of the night as he curled home a shot from the left side of the penalty area to wrap up a comfortable win for the hosts.

USLChampionship.com Player of the Match

Kenardo Forbes, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC – Forbes had a pair of assists and had five shots and five chances created for the hosts in a strong all-around attacking display by the Jamaican playmaker.

Scoring Summary
PIT – Dane Kelly (Alex Dixon) 20’
PIT – Luis Argudo (Nathan Dossantos) 28’
PIT – Dane Kelly (Kenardo Forbes) 56’
PIT – Russell Cicerone (Kenardo Forbes) 76’

Full Box Score