On Saturday night, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds faced St. Louis FC in a packed and loud St. Louis Soccer Park. This match was the first home game for St. Louis FC, who are a recent expansion team in the United Soccer League. The game would eventually end in a tie of 1-1 in a fast-paced game.
The first half was filled with scoring chances and good passes; however, neither team could consistently keep strong offensive possessions. Even though there was a lack of constant possession by both teams, St. Louis FC began to pass all over the Riverhounds and shot well on the net after the 10th minute.
The first great scoring chance came in the 17th minute when St. Louis FC mid-fielder Jamiel Hardware, with great ball handling, was able to split the defense right up the center and passed to forward Bryan Gaul who would be called offside just yards away from the net.
After this chance, St. Louis FC was able to keep generating offensive opportunities, one of which coming at the end of the 29th minute.
In this 29th minute, St. Louis mid-fielder Parker Maher kicked a spot-on pass to defenseman Richard Dixon, who then drove the ball across the box, shooting from the middle and giving St. Louis FC a chance at a goal. Riverhound goalie Ryan Thompson was able to make the save and keep the ball from hitting the back of the net.
St. Louis FC, after some great play, was able to score a goal in the 43rd minute from a corner kick in where midfielder Brandon Barklage shot a laser into the goal. This gave St. Louis some momentum heading into the second half.
The Riverhounds, in the first half, seemed to have no answer for a very fast and overwhelming St. Louis FC team. They were out of position on many occasions and could not stop Hardware from getting past their defense.
At the half St. Louis FC led 1-0 with nine shots. The Riverhounds, in the second half, would begin to match the speed and pace in which St. Louis FC was playing.
In the second half St. Louis FC played a bit more conservative in dumping passes and kicking out balls from the box that had any chance of getting to the net.
Hardware continued to be a force in the game when, in the 46th minute, he stole a pass intended for Riverhound defender Willie Hunt, sped like lightening down the field, composed himself as he approached the box, broke to the right and was just shy of getting a shot on net. Instead, the ball was blocked by Riverhound defender Anthony Arena, deflected to St. Louis FC forward Jermie Lynch who was then denied by goalie Thompson.
This save could have very well been the catalyst for the Riverhounds in clamping down defensively and beginning and sustaining more offensive possession and chances on goal.
The style of play St. Louis showed thereafter was to setup Lynch and Hardware with long deep passes in order for them to out run Riverhounds defenders and tire them out.
The Riverhounds were finally able to get on the board in the 72nd minute. Up to this point, St. Louis FC’s defense was incredibly solid, especially when Pittsburgh would possess the ball in and around the box.
However, after some great passing by the Riverhounds and a lucky deflection off of St. Louis’ defender James Musa forward Vini Dantas was setup perfectly and drained a shot past St. Louis goalie Mark Pais, tying with St. Louis 1-1.
Here is the Vini Dantas equalizer for @PghRiverhounds (#STLvPGH): pic.twitter.com/jEVoiaBQ6g
— USL (@USL) April 12, 2015
Both teams would continue to play at a very high level and find ways to attempt to break the tie, even in the ending minutes with the Riverhounds attacking the box and trying to get a game winner.
After a little over 3 minutes in added time, the game would eventually end in a 1-1 tie.
St. Louis FC really held their own in their first ever home game. They gave their fans a great game but even better effort in setting up players like Hardware and Lynch to take the ball and score with their speed.
If the Riverhounds could have played the first half like they did the second, they may have came away with the win, but they showed great poise and composure, especially when setting up their game tying goal.
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds will be playing Kansas City FC at Highmark Stadium next Sunday at 3 p.m. EST.
