Good morning, Pittsburgh. Here's your day in sports for Saturday, August 29, 2015. What's on tap for today: The Steelers (1-2) will make the four hour journey north to Buffalo, New York to take on the Bills (1-1) at 4:00 p.m. in their fourth of five preseason contests. Defensive end Stephon Tuitt (ankle) is out, while quarterback Michael Vick may make his Steelers debut. KDKA-TV The Pirates (78-49) will host the Colorado Rockies (51-74) at 7:05 p.m. for the second game of their ... Read More
Hounds fall to Charlotte, put playoff spot in doubt
If last week’s home draw against the Charlotte Independence dealt a body blow to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds playoff chances, Saturday’s 2-1 loss to the same Independence at Ramblewood Soccer Complex in Charlotte, North Carolina, may have been a knockout punch. The Riverhounds, in a fierce battle for the final playoff position in the USL’s Eastern Conference, again missed an opportunity to move up the standings in a match against a lower-ranked side. Charlotte had scored the late equalizer ... Read More
USWNT roll in front of record crowd at Heinz Field
The U.S. Women’s National Team appeared to still be in top form as the world champions routed Costa Rica 8-0 in front of a record-breaking crowd at Heinz Field in their first match back together since their World Cup victory in July. The attendance of 44,028 set a record for a national team friendly and was the 10th-most attended U.S. women’s soccer home match of all time. It was also the largest soccer crowd in Pittsburgh history. “I don’t have to worry about the players getting motivated ... Read More
Hounds allow late goal, draw with Independence
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds had the Charlotte Independence on the ropes on Saturday night. The match was a pivotal one for the Independence, who trailed the Riverhounds by six points for the final USL Eastern Conference playoff position coming into the match. The Hounds built a 1-0 first half lead and the Independence were playing with 10 men, but Charlotte continued to push forward, scoring an 85th minute equalizer and escaping Pittsburgh with a 1-1 draw. “It was not a good feeling, I’ll ... Read More
USWNT back to work after World Cup victory
For the U.S. women’s national soccer team, a lot has changed in a month. The group of 23 women that captured the hearts of America en route to a World Cup win in July will take the field again for the first time since their title win in Pittsburgh on Sunday. “It’s exciting,” said captain Carli Lloyd. “It’s crazy to think that it’s a little over a month ago that we played in that final. It feels like it’s been a year ago. It’s been a whirlwind and it’s been busy and it’s exciting.” In ... Read More
Riverhounds happy to be part of big soccer weekend
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds will host a big match against the Charlotte Independence on Saturday, but it won’t be the biggest soccer match in the city this weekend by a long shot. The U.S. women’s national team will host Costa Rica in an international friendly at Heinz Field on Sunday afternoon, and with over 41,000 tickets sold, they expect to set USWNT and Pittsburgh records. The Riverhounds don’t seem to mind. “That’s a good sign for soccer in Pittsburgh,” said team owner Tuffy ... Read More
Klingenberg given hero’s welcome
The City of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County honored World Cup champion Meghan Klingenberg with a proclamation ceremony on Friday afternoon, with Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto declaring August 14, 2015 to be “2015 Women’s World Cup champions day.” Klingenberg, a 27-year old graduate of Pine-Richland High School and a Gibsonia native, was wowed by the ceremony held in her honor and the response her hometown has had to the national team friendly being held on Sunday. Market Square was packed with ... Read More
Riverhounds have a lot at stake against Independence
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds will return home to Highmark Stadium to face the Charlotte Independence on Saturday for a match with huge USL Eastern Conference playoff implications. The Riverhounds, in the thick of the battle for one of the final playoff spots, got some help on Wednesday, as Louisville City beat seventh-place Harrisburg 5-1 and Charlotte tied with the New York Red Bulls II. That means that the Hounds remain in the sixth and final playoff position, but are just two points out ... Read More
World Cup trophy to visit Pittsburgh
Pittsburghers will get their first chance to get an up close and personal look at the Women’s World Cup trophy on Friday, when U.S. National Team defender and Gibsonia native Meghan Klingenberg will be honored in a proclamation ceremony in Market Square. Klingenberg, 27, is a graduate of Pine-Richland High School and the University of North Carolina and has been a member of the national team since 2011. In the 2015 World Cup, she was one of five American players to play every minute of the ... Read More
Hounds beat Toronto, regain playoff position
The Ontario Soccer Centre in Vaughan, Ontario – home of Toronto FC II – has only been open for a month, but the Pittsburgh Riverhounds have already claimed two victories on their Eastern Conference rival’s home ground. The Hounds helped open the stadium with a 2-0 victory on July 8 and did the double on Saturday with a 3-1 win over the Reds. Midfielder Rob Vincent got the scoring started off in the 11th minute when he took a short flick from Stephen Okai and fired one of his trademarked ... Read More