Quick start leads Pittsburgh past slumping Hartford

Hartford’s Jordan Scarlett (4) tries to control the ball during Saturday night’s USL Championship match in Pittsburgh. (Chris Cowger photo courtesy USL Productions and Hartford Athletic)

Pittsburgh scored three goals in the first 22 minutes of the game to beat the Hartford Athletic, 3-1 on Saturday night in USL Championship action in Pittsburgh.

The Riverhounds took a quick 1-0 lead when Edward Kizza converted on a penalty kick just five minutes into the game after a defender was taken down in the penalty box.

Pittsburgh made it 2-0 after a spectacular play from Langston Blackstock, who kept two Hartford defenders at bay with several moves with the ball before slicing it past Hartford goalie Greg Monroe with 20 minutes gone in the game. It was Blackstock’s first professional goal.

Hustle by the Riverhounds gave them a 3-0 lead just a few minutes later. Monroe easily collected a long shot and looked to calmly kick the ball away. But Pittsburgh’s Emmanuel Johnson hustled to the front of the goal and he deflected Monroe’s soft clearing pass back into the net.

Hartford got on the board when Mamadou Dieng had scored his second goal for the club in the 34th minute with an assist from Emmanuel Samadia with a striking header straight into the goal, cutting the lead to 3-1.

With little action and a few fouls happening throughout the second half, both teams kept the ball in control looking to score. Hartford subbed in Marcus Epps, Kyle Edwards, and five-season veteran Danny Barrera into the match to help the club create some chances and bring another goal on the board.

Hartford (5-11-2) lost for the fourth time in the last five games while Pittsburgh (5-9-6) won their second straight match.

The Athletic return to the pitch on Friday when they host Phoenix Rising at 7:30 p.m. at Trinity Health Stadium.

Pittsburgh 3, Hartford 1
At Pittsburgh
Hartford (5-11-2)      1  0  — 1
Pittsburgh (5-9-6)     3  0  — 3
Goals: Pittsburgh — 5’ – Kizza (PK), 20’ – Blackstock, 21’ – Johnson; Hartford — 34’ – Dieng; Shots: Pittsburgh 15-6; Shots on target: Pittsburgh 7-3; Corner kicks 7-7; Offsides: Hartford 1-0; Saves: Hartford 3-2
HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP
1 (GK) Greg Monroe, 2 (DF) Younes Boudadi; 3 (DF) Joey Akpunonu, 6 (DF) Beverly Makangila (Kyle Edwards 78’), 8 (DF) Jay Chapman, 12 (DF) Anderson Asiedu (Danny Barrera 71’), 29 (MF) Emmanuel Samadia, 11 (FW) Michee Ngalina, 31 (MF) Deshane Beckford (Marcus Epps 45’), 33 (FW) Mamadou Dieng, 4 (FW) Jordan Scarlett
PITTSBURGH RIVERHOUNDS SC STARTING LINEUP
1 (GK) Eric Dick, 5 (DF) Sean Suber, 7 (FW) Langston Blackstock (Pierre Cayet 63’), 8 (MF) Junior Etou, 9 (FW) Emmanuel Johnson (Kenardo Forbes 63’), 13 (DF) Luke Biasi, 14 (MF) Robbie Mertz (Dani Rovira 90’), 15 (MF) Bradley Sample (Danny Griffin 78’), 19 (FW) Edward Kizza (Babacar Diene 78’), 28 (DF) Illal Osumanu, 42 (MF) Jackson Walti