STORY UPDATE:
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup will feature an all-Pittsburgh first-round match for the first time since 1957 when the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC take on Steel City FC at 7 p.m. Wedmesday, March 25, at Highmark Stadium.
The match originally was scheduled for Tuesday, March 17, but was postponed due to conditions caused by wintry weather.
The decision to postpone was reached between the clubs in consultation with the U.S. Soccer Federation. With the possibility of more snow in the area and below-freezing temperatures expected Tuesday night, the decision was made with both player safety and fan safety in mind, and the postponement will allow the historic first all-Pittsburgh Open Cup match in 69 years to be played in more suitable conditions.
All tickets and parking purchased for Tuesday night’s original match date will be honored for the rescheduled contest. Fans can contact the Highmark Stadium Box Office at 412-865-GOAL or at ticketing@riverhounds.com with any questions about the rescheduled date.
The Riverhounds’ next action will take place on the road Saturday, March 21, against the Tampa Bay Rowdies.
The March 25 match with Steel City FC also will be the home opener for the Riverhounds, who evened their United Soccer League record at 1-1 on the season with a 3-2 win over Loudoun United FC Saturday.
Steel City FC is a pre-professional/amateur squad in USL League Two and won three qualifying matches to earn a spot in the first round.
The U.S. Open Cup is the oldest national soccer tournament in the United States, dating back to 1913, and it is often considered as the national championship of American soccer. The competition is open to all professional and amateur teams. The single elimination 2026 Open Cup will include 96 teams and run from March through October. The Cup matches take place between regular-season matches for those advancing in the tournament.
Major League Soccer (MLS), the Riverhounds’ USL Championship, USL League One, USL League Two and amateur squads will be represented in the Cup series. The Riverhounds have defeated MLS opponents three times in the tournament with recent wins coming over New York City FC in 2025 and the Columbus Crew in 2023. Major League Soccer’s Nashville FC won the U.S. Open Cup in 2025.
The Hounds’ initial USL win of the season came Saturday against Loudoun United FC at Segra Field in Leesburg, Va., just outside Washington. In the first half, Loudoun struck first at the 20-minute mark as an attempted clearing in front of the Hounds’ goal by Guillame Vacter was blocked by the United’s Thor Ulfarsson, who then scored from inside the box.
The Riverhounds began to apply offensive pressure as Perrin Barnes drove into the United box and was interfered with by Salvatore Mezzaferro, resulting in a penalty kick for Pittsburgh. Albert Dikwa took the penalty kick for the Riverhounds and scored to tie the match at 1-1 at the 26-minute mark. Without further scoring, the teams took the tie into the break.
The second half began with the Riverhounds working on the Loudoun side of the pitch. Three minutes in, Pittsburgh’s corner kick resulted in an initial header by Dikwa, which was deflected to the Hounds’ Bradley Sample, who scored on a header of his own for a 2-1 Pittsburgh lead at 48 minutes.
At the 69-minute mark, the Hounds drove the field with good passing. Charles Ahl and Sam Bassett worked into the Loudoun zone, and an excellent pass from Ahl to Bassett resulted in the latter scoring with a shot from inside the box for a 3-1 Riverhounds’ lead.
But just one minute after the Hounds’ goal, Loudoun moved directly into the Pittsburgh zone and Sean Young scored from the top of the box at 70-minute mark to tighten the game at 3-2.
Pittsburgh answered with a fourth goal by Barnes, but the goal was disallowed for offsides. The Riverhounds brought in the reserves to solidify the win, which included the first appearance by Robbie Mertz. Pittsburgh dominated the possession 63.4% to 36.6% and outshot the United 14-6. Eliot Goldthorpe did not play for the Riverhounds due to injury. The Riverhounds are now 1-1-0 for the season, while Loudoun United FC is 0-1-0.
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