Heavy lies the crown when you are a defending champion of a sports league, and the 2026 Pittsburgh Riverhounds are learning that adage all too well.
The magical run to a USL Championship last November has worn off to begin league play. After six matches, the team is still trying to find its footing at 2-3-1.
Of course, when you have a coaching change like the club did when they parted ways with Bob Lilley in favor of Rob Vincent, there is going to be a shift in philosophy, along with roster change. But this is the nature of 2nd division soccer in America. Players rarely sign for more than two years and at the end of 2025, Sean Suber and Eric Dick chose to take contracts closer to family and friends.
Losing two key contributors like that will rock any club. The back line also is missing Beto Ydrach after his injury against Jacksonville on March 28. The team is also without Guillaume Vacter, who has been sidelined with a knee injury since the Rowdies loss.
It’s no wonder the shorthanded Riverhounds have started five of their first six league games behind of their opponents who have opened the scoring first in those matches.
“I do think the law of averages will even out at some point,” club manager Rob Vincent said. “Their chance won’t go in, one of our chances will go in. We will have to work to start games strongly. You also have to remember we have three young center backs getting to know each other. We didn’t expect to have Beto and Gui (Vacter) down like this.”
Despite the club’s 1-0 loss to Birmingham on the road Sunday, Wednesday’s trip east across I-80 to face Red Bull NY in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup sets up much like the 2023 season when the Riverhounds went on a magical run into the quarterfinals, beating two MLS clubs along the way before bowing out vs. Cincinnati FC.
Pittsburgh came into that chase for the Lamar Hunt trophy starting the regular season 2-2-5. This season’s start isn’t as bad at 2-3-1, but ugly road losses at Tampa Bay and Sunday vs. the Legion don’t help with early season momentum.
“The game played out the way we wanted it to when we watched it back,” Vincent said. “We had a lot more attack in play. We felt they didn’t hurt us much. If Elliot’s (Goldthorp) shot off the post goes it, the complexion of the game suddenly changes. We gave up an ugly goal prior to that. We felt comfortable on the bench thinking one of these chances is going to come up, but it didn’t.”
Red Bull NY has begun its season with slightly better results, going 3-2-2 early in MLS play. This will be the first meeting between the clubs. Striker Julian Hall has five goals and seven points. Red Bull head coach Michael Bradley has a fast and aggressive squad that likes to attack opponents.
“They have had a lot of possessions so far; they will want to be on the ball,” Vincent said. “And truthfully, an MLS team in their own stadium will probably have the right to do that. We’re going to have to be strong defensively. They are intense in the way they press too, so we have to try and get the ball forward early. Maybe play more of a direct style.
“It will be a tough test against that level of player. They will be hard to break down, but hopefully we can be annoying to them.”
Wednesday’s game can be seen on Paramount Plus starting at 7:30 p.m. Up next in USL play for the Riverhounds is a Saturday home match at Highmark Stadium against Detroit City FC, a team they beat in the Eastern Conference semifinals last November in penalties 5-4.