May has arrived, signaling not just the change in weather, but fortunes for many teams jockeying for position in the chase for playoff tickets into the 2026 USL Championship race.
The defending champion Pittsburgh Riverhounds have shaken off a wobbly start, and as they enter tonight’s intra-conference matchup against Phoenix Rising, sit in a four-way tie for third in the Eastern Conference with 10 points.
The Riverhounds (3-3-1) also boast a mark of 5-0 at home this season, having won a pair of league contests, two U.S. Open Cup and one USL Cup games so far. In terms of USL Championship play, the Hounds have won six straight. It’s the longest home match winning streak the club has had since 2023 and has provided the team some early-season momentum, said manager Rob Vincent.
“We’ve talked about being a really strong, dominant team at home.” Vincent said on Friday at the club’s practice facility. “We have a long wait after tomorrow (Saturday) for our next home game. You don’t want to come away without a win and must wait three or four weeks to get back at home, so we’ll want to finish this home stretch on a high.
“We always want to make sure that F.N.B. is a tough place to come to and we pick up maximum points here.”
Part of the club’s uptick in play has been the improved production from several of the young center backs who have seen more playing time because of injuries to Beto Ydrach and Guillaume Vacter. Both are still out of the lineup and will not be available for the foreseeable future.
Filling in the gaps have been rookie Owen Mikoy and second-year player Victor Souza. Both have seen an increase in minutes and continue to find a place among the starting 11. For Mikoy, the rookie from Kentucky has enjoyed the feet-into-the fire scenario, earning a total of four starts this season.
“You can’t ask for much more in a rookie season,” Mikoy said. “I didn’t play the first couple games, getting used to the training and coming out of college. Then I got an opportunity to play, establish my role on the team and there’s not much more you can ask for. It’s important to learn from every game, reflect on every game and try to get a little better each time. After 30 games, you develop much better as a player.”
For Souza, he is also new to the club, having spent his first three seasons in MLS Next Pro playing for New England Revolution II. The Queens, N.Y., native has started all seven USL matches and continues to provide a steady presence on the Hounds’ last line of defense.
“I think my play has been good so far. As a new team, we are just trying to find some rhythm together.” Souza said. “It shows how deep our squad is. We have players that can come in and play seamlessly and perform. Obviously, we miss those guys (Ydrach & Vacter), but we have a deep squad for that reason.”
The contest will mark the return of Luke Biasi, a key player from last year’s championship team. Biasi signed a multi-year deal with Phoenix in December. The Syracuse grad had an impressive four-year run with the Riverhounds that totaled 120 games played, including the Players Shield season of 2023 and, of course, the USL Championship last season. The versatile left-back, center-back also can play the midfield when needed.
After tonight’s match, the Riverhounds will hit the road for a pair of contests in Louisville, then a USL Cup match in Charlotte, N.C. They then will have a week off before their next home game May 30 against Miami FC.
Tonight’s game will start just after 7 p.m. and feature an Austin Powers themed promotion. Tickets are available at the Riverhounds website and the F.N.B. Box Office. Pittsburgh SportsNet will broadcast the match.