Pittsburgh Riverhounds Shut Out By OKC Energy FC
By Larry Snyder
The Oklahoma City Energy FC extended their unbeaten streak to seven games on Saturday night by defeating the Pittsburgh Riverhounds 2-0 in USL PRO League match at Pribil Stadium.
On a hot, muggy Oklahoma evening, the Riverhounds two-game win streak came to a halt, as the Energy capitalized on defensive breakdowns by Pittsburgh, as Michael Thomas and Danchrisandre Delgado Devilia scored early first half goals, both assisted by Adda Djeziri.
In the 5th minute, Thomas took advantage of a mistake and foul by Riverhounds midfielder, Joseph Ngwenya, who lost possession of the ball while trying to clear the ball deep in the defensive corner. The foul set up a free kick from the right corner.
Djeziri delivered a left-footed in-swinging kick toward the far post, that was right on target to an unmarked Thomas, who headed the ball into the back of the net for the early 1-0 Oklahoma City lead.
In the 19th minute, Riverhounds central defender Anthony Arena, on loan from the Houston Dynamo, tried to play a ball across in the defensive third of the field to Alfonso Motagalvan, but it was intercepted by Djeziri, who made a run into the right side of the box, and played a ball back to the center to Delgado Devilia, who quickly evaded Riverhounds goalkeeper Mike Lisch, making a nifty move to his right, and sent the ball into the goal to give the Energy a two-goal advantage that would hold up.
Unable to generate much of an attack, and with no shots on goal in the first half, the Riverhounds mounted a better effort at the outset of the second half.
In a sequence of two plays, they almost cut into the Energy’s lead in the 47th and 49th minutes.
After receiving a long ball on target while streaking along the right side, Matt Dallman delivered a dangerous cross into the box that a streaking Jose Angulo was unable to finish.
Two minutes later, Dallman sent a corner kick right to Angulo, but his header was turned away by diving Energy goalkeeper Samir Badr.
The Hounds would be held in check for the rest of the match, as Oklahoma City held on for their fourth consecutive shutout at Pribil Stadium.
Riverhounds interim head coach, Niko Katic’s starting eleven included: Lisch, Sterling Flunder, Motagalvan, Arena, Dallman, Rob Vincent, Kevin Kerr, Danny Earls, Mike Green, Ngwenya and Angulo. Another player on loan from the Dynamo, Jason Johnson, entered the match for Vincent in the 70th minute. Seth C’deBaca came in for Arena in the 80th minute and Miro Cabrillo was a late substitute for Angulo.
It was the first ever, and only meeting of this season between the two teams.
The loss dampens the Riverhounds (3-10-5) hopes to remain in contention for a USL PRO playoff berth, as they now trail Oklahoma City, who is holding onto the last playoff spot, by seven points in the standings.
Oklahoma CIty (6-7-3) is 4-0-3 overall during its current seven-game unbeaten streak, with four victories coming at Pribil Stadium.
The Riverhounds return to Highmark Stadium to host the Charlotte Eagles on July 17th at 7:00PM EST.
Game report courtesy of the Pittsburgh Riverhounds