Day 5 at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds had originally planned to play the Columbus Stars on this Sunday, but when the Stars folded, it was the West Michigan Edge who stepped in to fill the void. But on this day, the hosts showed no mercy on their guests, and David Flauvius scored twice, and Said Ali, Tiest Sondaal, and Dan Hartung added goals as well for a 5-0 Riverhounds victory in a match layed in front of 1,157 at Moon High School just outside Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh's Cody Bragg goes high above the crowd for the header
But it was the visiting Edge who had the first good opportunity, when Luise Delmonte had a good look from the top of the box, but his shot was blocked by Riverhounds defender Cody Bragg. Two minutes later, it was the Riverhounds on the attack, when a through ball found Said Ali on a run into the box, but his shot was blocked by charging Edge goalkeeper Eric Sullivan. Two minutes later, the Edge goalkeeper was busy again when he had to tip a cross into the box by Dan Hartung just wide. And just after that, a pass from Hartung had David Flavius sliding to hit the shot in the box, but it was tipped over the bar by the Edge keeper.
But in the 22nd minute, the Riverhounds finally broke through when after a cxross from the right side by Gary DePalma was not controlled by Sullivan, Flavius jumped on the rebound and knocked it home for a 1-0 lead.
Five minutes later the Edge had a good chance to tie the match when a header from Victor Polanco forced a diving save from Pittsburgh goalkeeper Chris Robinson. But just before halftime, the Riverhounds doubled their lead when Flavius played a long diagonal ball ahead to a wide open Ali, who tapped the ball easily into the open net for a 2-0 halftime lead for the Riverhounds.
The Edge were finding it difficult to compete with the Riverhounds physically, and if the visitors from Michigan were thinking about getting back into the match, it didn't take long for the Riverhounds to shut that door in the second half.
Just four minutes into the second half, Flavius took advantage of a loose ball in the box and drove it home to put the Riverhounds up 3-0, and only three minutes later, it was Tiest Sundaal taking advantage of a loose ball, and he too found an open spot with his shot, and the Riverhounds had suddenly widened the score to 4-0.
In the 77th minute, the Riverhounds finished out their scoring when Hartung deflected in a cross from the left side from Granit Caushaj to put the score at 5-0 Riverhounds.
The Edge had their best chance to score in the 88th minute when a dipping shot from 30 yards out by Delmonte forced a spectacular save from second-half substitute Lucas Heasley. But in the end, the Edge never had an answer for the Riverhounds, and the result was a 5-0 pounding by the PSL hosts for their PDL guests.
