Riverhounds beat Loudoun, finish unbeaten in USL Cup group play

Trevor Amann and Albert Dikwa supplied the goals, and Mitch Budler backed them with three saves as the Riverhounds beat Loudoun United FC 2-0 on July 11 at F.N.B. Stadium. Pittsburgh finished Prinx Tires USL Cup group play at 2-0-2 with nine points, unbeaten in regulation and one point short of the wild-card spot that would have sent it to the knockout stage.

The Hounds used a changed lineup after the previous weekend’s loss to Brooklyn FC, and Dikwa nearly scored early when his shot rattled the crossbar.

Amann broke through in the first half after getting behind a defender and drawing a trip in the box. He finished the penalty calmly into the left side of the net. Loudoun never found a response.

The second goal came after halftime. Charles Ahl delivered a precise cross to the back post, where Dikwa met it with a one-touch finish for the insurance goal. Budler then handled the rest, including a close-range header stop and a late save that preserved his first professional clean sheet.

The Riverhounds are the reigning USL Championship winners after claiming the first league title in club history in 2025, when Eric Dick’s postseason and MVP run in the final helped finish off a 26-year wait. Pittsburgh first took the field in 1999, and the 2026 season is its 27th in competition, making the Hounds the second-oldest club in the USL Championship.

With USL Cup play done, the schedule shifts back to league matches only, starting with a Wednesday night visit to Sporting Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Florida, under a national TV spotlight.