Riverhounds Beat Toronto FC 4-0 In First 2018 Season Win
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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The Riverhounds earned their first win of the 2018 season Saturday afternoon, defeating Toronto FC II 4-0 at Highmark Stadium.
A second half hat trick from Jamaican striker Neco Brett saw Pittsburgh cruise to victory in the third game of the year, improving the teams record to 1-0-2 and keeping them unbeaten on the young season.
The game was originally scheduled to be played in Toronto, but poor field conditions caused the match to be moved to Pittsburgh in an announcement from the league on Thursday.
The first half of the game was scoreless and saw very little in scoring chances between the two teams; the end of the half also signified Pittsburgh beginning the first 245 minutes of the 2018 season goalless.
Early in the second half, Hounds striker Neco Brett collected a pass from midfielder Thomas Vancaeyeezle and maneuvered past the Toronto defense and beat goalkeeper Angelo Cavalluzzo to give Pittsburgh the lead.
Only minutes later, Brett was on the receiving end of another nice pass from a Hounds midfielder that put in good scoring position. Ben Zemanski played Neco through whose low shot found the bottom corner of the net and doubled the Hounds lead.
Brett would complete his hat trick in the 83rd minute, and he would add an assist on Christiano Francois late goal to make it 4-0 Pittsburgh, which would be the final.
The Hounds also kept their opponent scoreless for the third time in as many games and remain unbeaten, something the team has not done in the modern USL era.
Pittsburgh will stay at home, hosting Ottawa next Saturday at 7 p.m.