Aug 3, 2025 By Jonathan Guth 5 min read

It’s hard to imagine the Riverhounds have gone nearly one month since posting a victory, despite not conceding any points in USL Championship play.

Pittsburgh’s Augi Williams and Bertin Jacquesson scored six minutes apart in the second half to help lift their team to a 2-0 victory over Rhode Island FC on Saturday night at sold out Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh’s Station Square.

“Besides the goals, I thought they did a good job today,” Riverhounds coach Bob Lilley said. “They helped in the defending where they could. It was cooler out, and that helped us, but it was a war.”

The Hounds (7-6-5) are on an eight-match unbeaten streak, including six in league play, but haven’t been able to earn the extra two points for a victory since 1-0 triumph over New Mexico on the fourth of July at Highmark.

“This was an important game tonight,” Lilley said. “If they take three (points) tonight on our pitch, they are right on our heels, and they are going to be capable at the back end of the season of stringing five or six games together, no problem.

“These are games you have to win now. I am proud of the guys. It is nice to get a complete performance by pretty much everyone.”

Pittsburgh’s last loss was a 2-1 setback at Indy on June 14. The Hounds defeated Tampa Bay (2-1) on June 21 before blanking Westchester (1-0) in Jägermeister Cup play on June 28.

Following the victory over New Mexico, the Hounds played to draws against Loudoun, Detroit, Portland (Jägermeister Cup) and Miami.

Pittsburgh is in fifth place in the Eastern Conference standings of the USL Championship standings with 26 points. North Carolina FC also has 26 points, but sits in fourth place with eight wins. Loudon occupies the third-place spot with 27 points.

Rhode Island (4-9-5) is the defending conference champion, but currently sits in 10th place in the Eastern Conference table with 17 points.

Rhode Island also lost striker JJ Williams in the 69th minute after a scrap occurred in front of the Riverhounds’ bench, which left the visitors to play with 10 men.

Pittsburgh keeper Eric Dick only needed to make two saves, but he earned his nine clean sheet of the season (eighth in USL Championship play).

After an opening 45 minutes with four shots on target, three by the Hounds, the home team broke through in the 51st minute on Williams’ tally.

The Pittsburgh striker corralled a ball from length that was sent in by Luke Biasi near the top left corner of the box, turned and cut toward the middle before blasting his shot into the bottom left corner of the net for his fourth goal this season and 80th in USL Championship play. Williams is in fourth place, all-time, for goals in the league.

“Bertin (Jacquesson) and Augi (Williams) had to be strong with elbows in their ears half the night, and that’s not easy to do,” Lilley said. “I thought we competed really well tonight.”

Jacquesson’ tally in the 57th minute provided the home team with a two-goal cushion, which hasn’t occurred many times this season, as the Riverhounds are more of a defensive-minded team.

Jacquesson took a diagonal pass from Beto Ydrach, carried the ball toward the goal line in the left side of the box and sent an angled shot that landed in the back of the net under the crossbar. Jacquesson has four goals this season, but Saturday’s was his first in USL Championship action. Ydrach was credited with the assist.

“It feels good to get a goal in league play, but I am also happy for Augi, and for the team,” Jacqueeson said. “I feel like Augi and I are working for each other. We want to create space for each other, and we really don’t care who scores.”

Dick wasn’t challenged much, but, at times, that can hinder a keeper, however, he stopped Jojea Kwizera in the 66th minute when he went down to push a hard shot around the post for one of Rhode Island’s best chances to score.

Rhode Island keeper Jackson Lee played a solid match despite giving up two goals, as he stopped five shots, including two on Pittsburgh captain Danny Griffin, including a close-range tip of the ball in stoppage time and the visitors down to 10 players after Williams was sent off.

Jacquesson had the first shot on goal 14 seconds into the match. Charles Ahl had two shots on target in the first half, including a back-post header of a ball served by Luke Biasi late in the first half.

The match was physical from the first touch, and included a total of eight bookings.

“It was hand-to-hand combat tonight,” Lilley said. “But we figured it was going to be that type of game. We needed this aggression. I said to them after the game, ‘That’s valuable, and that’s what we are capable of.’ There is always a way. The intensity and focus had dropped a little here recently, and we needed to bounce back. We need to try and build on this.”

Sean Suber helped Dick to earn the clean sheet, as the center back won 8 of 10 duels, including 6 of 7 in the air, and had a team-leading eight clearances. He had a pair of successful dribbles and completed a team-high 57 passes to be named the “Modelo Man of the Match.”

The Hounds continue their four-match homestand this Saturday against Orange County SC (7-7-2) at 7 p.m.

“Orange County is playing well now,” Lilley said. “They have very good personnel, and that becomes a very-difficult game from the other conference.”