Amazin’ Amann
Hounds’ striker scores, sets up winner in 2-1 triumph over Birmingham
PITTSBURGH — Trevor Amann has a knack for scoring in bunches, which was evident when the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC striker set the USL Championship record for the fastest hat trick in league history on July 18 against Louisville City in 3:27.
Amann didn’t record a hat trick, or even a brace, but the 28-year-old opened the scoring for the Hounds, and set up the game-winning goal for his team in a span of 1:25 as Pittsburgh won their regular-season finale, 2-1, over Birmingham on Saturday night at F.N.B. Stadium in USL Championship league play.
“We made a big emphasis of starting the game well, and the message was the same going out in the second half,” Pittsburgh coach Rob Vincent said. “We were on the front foot for the first 10 minutes and wanted to attack it, which doesn’t always lead to two goals, but I’m glad that it did.”
The Hounds finished the regular season at 13-11-6 and 45 points. Pittsburgh, who has qualified for the league playoffs in nine-straight seasons, will be on the road next week in the quarterfinals of the Eastern Conference tournament at Louisville City FC (13-9-8, 47 points). The match is scheduled for Oct. 30 at 6:30 p.m.
The Riverhounds swept the season series with Louisville in winning the first match, 2-0, on May 9 at Lynn Family Stadium in Louisville and earning a 3-1 triumph in the July 18 match at F.N.B. Stadium.
Pittsburgh hasn’t had good fortunes against City in the postseason, as the Hounds are 0-3 in playoff matches against Louisville, who ended Pittsburgh’s seasons in 2019, 2020 and 2022.
“We know Louisville is going to be a tough place to go,” Vincent said. “They have a big grass field. It will be good to watch the Detroit game (against Louisville) from tonight and see what Detroit did because it was nil-nil, and any team that can go and shut Louisville out, they are doing something right. We will kind of look at how that game played out.”
The Hounds used home-field advantage to win the conference title last year as the fourth seed, but will be the fifth seed this year. Depending on the results of other playoff matches, Pittsburgh may return to its home pitch, although it could also be road warriors if it hopes to successfully defend the Hounds’ first league championship.
Pittsburgh and Birmingham (6-12-12) played a scoreless half, but the Hounds had a 12-2 advantage in total shots, including a 2-1 edge in shots on target. Pittsburgh also won four corner kicks to Birmingham’s one.
The Hounds’ Danny Griffin sent a right-footed shot from outside the box to the top center of the goal that was saved by Legion keeper Jassem Koleilat in the second minute.
Perrin Barnes had the second shot on target in the first half for the home team when his header from the right side of the six-yard box was stopped by Koleilat.
Robbie Mertz sent in the cross for Barnes in the 36th minute.
Barnes headed a pass that was played off a corner to Amann three minutes later, but Amann’s header from the center of the box went to the left of the goal.
The Legion put their first shot on target in the 45th minute when Samuel Shashou’s right-footed effort from the center of the box was saved by Nico Campuzano to keep the match level heading into the halftime break.
Pittsburgh came out strong in the second half, as Charles Ahl sent a right-footed shot from over 35 yards to the left of the goal in the 50th minute before Amann’s header from the center of the box just missed the top left corner in the 54th minute. Ahl directed a cross to Amann to set up the opportunity.
The Hounds broke through in the 55th minute when Amann put a left-footed shot from the right side of the box to the bottom left corner for a 1-0 lead.
“I think it (the first goal) was a bit unfortunate for the defender (as the ball deflected off a Birmingham player to Amann), but I think, as a striker, you kind of live off those moments,” Amann said. “I was the first one to get to the ball, and I knew what I was going to do right away with it.”
The tally was Amann’s ninth in league play and 13th across all competitions. Amann, who was named the “Modelo Man of the Match” for not only scoring and assisting on the game-winning goal, but he finished with five total shots, three chances created and won 8 of 12 duels. The Westminster, Colo., native was selected as the MVP of the team by the “Steel Army” cheering section and the media.
“Individually, for me, scoring is probably the biggest mentality boost because, as a striker, that’s our job,” said Amann in reference to his goal invigorating himself and the team. “As a collective unit, when we score, everyone starts to feel more confident, and everyone starts to play with that mentality of, ‘let’s go finish this game off,’ and I think it’s beneficial to score two goals like that because it kind of deflates a team when it happens.”
Amann set up Griffin 85 seconds later when he played the ball across to Griffin, who directed a right-footed shot from outside the box to the top right corner for a 2-0 advantage in front of a sellout crowd of 6,024. The goal was Griffin’s second of the season and Amann had his second assist of the campaign.
“A lot of their players were just following the runners in the box, then when it rolled out to me, I had enough time and space to hit one,” Griffin said. “Charles (Ahl) played another one I could have gotten a hit. We were able to create a lot of chances, and we have plenty of guys who can finish. The crowd was great tonight, as they always are. They bring a lot of energy, and we feed off that. We just have to worry about Louisville, but hopefully we can play a playoff game back here.”
Birmingham cut the deficit to 2-1 in the 82nd minute when Ronaldo Danus’ right-footed shot from close range went past Campuzano into the bottom left corner of the goal. Dawson McCartney had the assist on Danus’ tally.
The visitors pressed forward in the final 10 minutes plus stoppage time, and even brought Koleilat up, but Pittsburgh was able to hang on to earn the three points.
“Unfortunately, we conceded a goal at the end, but we were able to get the win,” Amann said. “We hope to use this momentum going forward into the playoffs.”
Birmingham had a 5-1 advantage in corner kicks won in the second half to finish with a 6-5 edge in full time. The visitors outshot the home club, 10-6, in the second half, but the Hounds finished with an overall advantage of 18-12. Pittsburgh had a 5-2 edge in shots on target.