PITTSBURGH, Penn. (August 11, 2021) — The Miami FC once again pulled off an incredible comeback win on Wednesday night in Pittsburgh against the Riverhounds. Despite going down 2-0 by the hour mark, Miami FC scored three unanswered to steal three points at Highmark Stadium.
The home side didn’t have to wait long to get their first chance of the night, which came in the third minute of play. Thomas Williamson played a low through ball to Kenardo Forbes, who curled a ball to the far post of Connor Sparrow. Miami’s goalkeeper was able to make a comfortable save to keep the match tied early on.
Moments later, it was Sparrow who was able to find a sprinting Othello Bah, placing a pass past Pittsburgh’s back line. Bah toe-poked the ball in an effort to get past goalkeeper Jake Leeker but his shot went wide right.
Miami would get a great chance on frame in the 20th minute as Lamar Walker shared off several Pittsburgh defender and fired a shot but it went straight at Leeker for the easy save.
Despite controlling the match, Miami FC found themselves down a goal after a perfectly-placed free kick by Williamson. A sprawling Sparrow had no chance as the shot found its way over the wall and into the back of the net.
The visitors had a chance to level before the break as Paco Craig was left unmarked on a free kick by Ariel Martinez as Pittsburgh’s defense was flat-footed. The hosts doubled their lead in the 50th minute, though, as Forbes put home his first goal of the season with a thunderous volley from the left side of the penalty area off a cross from the right by Alex Dixon to put the Hounds in the driver’s seat.
Just as quickly as Pittsburgh took a two-goal lead, though, Miami pulled level with two goals in the space of just over a minute. Ninety seconds after Forbes’ goal for the hosts, former Pittsburgh player Christiano Francois scored his second goal in as many visits to Highmark Stadium this season as an intercepting header inside the penalty area went straight to the Haitian international, who controlled well and then slid a finish back into the left corner of the net.
Barely a minute later, the visitors saw Martinez steal possession in the Hounds backline and after driving into the left side of the penalty area as support arrived, he found Williams for a shot that took a deflection off a defender on its way to the back of the net. Pittsburgh had a chance to immediately regain the lead through Anthony Velarde, whose shot went high from just outside the six-yard area, while Bah did the same from just inside the penalty area on a turning shot for the visitors.
Miami went close to grabbing the lead with 24 minutes to go when Junior Palacios hit the left angle of the crossbar and post with a shot from 25 yards out that had Leeker beaten. With nine minutes remaining, however, Francois was brought down just inside the penalty area to earn the visitors a penalty kick, allowing Williams to step up to the spot and bury his second goal of the game with a shot down the middle as Leeker went to the right side of the net. The goal proved decisive as Miami held firm defensively to see out the remaining minutes and bring the Hounds’ winning streak to an end.
