CHESTER, Pa. — The sole non-Major League Soccer franchise remaining in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is no longer in the running for the crown.
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds’ run in the U.S. Open Cup came to an end in the Round of 16 with the cross-state Philadelphia Union of MLS taking a 4-1 win Wednesday at rainy Subaru Park.
Bruno Damiani, Indiana Vassilev, Danley Jean Jacques and Jovan Lukic scored for the Union, who advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time since reaching the final in 2018.
Jorge Garcia came off the bench and scored a brilliant curling goal after being in the match just 26 seconds for the Hounds, who lost for just the second time in their last five games against MLS teams.
The match began with controversy after Luke Biasi was called for a foul that was disputed by the Hounds in its own right. The ensuing free kick from Jesus Bueno was sent into the box, and referee Natalie Simon whistled a handling call on a redirected ball against the Hounds’ Guillaume Vacter. Damiani scored the penalty down the middle in the 14th minute.
The Hounds battled back and nearly pulled level in the 42nd minute when Danny Griffin carried the ball toward goal and hit a long-range drive that forced a diving save by Union goalie Andrew Rick. Bertin Jacquesson fired a follow-up attempt toward the net from a sharp angle, which Rick held.
The Union doubled the lead in stoppage time when Quinn Sullivan threaded a pass through to Vassilev, who lifted a shot over the arm of the Hounds’ Eric Dick.
The Union added to their lead in the 54th minute after breaking the Hounds midfield line for a 4-on-3 opportunity. Damiani slipped a pass to Jacques on the right side, and Jacques finished for a 3-0 lead.
Garcia entered the match for the Hounds in the 62nd minute, and in the 63rd, he was on the score sheet with a curling shot from the corner of the box that found the top right corner of the net. It was the second goal for first-year pro Garcia, who played his college soccer at nearby Villanova University.
Both teams exchanged chances with the game at 3-1, but the Union put the result away in the 86th minute when Lukic dribbled into the box and scored with a shot that took a deflection off the back of a Hounds defender.
Jackson Walti was a midfield workhorse against a talented Union group that likes to occupy the middle of the box. He finished winning the ball a team-high 10 times, won 5 of 9 duels and was responsible for a team-leading 13 entries into the final third.
With the cup run over, the Hounds turn their attention back to USL Championship play with a road match at 4 p.m. Saturday afternoon at Rhode Island FC (3-3-3).
Riverhounds SC lineup (3-4-2-1) — Eric Dick; Guillaume Vacter (Charles Ahl 73’), Sean Suber (Max Broughton 84’), Beto Ydrach; Junior Etou, Jackson Walti, Danny Griffin, Luke Biasi (Perrin Barnes 46’); Robbie Mertz (Aidan O’Toole 62’), Bertin Jacquesson (Jorge Garcia 62’); Augi Williams
Philadelphia Union lineup (4-2-3-1) — Andrew Rick; Frankie Westfield (Nathan Harriel 73’), Olwethu Makhanya, Jakob Glesnes, Olivier Mbaizo; Jesus Bueno, Danley Jean Jacques (Jovan Lukic 65’); Cavan Sullivan, Indiana Vassilev (Ben Bender 66’), Quinn Sullivan (Jeremy Rafanello 84’); Bruno Damiani (Mikael Uhre 66’)
PHI — Bruno Damiani 14’ (penalty)
PHI — Indiana Vassilev 45+1’ (Quinn Sullivan)
PHI — Danley Jean Jacques 54’ (Bruno Damiani)
PIT — Jorge Garcia 63’ (Augi Williams)
PHI — Jovan Lukic 86’
PIT — Luke Biasi 12’ (caution – reckless foul)
PHI — Jakob Glesnes 22’ (caution – tactical foul)
PHI — Danley Jean Jacques 65’ (caution – unsporting behavior)
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