Illal Osumanu used his head in the first minute of stoppage time to score the game-winning goal in the Riverhounds’ come-from-behind 2-1 victory against the San Diego Loyal at Highmark Stadium on Saturday.
The Riverhounds haven’t been beaten in USL play since a 2-0 loss to El Paso Locomotive FC on April 22 thanks to Osumanu’s stoppage-time winner, recording a 6-0-3 record in that time frame that’s propelled them to first place in the Eastern Conference.
Osumanu’s goal was delivered from Burke Fahling on a free kick that found its way to Osumanu’s head on the back post. The goal was Osumanu’s first as a Riverhound in his third appearance with the team.
“Before I went up there, I was supposed to be back. But then, I was kind of debating with the staff if I should go forward, and they gave me the go ahead,” Osumanu said. “When I went up there, I kind of knew that it was going to go there and I was ready for it.”
While the Riverhounds’ unbeaten streak lives to see another day, it looked to be in jeopardy as the second half went on after the Loyal found the back of the net in the 42nd minute.
Loyal forward Adrien Perez was San Diego’s goal scorer. Perez began his run on the right sideline before cutting toward the center and delivering a left-footed strike outside of the box that beat Riverhound goalkeeper Luis Zamudio.
Perez’s unassisted goal was the first the Riverhounds had given up in 405 minutes of league-play game time, dating back to a goal the Las Vegas Lights scored on May 20.
“They broke our pressure a couple of times and we backed off,” Riverhounds coach Bob Lilley said. “The minute we backed off midway through the first half, they’re running at us in space, the game’s getting stretched and we had lost our momentum.”
The first half was largely uneventful until Perez’s goal, as the first shot recorded by either team occurred in the 32nd minute, courtesy of the Loyal.
Despite the scoreline, the Riverhounds were not the winners on the stat sheet. San Diego outshot the Riverhounds, 13-7, at the final whistle, while also possessing the ball 62% of the match and tallying fewer fouls.
Although the statistics were skewed in the Loyal’s favor, the Riverhounds were the aggressors late in the second half, which eventually resulted in a 68th minute equalizer from Tola Showunmi.
“I feel like we were on the attack after that. We just needed a goal to get us back fine,” Showunmi said. “We made quite a few chances after that.”
Showunmi’s goal was the first shot on target for the Riverhounds and served as the spark for the eventual game-winner.
Marc Ybarra sent a pass to the middle of the box where Showunmi was stationed. Perhaps a little off-balance for a kick, Showunmi flicked the ball with his right heel into the back of the net.
Showunmi has filled in for injured striker and Riverhounds goal leader Albert Dikwa for the last five USL matches, scoring two goals in the process.
“The coaches and my teammates make me stay consistent, always stay in the game, provide attacking threats and provide opportunities,” Showunmi said.
Currently, the Riverhounds are tied with three other teams for the fewest losses in the USL, but their schedule is about to feature an uptick in competition.
The upcoming schedule will serve as a challenge for the Riverhounds, however, as they’re slated to play Charleston Battery, Sacramento Republic FC and Louisville City FC twice in their next five matches.
Two of those matches expand beyond the “fortress” the Riverhounds are trying to build at Highmark Stadium, meaning Lilley’s squad will be going into enemy territory.
“If you want to win a championship, you’re going to have to beat very good teams, not just at home, but on the road too,” Lilley said. “This is a very good win, maybe the best win we’ve had this year, that’s including New England [Revolution] and Columbus [Crew].”
First Published: June 25, 2023, 2:45 a.m.
