San Diego Loyal SC began a four-week road stretch with a 2-1 loss at Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC – the Eastern Conference leaders – Saturday.
Adrien Perez scored in the first half for the visitors, but Tola Showunmi and Abdull Osumanu found the net in the second half to complete the comeback for Pittsburgh in the inter-conference USL Championship match.
The sixth-place Loyal (6-5-5, 23 points) appeared to be heading towards another point in the Western Conference standings with a fourth-straight draw but the Riverhounds found a late goal to earn the victory. Osumanu headed in the game winner a minute into stoppage time off a set piece by Burke Fahling.
Showunmi had tied the match in the 69th minute after Marc Ybarra found him wide open behind the SD Loyal defense near the six-yard box. The forward tapped in Ybarra’s pass with his heel to even the scoreline at 1-1.
SD Loyal had taken a 1-0 lead in the 42nd minute when Perez blasted a left-footed shot from 25 yards. The midfielder took a pass from Camden Riley up the right flank, dribbled through defenders, then fired a shot that zipped through the hands of Pittsburgh goalkeeper Luis Zamudio and into the net.
It was the Loyal’s first time facing Pittsburgh (8-2-6, 30 points), a team that is unbeaten in its last 11 home matches going back to last season. With the win, Pittsburgh has nine wins and one draw at home in 2023.
SD Loyal heads to Indiana to face Indy Eleven July 1, then back east for a match with Hartford Athletic on July 8 before wrapping up at Colorado Springs on July 14.
