Enjoying a second two-week break in as many months, the Pittsburgh Riverhounds returned to F.N.B. Stadium on Saturday to face Brooklyn FC in the club’s annual Fourth of July match. Weather forced the start of the game into an hour-long delay, but fans stuck around to watch the local 11 vie for their seventh win of 2026.

Brooklyn FC, which had just two wins coming into the match, played on its heels as the Riverhounds pushed play in the first 45 minutes. However, in the end, it was an early second-half goal by the visitors, then a second in extra time that sent a regular-season record crowd of 6,376 home unhappy as Brooklyn defeated Pittsburgh, 2-0.

The first half was mostly played on the Brooklyn (3-8-3) side of the field, as the Riverhounds peppered goaltender Lucas Burns with several chances in the first 20 minutes but could not find an open net. Pittsburgh used good passing lanes to create several shots inside the 18-yard box, only to register one shot on goal by half.

The second half saw the pace of the visitors pick up on the host’s side of the field as Brooklyn made several early attacks forward, making ‘Hounds goalie Nico Campuzano get on his bike and move. Brooklyn midfielder Chris Olney Jr. took a pass from the other side of the field from teammate Thomas Vancaeyezeele. All alone just at the top of the box, Olney launched a strike high and to the near post that Campuzaon could not defend, registering the game’s first goal in the 49th minute.

Pittsburgh (6-5-2) then pushed the attack button and came very close in the 65th minute when Robbie Mertz played tic-tac-toe with Perrin Barnes, who then fed Eliot Goldthorp in close range with a beautiful ball. The native of Leeds, England, forced a shot through heavy traffic that seemed destined for the equalizer, only to watch Brooklyn center back Callum Frogson clear the would-be strike just off the goal line.

In the 75th minute, a wild sequence played out just outside the Riverhounds 18-yard box as players from both sides were given red cards.

Brooklyn’s Stefan Stojanovich locked up with Riverhounds defender Lasse Kelp. Moments later, Stojanovich head butted Souza, leading to both players falling. That prompted Riverhounds striker Albert Dikwa to defend his teammate, and before long, all 22 players converged on the field. After the referees pried both sides apart, red cards were given, and both teams played on with just 10 men as Dikwa and Stojanovich were sent off.

“All I saw from the bench was the head butt on Lasse (Kelp) It was clearly a red card.” said Riverhounds coach Rob Vincent. “I have yet to see what Albert (Dikwa) got sent off for. I don’t think anybody’s arguing right now, so I’m pretty disappointed. We could have gone up, and we fell into the trap I guess.”

The club did appear sluggish at times, despite controlling play offensively in the first half. Vincent wasn’t so quick to blame the time off for the poor performance.

“I think we were off a step tonight, kind of across the board.” Vincent explained. “A lot of uncharacteristic mistakes. I think a lot of our guys were not at the level we expected them to be at. I think the most disappointing thing, honestly, is they get a goal. Two shots, two goals in the second half. That kind of happens.

“I think our lack of response. Shots. Crosses into the box. We go up on teams, and they pepper us. I don’t want to say it was a lack of effort. I’m sure the boys were trying. It was just the lack of quality. It’s hard to put into words right now.”

The Riverhounds after that made several runs offensively, but none were successful. In the extra-time, Brooklyn added insult to injury with a second goal from Abdoulaye Kante to secure his club’s win of the season. The lack of execution in front of a record crowd bothered the Hounds’ first-year coach.

“We just didn’t do enough.,” Vincent said. “No excuses. We’re at home. We need to be able to come in and get back to playing our way.”

The Riverhounds will have a few days to lick their wounds and prepare for their four.th USL Cup match next Saturday when they visit Loudoun United for a 5 p.m. kickoff. The game will be televised by KDKA+.