The Pittsburgh Riverhounds are preparing to play in their first USL Championship Final, and the community gathered Thursday to send the team off with enthusiasm and support.With drums playing and fans cheering, the Riverhounds are aiming to make history by winning the championship.”This is the biggest moment in their history. And for the city of Pittsburgh and its sports teams, the biggest moment probably since the Stanley Cup run in 2017,” Riverhounds fan Matthew Baldwin said.Baldwin hopes to pass on his passion for Pittsburgh soccer to his 6-month-old son, who was with him at the send-off for the Riverhounds.Cheyenne Hallwirth, another young fan, shared her excitement, saying, “I want to see the Riverhounds.”The players reciprocated by greeting their fans as they prepared for the biggest match of the year.Robbie Mertz, a Pittsburgh native, scored the decisive goal in the conference championship, propelling the Riverhounds into the finals against FC Tulsa. The match is scheduled for Saturday.”I think we feel confident in what we’ve been doing, so we are ready to lay it all on the line,” Mertz said. Riverhounds forward Augi Williams was also grateful for the turnout on Thursday.”I’m excited just to see this,” Williams said. “It’s a boost for us going in there, making us feel good that we have the Steel Army, we have the support behind us, so I’m happy to see this and we’re excited to go play what we love.”Caz Didrick, part of the fan group known as the Steel Army, is set to travel to Oklahoma to support the Riverhounds.”It’s absolutely unreal,” Didrick said. He plans to join the Steel Army bus, leaving Friday at 4 p.m. and arriving in Tulsa on Saturday morning.

CORAOPOLIS, Pa. —

The Pittsburgh Riverhounds are preparing to play in their first USL Championship Final, and the community gathered Thursday to send the team off with enthusiasm and support.

With drums playing and fans cheering, the Riverhounds are aiming to make history by winning the championship.

“This is the biggest moment in their history. And for the city of Pittsburgh and its sports teams, the biggest moment probably since the Stanley Cup run in 2017,” Riverhounds fan Matthew Baldwin said.

Baldwin hopes to pass on his passion for Pittsburgh soccer to his 6-month-old son, who was with him at the send-off for the Riverhounds.

Cheyenne Hallwirth, another young fan, shared her excitement, saying, “I want to see the Riverhounds.”

The players reciprocated by greeting their fans as they prepared for the biggest match of the year.

Robbie Mertz, a Pittsburgh native, scored the decisive goal in the conference championship, propelling the Riverhounds into the finals against FC Tulsa. The match is scheduled for Saturday.

“I think we feel confident in what we’ve been doing, so we are ready to lay it all on the line,” Mertz said.

Riverhounds forward Augi Williams was also grateful for the turnout on Thursday.

“I’m excited just to see this,” Williams said. “It’s a boost for us going in there, making us feel good that we have the Steel Army, we have the support behind us, so I’m happy to see this and we’re excited to go play what we love.”

Caz Didrick, part of the fan group known as the Steel Army, is set to travel to Oklahoma to support the Riverhounds.

“It’s absolutely unreal,” Didrick said. He plans to join the Steel Army bus, leaving Friday at 4 p.m. and arriving in Tulsa on Saturday morning.