PITTSBURGH, Pa. (July 13, 2019) — The Tampa Bay Rowdies survived a scare Saturday night, getting a late goal from Lucky Mkosana to remain unbeaten away from home in 2019 with a 1-1 draw against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds.
Tampa Bay (11-1-7, 40 points) trailed late after a Kevin Kerr penalty in the 52nd minute, but a brilliant pass from Kwadwo Poku put Mkosana in on goal in the 84th minute. Mkosana took a perfect touch to bring the ball down with his chest before poking it past Riverhounds goalkeeper Kyle Morton to rescue a point for the Rowdies.
With the result, the Rowdies remain in first place in the USL Championship and are now the first team to reach 40 points this season. Tampa Bay is now 6-0-3 on the road this year.
Mkosana was acquired in a trade with Louisville City FC on June 28. In two appearances since, he provided the game-winning assist in added time to beat Ottawa Fury FC 2-1 and scored the game-tying goal with six points to play against the Riverhounds.
It was an unusually disjointed effort for the Rowdies on the turf in Highmark Stadium, a venue in which they have never won a game.
Neither team scored in the first half but Pittsburgh was the superior side in the first 45 minutes. The Riverhounds claimed 60 percent of possession and tallied four shots on target in the first half. Possession would nearly even out by the end of the match and Pittsburgh only managed one shot on target (a penalty kick) after halftime.
That momentum continued in the opening minutes of the first half, culminating in Pittsburgh being awarded a penalty kick after Pape Diakite was adjudged to have clipped Neco Brett’s heels on his way into the box. The Rowdies have now conceded a penalty kick in three of their last four matches.
Kerr scored the penalty to give the home team a lead in the 52nd minute, but the tide started to turn shortly after.
Tampa Bay Head Coach Neill Collins brought in three attacking players off the bench, with Lucky Mkosana entering the match in the 66th minute. Zach Steinberger and Kwadwo Poku entered in the 72nd and 73rd minutes, respectively.
It was Mkosana and Poku that connected for the Rowdies magic moment, with the latter assisting the former in the 84th minute.
Tampa Bay extended its unbeaten run to five matches heading into next week’s match against Saint Louis FC on Saturday night at Al Lang Stadium. Tickets are available here.
Scoring Summary
Pittsburgh: Kevin Kerr – 52nd minute (penalty kick)
Tampa Bay: Lucky Mkosana – 94th minute (assisted by Kwadwo Poku)
Caution Summary
Tampa Bay: Tarek Morad – 13th minute
Tampa Bay: Pape Diakite – 51st minute
Starting Lineups
Rowdies XI (3-5-2): GK John McCarthy; D Tarek Morad, Pape Diakite, Caleb Richards; M Malik Johnson (Zach Steinberger 72′), Dom Oduro, Sebastian Guenzatti (c), Jordan Doherty (Kwadwo Poku 73′), Leo Fernandes; F Juan Tejada, Leon Taylor (Lucky Mkosana 66′)
Pittsburgh XI (5-3-2): GK Kyle Morton; D Ryan James, Tobi Adewole, Thomas Vancaeyezeele, Joe Greenspan, Jordan Dover; M Robbie Mertz (Noah Franke 85′), Kenardo Forbes (c), Kevin Kerr (Mo Dabo 85′); F Neco Brett (Christian Volesky 73′), Steevan Dos Santos
