The date May 9, 2023 will live long in Open Cup legend and lore.
The Pittsburgh Riverhounds’ away win over MLS leaders New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium was the biggest Cupset of this edition of Open Cup. And one of the biggest of the modern era. But don’t expect anyone in the USL Championship side to get too starry-eyed about it.
“It’s a great result for our guys, especially since we’ve been middle-of-the-road in the league so far this year,” said iconic coach Bob Lilley. Danny Griffin, scorer of the only goal of the game, was on a similar wavelength: “It’s huge, sure, and I couldn’t be prouder of the guys, but there’s still things to work out and build on.”
Life in the USL Championship is a grind. Travel and accommodations are spartan compared to Major League Soccer. Games roll on and on without mercy – and with far smaller squads. Today’s results evaporate quickly into the void of yesterday’s news while tomorrow’s uncertainty always threatens. But it is worth noting the nature of the Riverhounds win on that fateful Tuesday night in Foxborough.
History for the Hounds
It was the first time that the Riverhounds, founded in 1999, beat a top-flight MLS opponent on the road. It also put them into the Round of 16, the farthest they’ve ever reached in the Open Cup.
“It’s nice to get rewarded,” said New Jersey native Lilley “Overall we played well and defended well.”
The Revs – our tournament winners in 2007 – began the game with a rotated squad. But it still fairly oozed quality. Open Cup champ (with Sporting KC) Latif Blessing and Jozy Altidore were among the starters. As was former USMNT defender Omar Gonzalez, who found himself flat-footed when the lively Griffin slipped in and latched onto a through ball from Marc Ybarra.
