New Riverhounds Assistant Coach Dan Visser joins the show plus Soccer Writer Matt Grubba and Soccer Host Mike Grau on soccer and basketball.

The Pittsburgh Riverhounds have mutually agreed to part ways with midfielder James Bissue and defender Karsten Smith.

Both new additions to this season’s club, Bissue joined the Hounds from the Montreal Impact, making six appearances, while Smith, previously competing for the Fort Lauderdale Strikers, played in five matches this year.

The Pittsburgh Riverhounds (2-11-4) fell for a third-straight match, dropping a 2-1 decision to the Harrisburg City Islanders (5-13-2) in round two of the Keystone Derby Cup Series presented by the Pennsylvania Lottery and K&L Gates.

Harrisburg’s two goals in the first half proved to be too much for the Hounds to overcome with Dante Leverock and Jose Barril notching tallies in the 29th and 33rd minute, respectively. Kevin Kerr buried the lone goal for the Hounds in the 60th minute, snapping a three-match goalless streak in the process.
Action opened up at a back-and-forth pace. Jack Thompson, slotted at left back, almost gave the Hounds an early lead with a rocket of a shot from over 25 yards out ringing off the crossbar in the 17th minute. The missed opportunity proved painful, as the City Islanders, earning a corner in 28th minute, got the first goal of the match thanks to Leverock heading a shot flush past goalkeeper Mauricio Vargas far post.

Five minutes later, Harrisburg’s lead grew to two off a crazy sequence starting with Vargas making a diving save and pushing the ball out in front of him. Finding his way to the loose ball, Barril was able to evade a sliding challenge by Thompson and fire between the legs and eventually off of defender Mike Green and into the goal.

The Hounds responded with a strong second half, eventually breaking through with a deft finish by Kerr in the 60th minute. The build up opened with Lebo Moloto finding second half sub Nick Thompson in front of the box. Thompson then headed a soft touch to Hertzog, who pushed a header to Kerr in space, giving the captain a chance in all alone on goalkeeper Keasel Broome.
In the 78th minute, Harrisburg had an opportunity for the dagger off a penalty kick attempted by Bobby Warshaw. Hoping to fool Vargas with a few stutter steps, Warshaw pushed a shot low to Vargas’ left, seeing his shot saved by a stellar diving stop by the Hounds keeper. The Hounds would end the match pushing for an equalizer, including Drew Russell ringing a shot off the crossbar from distance, but the effort would not be enough.