Before anticipated U.S. Open Cup match, Riverhounds smoke Las Vegas

Any worries about the Pittsburgh Riverhounds looking ahead to their big home U.S. Open Cup match next week with Columbus Crew were squashed pretty early Saturday night.

Edward Kizza scored twice in the first half, and the Hounds dominated the winless Las Vegas Lights, 4-1, at Highmark Stadium.

Arturo Ordonez and Danny Griffin added second-half goals, and the Hounds (4-2-5) had their way with Las Vegas (0-4-6) from the start.

They breached the Lights’ backline with ease on multiple occasions, leading to scoring chances.

“We’re starting to play through the midfield more consistently, so we’re going to get more guys with chances to score,” Hounds coach Bob Lilley said.

“We’re more fluid right now. We could see it coming. Tonight, obviously we got the four goals, which helps.t wasn’t perfect, but the intent was there to go forward and get runners forward and be dangerous consistently, rather than looking for the odd chance. We always talk about being purposeful and having that intent to hurt teams. We played with that aggressiveness tonight, which I thought was important.”

Kizza broke through in the 21st minute.

Langston Blackstock served in a cross that bounced off Las Vegas keeper Leonardo Diaz right to Kizza, who tapped it into the net.

Ten minutes later, Burke Fahling sent in a sterling cross from the right side that Kizza smashed home with a header on the back post.

They were Kizza’s first two league goals of the season. He also had a goal in a U.S. Open Cup game against the Maryland Bobcats.

“The big thing for me tonight was getting in good position,” Kizza said. “It was nice playing up top with (Albert) Dikwa. We played off each other. When they crossed the ball, I was in the right position and able to react fast to get the first goal. Then on the second goal, I was set out wide and started to make my run to the box. Burke had a very good cross and I saw it, so I decided to attack the space and was in the right position again.”

The Hounds continued to pour it on in the second half.

Ordonez scored on a header in the 49th minute off a well-placed corner kick by Kenardo Forbes.

It was the second goal for Ordonez in his Hounds career and first of the season.

“It felt great,” Ordonez said. “I’d worked a lot in the offseason on getting better at playing the ball. I had a lot of chances to score last year, but I missed them. It’s great to see the hard work pay off.”

Griffin’s goal came in the 62nd minute. Forbes took a long shot on goal and the ball bounced off Dikwa to Griffin, who guided it into an open net.

It was Griffin’s second goal since returning via transfer from Huntsville on May 3. The other goal came in the U.S. Open Cup upset over New England Revolution.

Marcelo Lage scored for Las Vegas in the 86th minute to break the shutout.

With the Las Vegas match in the rearview mirror, the Hounds can turn their attention to hosting Columbus, in front of what is anticipated to be the largest crowd in Highmark Stadium history.

It’ll be the second time in club history the Hounds will host an MLS opponent. The only other time was in 2015 when they hosted DC United.

“The challenge for us is going to be that we can’t sit back and chase all game and not think they don’t have the quality to break us down,” Lilley said. “We’re going to have to disrupt, which means a lot of work. We’re going to have to be willing to press, go forward and make them defend, because if they dictate the entire game on our field, we will not have a chance after 90 minutes.

“We’re going to have to work hard just like we did in New England and be brave to win balls and press higher up the pitch. We’ll need the crowd to spur us on and give us energy. I believe that’s our best chance. Having 6,000 people in here giving us that emotion and energy to go out there and compete.”