The Pittsburgh Riverhounds rolled into Seaside and delivered a decisive statement, defeating Monterey Bay FC 3-0 at Cardinale Stadium behind goals from Sean Suber, Augi Williams and Jackson Walti. The win represented the Hounds’ first three-goal outing of the season and moved Pittsburgh to 12-10-7, a result that leaves the club sitting fourth in the Eastern Conference with one regular-season match remaining. Control of the match showed in the numbers as well: the Hounds held 58 percent possession and matched a season high with seven shots on goal on 12 total attempts.
The opener came in the 27th minute after a sustained attacking sequence off a corner that Monterey Bay only half-cleared; Guillaume Vacter’s touch redirected a low cross to an unmarked Sean Suber, who finished at the back post. Suber’s second consecutive match with a goal rewarded a team that had manufactured early corners and patience in the attacking third, and it gave Pittsburgh tangible momentum heading into halftime. Monterey Bay had the match’s first real sighting at goal in the first half through Xavi Gnaulati, but that chance curled just wide.
Pittsburgh’s second half was about efficiency and finishing the moments that mattered. Minutes after several Hounds chances went begging, Augi Williams doubled the lead in the 73rd minute after a slick build initiated by the substitute Jackson Walti, who rolled a perfectly weighted pass into Williams’ path; Williams took one touch and fired high past goalkeeper Nico Campuzano. The goal reinforced the Hounds’ ability to convert against a compact defensive block and underlined Williams’ role as the team’s primary scoring outlet this year.
Walti’s brief spell off the bench became the turning point, not just for the goal he created but for the game-sealing finish he later produced. Entering in the 68th minute, Walti combined with Danny Griffin and finished in the 86th minute after a low cross from Williams stretched Monterey Bay’s defense, lifting a composed shot under the crossbar to lock the result. Walti completed 13 of 14 passes while on the pitch and won possession twice, one turnover directly leading to his assist, making him a clear Modelo Man of the Match for his 21-minute impact.
Eric Dick kept a clean sheet with two saves, recording his 11th shutout across competitions, while Nico Campuzano was tested four times for the home side. The Hounds’ defense, marshaled by the likes of Suber and Guillaume Vacter, absorbed Monterey Bay’s late pressure and preserved a shutout that felt earned rather than fortunate. Discipline was generally controlled on both sides, with a handful of cautions but no moments that altered the competitive balance.
With a home playoff match within grasp, attention now turns to the regular-season finale at Highmark Stadium against Phoenix Rising FC on Oct. 25, where a Hounds win would guarantee a home playoff date. The trip to the West Coast produced a complete team performance: possession, finishing, and the kind of bench impact that separates hopeful teams from playoff-ready sides. Pittsburgh leaves Seaside with momentum, a healthier goal differential, and the kind of confidence that comes from executing when the margins matter most.