Pittsburgh Riverhounds game to resume after ‘officiating error’ led to scoring confusion

PITTSBURGH — A Pittsburgh Riverhounds soccer match that ended Oct. 16 will be replayed after “an officiating error and misapplication of the FIFA Laws of the Game.”

According to a USL Championship news release, the game will resume from the 67th minute with Pittsburgh holding a 1-0 lead.

USL officials reviewed the game footage and found a goal was initially and correctly awarded to the Riverhounds after an opposing team’s player put the ball into their own net. After talking on the field, the game officials took that goal away and the game moved on with the Riverhounds being awarded a corner kick.

There were questions of match fixing and a failure to observe the standards of the game.

“In this instance, the match officials applied a law that unequivocally did not match the events on the field, and the ruling on the field exceeded the reasonable degree of human error that is inherently part of the game,” said USL President Jake Edwards in the news release. “This extraordinarily rare circumstance necessitated the decision to ask two of our Clubs to replay the remainder of a match with the score at 1-0. In consultation with PRO and IFAB, we have taken this action to protect the integrity of the League, our competition, and the sport of soccer. We thank The Miami FC and Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC for their understanding and commitment to the integrity of our competition.”

The match will take place Oct. 27 at 7 p.m. on ESPN+.

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