On Saturday, we made the three-hour drive to attend our very first Loudoun United FC match as they hosted the Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC in their USL Championship home opener. It was also our first time experiencing a USL Championship match in person, and the occasion certainly lived up to expectations.

The Riverhounds entered the match as the reigning USL Championship winners, making for a challenging home opener for Loudoun. The hosts, however, came out strong. In the 20th minute, Thor Ulfarsson capitalized on a poor defensive clearance to fire Loudoun into a 1–0 lead.

The advantage didn’t last long, as Albert Dikwa converted from the penalty spot in the 26th minute to level the match at 1–1. The remainder of the first half was highly entertaining, with Pittsburgh controlling much of the play and finishing the half with nearly 70% of possessions.

Pittsburgh carried that momentum into the second half. Just three minutes after the restart, Bradley Sample found the net from a corner kick in the 48th minute to give the visitors a 2–1 lead.

Looking for a response, Loudoun turned to their bench in the 64th minute, bringing on Sean Young and Richie Aman. Shortly after, Sam Bassett doubled Pittsburgh’s lead in the 69th minute, dribbling into the box and finishing calmly past the Loudoun goalkeeper.

The substitutes made an immediate impact. In the 71st minute, Aman delivered a perfectly weighted pass to Young, who finished confidently for his first goal with the club, trimming the deficit to 3–2.

Loudoun United were unable to level things up, as the Pittsburg Riverhounds would take all three points away from home & get their first win of the season. A shoutout to the Pittsburg Riverhounds traveling support, the Steel Army made themselves know throughout the match, singing & cheering for all 90 minutes.

Matchday Details

Tickets: $25 each (Section 102, Row 1)
Great view of the field as there truly isn’t a bad seat in the stadium. The only downside is the walk up the back of the stands, which could be challenging for young children or those with limited mobility.

Parking: $0
Free parking at a professional sports venue is always a pleasant surprise. There was plenty available, and driving to and navigating the area was very easy.

Additional Notes

We will absolutely be back for more matches at Segra Field. I highly recommend attending a Loudoun United match. The stadium offered a solid selection of food trucks along with additional snack concessions featuring reasonably priced drinks and snacks. The atmosphere was extremely family-friendly, highlighted by an autograph session after the match. Every player and staff member took time to sign autographs for the kids and even handed out club roster posters to be signed, a fantastic touch that made the experience even more memorable.

Aman is a player we’ve followed closely, having watched him in USL League Two with Ballard FC and at the collegiate level with the University of Washington. Drafted eighth overall by D.C. United, Aman is on loan with Loudoun United for the season and looks every bit the promising prospect expected to make a strong impact.

Loudoun United has been busy since last season, making 16 signings in the offseason, many of whom made their club debuts in this match, an encouraging sign as the team continues to build chemistry.

Loudoun United are back in action on Tuesday, March 17^th as they take on West Chester United (USL 2/NPSL) in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.