Despite the 2-1 loss on Wednesday night to St. Louis FC, Kay Banjo had a stellar first professional start for the Pittsburgh Riverhounds.

The striker, who hails from Maryland, scored his first professional goal in his first pro start. Banjo put the Riverhounds on the board early, scoring in the 5′ minute. The goal came after a howler from St. Louis FC goalkeeper Devala Gorrick, which had his pass head right to Banjo.

“I wasn’t expecting that, but the high-pressure worked,” Banjo said. “It just came to my feet and I had to finish that because that’s early. We have to set the tone.”

His teammates ran over and hugged him, celebrating his first professional goal wit him.

“They’ve talked to me throughout the whole season,” Banjo said. “I’ve been unlucky with scoring. I get my chances, but I just happen to not finish them. I get very unlucky, but today, it was my day.”

According to head coach Dave Brandt, Banjo earned the start due to a groin injury leaving Rich Balchan from selection.

“We started Kay because Rich Balchan couldn’t play,” Brandt said. “Rich is the right back and has a groin [injury]. That was a pretty close to game decision that he couldn’t go. That forced a litany of changes where we dropped Jack [Thompson] into the back, Kevin [Kerr] into the wing line and started Kay. We were going to need to adjust in someway. That’s the way we chose to adjust.”

However, the lead didn’t last for long. In the 30′ minute, former Riverhound Jose Angulo scored, and in the 67′ minute Christian Volesky nabbed the game-winner. Both goals were assisted by Wes Charpie, a defender.

Despite the loss, the Riverhounds remained clean when it came to cautionary cards. The Riverhounds did not receive a single yellow card, while St. Louis FC had one yellow card shown to Ryan Howe in the 42′ minute.

A minor hiccup occurred when Corey Hertzog exited the match, holding his ankle. According to Brandt, Hertzog did not ask to be substituted out, but Brandt made the decision to sub him in the 78′ minute, sending Chevaughn Walsh in the match.

“I took him out,” Brandt said. “He didn’t ask to come out. I’m not sure. I haven’t talked to him, but he got hit hard in the box – that ankle. I didn’t feel like he was the same afterward. I didn’t ask him because Corey would never come out if he had two broken legs. I hoped that [Chevaughn Walsh’s] physicality would give us a spark.”

The Riverhounds, hoping that Hertzog can be in tow, will face the Charlotte Independence in North Carolina on Saturday. The match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

Follow me on Twitter, @RachaelMcKriger, for all Riverhounds coverage.

The post Riverhounds drop to St. Louis FC, 2-1 appeared first on Pittsburgh Sports Castle.