PRESENTED BY TRAVELERS
Date: Saturday, August 5th, 2023
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Location: Trinity Health Stadium, Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford Athletic have returned home from their three-game road trip to play four out of their next five matches at Trinity Health Stadium, beginning with a contest against New Mexico United tomorrow night.
LAST TIME OUT
Hartford Athletic are coming off a 5-2 loss to San Antonio FC on the road last Saturday. It was a high-energy match filled with scoring chances, highlighted by a four-goal first half and an individual four-goal performance from San Antonio’s Tani Oluwaseyi. Hartford took the early lead with a goal from Conor McGlynn in the 10th minute, but the lead did not last long. Oluwaseyi scored two goals, in the 14th and 30th minutes, to give San Antonio the lead. Athletic responded well, bringing themselves level with a goal from Andre Lewis in the 34th minute. The second half was a different story, as San Antonio took full control over the game. Justin Dhillon gave them the lead with a headed goal in the 74th minute, and then Oluwaseyi exploded for three more goals of his own. Hartford failed to record a shot the entire half.
CRUCIAL STRETCH
After playing three of four games on the road in July, Hartford return home in August to play four of five games at Trinity Health Stadium. With 13 games left on their schedule, Athletic sit 12 points below the playoff line with 12 points up for grabs on their home turf this month. Regardless of playoff standing, August serves as an opportunity for Athletic to bring themselves off the bottom of the Eastern Conference table. “This is no excuse, but it was not easy to go to Tulsa and come back, go to Vegas and come back, and go to San Antonio,” said Coach Namazi earlier this week. “It wouldn’t be easy on anybody… But now, we’re home for four out of the next five games and we’ve got to get the results. This is our season right here.”
ADDING SOME BITE TO THE BACK
Hartford Athletic acquired center back Modesto Méndez from Inter Miami CF II this Tuesday. The 6’2″ Cuban defender will bring “speed and some bite to our back line,” according to Coach Namazi, and is expected to be in the lineup right away. “I’m looking to play him,” said Namazi earlier this week. “…What he brings to the table is what we lack: pace and speed. “We have somebody now who can cover a little bit better and can stay with runners.” If Méndez is selected on Saturday, he will be the 100th player to make a competitive appearance in Hartford Athletic history.
FAMILIAR FACE
New Mexico midfielder Harry Swartz is a memorable player for Hartford Athletic fans, as he was on the team’s first ever roster in their 2019 inaugural season and was a bright spot for his two years with the club (2019 and 2020). He scored five goals and recorded four assists across 27 games played. Swartz signed with New Mexico in 2021, but missed most of the season due to injury. After returning in 2022 and scoring six goals, he signed a two-year contract with New Mexico. This will be the first time Swartz faces his former club.
Check the Pulse
ABOUT THE OPPONENT
New Mexico United are coming off of a 1-0 road loss to Orange County SC. New Mexico conceded a goal in the 80th minute to drop its first league match since June 21st. The loss drops the club out of the playoff picture as Phoenix Rising FC won their match, temporarily securing the eighth and final spot at the top half of the table. New Mexico comes to Hartford with an 8-8-4 record (28 points) on the back end its two-game road trip. This is the clubs’ second meeting ever, the first being a 2-2 draw in New Mexico in 2021.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Hartford Athletic: Andre Lewis, Midfielder #77
Andre Lewis scored his second goal of the season last week in San Antonio, a great sign for Hartford to get one of their best players on the scoresheet down the stretch. Antoine Hoppenot played the ball into the center of the box, which Lewis tapped under the goalkeeper and into the net. Lewis has been a centerpiece to Hartford’s attacking play the last two seasons and serves as a connector in the midfield, lobbing balls into the attacking third for his forwards and finding the back of the net himself at times.
New Mexico: Sergio Rivas, Midfielder #7
Sergio Rivas is the club’s second-leading goal scorer with four. The Mexico native is in his third season with New Mexico United, making 71 appearances in that time. He has 11 goals from the midfield and has racked up 65 shots. Rivas has not scored since May of this season, when he scored in four consecutive games for New Mexico.
INJURY REPORT
Hartford Athletic
Out: Amoh (hamstring), Edwards (hamstring)
New Mexico
Out: Nava (Lower body), Wehan (Lower body), Hamilton (Suspended)
JOIN THE CONVERSATION: For live updates, follow along on twitter using the hashtag #HFDvNM
