Hartford Athletic enters USL Week 9 in search of their second win, hoping to turn the season around with plenty of games left to play. As Detroit City FC comes to Trinity Health Stadium with a 4-1-3 record, the Boys in Green will be fighting hard to protect Fortress Hartford and come away with three points. A pre-game Atheltic-Con event for fans will feature gaming vendors showing off classic video games, trading cards and other collectibles, light saber demonstrations, and more.
Hartford Athletic vs. Detroit City FC
WHEN: Saturday, May 10th, 7:00 PM
WHERE: Trinity Health Stadium, Hartford, CT
PROMOTION: Athletic-Con and Safe Driving Night pres. by CT DOT
TICKETS: Here
Hey! We Know Them
Four Detroit players are former Hartford players. MF Jay Chapman appeared in 17 matches for the Boys in Green during the 2024 season. He has been a key feature of the Detroit lineup, playing in all eight of Le Rouge’s USL Championship games, starting seven. FW Jeciel Cedeño has also previously called Fortress Hartford home, logging 36 appearances across 3 seasons (2021-23). Cedeño has also played in, and started, every game for Detroit this year. DF Matt Sheldon made 29 appearances for Hartford in 2023 before transferring to Detroit where he played in 30 games and logged 1,200 minutes in 2024. Finally, MF Ryan Williams played for Hartford in the club’s inaugural season in 2019. Ryan is one of three players from the 2019 roster still in the USL Championship (Alex Dixon, Collin Martin).
Goals Loading …
Even though Hartford has faced some challenges putting the ball in the back of the net, the Green & Blue are creating more and more opportunities as the season goes on. The team’s xG, or Expected Goals, has been on a nearly perfect upward trend since the first game of the USL. The xG statistic is calculated by assigning each shot a value on a scale of 0 to 1 based on the probability that it will go in. The values determined for every shot taken during the match are added up to produce the team’s overall xG. It is a good marker of how efficient a team’s offense is and Hartford’s is moving in a positive direction. In the Athletic’s 2-0 loss to Lexington, their xG was only 0.51 whereas in their most recent USL game the Boys in Green came away with 1.29 expected goals. This is a great sign for the team’s goal-scoring potential going forward.
Many Flags, One Badge
Hartford boasts one of the league’s most diverse rosters. Hailing from countries as far apart as Cuba, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Argentina, each member of the Boys in Green brings a different playing style and background to the table. The 2024 Hartford Athletic Fans Choice Most Valuable Player Mamdou Dieng, for example, grew up playing in a youth development program in Senegal with Sahel Academy, while midfielder Emmanuel Samadia has made seven appearances for the Sierra Leone National Team. Head Coach Brendan Burke has been able to mesh all of these players and their respective experience into one cohesive unit under the Green & Blue banner.
About the Opponent
So far this season, Detroit City FC have posted a record of 4-1-3 in USL Championship play, putting them in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. Interestingly, Le Rouge have won more games away than at home, with three wins on the road compared to only one at their very own Keyworth Stadium. Detroit has also found success at the tournament level, winning their first game of the USL Jägermeister Cup against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC 1-0. DCFC is actually in the same group as Hartford and will face off against the Boys in Green on June 28. Detroit also took home three points in their first game of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup versus Westchester SC 3-1, advancing to the round of 32 where they will match up against Chicago Fire FC.
Players to Watch
Hartford – Jack Panayotou, MF, #16
Midfielder Jack Panayotou, on loan from the New England Revolution, has the potential to make a big impact against Detroit City FC. In his debut, the Cambridge, MA native netted two goals to cinch Hartford’s win in their USL Jägermeister Cup match against the Portland Hearts of Pine. One goal came off a pass from Samuel Careaga, rolling across the top of the box and leaving Panayotou one-on-one with the goalkeeper for a clean left-footed finish. The second goal was a testament to Panayotou’s work ethic as he hustled to get onto the end of a cross from Michee Ngalina and buried the ball in the back of the net. The 20-year-old will be very fun to watch as he settles into his new team.
Detroit – Darren Smith, FW, #7
Forward Darren Smith will be a player to keep an eye out for in Saturday’s matchup. He leads Detroit City FC in goals, with seven tallied so far this USL Championship season. This stat earns him a spot as the number one goal scorer in the league as well, one above Cal Jennings, Abdellatif Aboukoura and Wilmer Cabrera. The Cape Town, South Africa native was nominated for USL Championship Player of the Month for April after scoring on five of six shots, an 83.3% conversion rate, over the course of the month. Standing at 5’ 7”, Smith has scored six of his seven goals from inside the box and is currently averaging 80 minutes per goal in the USL, so the Green & Blue will definitely be wary when he comes near the 18.
Join the Conversation
For live updates, follow along on Twitter using the hashtag #HFDvDET
