The Boys in Green will face a very familiar opponent when they match up against Detroit City FC for the second time in a row this Saturday. This time, however, the game will be played on DCFC’s home turf. It will also be a regular season contest, rather than a Jägermeister Cup match, meaning crucial Eastern Conference points will be on the line.
HARTFORD ATHLETIC vs. DETROIT CITY FC
WHEN: Saturday, July 12th, 7:00 PM
WHERE: Keyworth Stadium, Hamtramck, MI
HOW TO WATCH: WCTX MyTV9, wtnh.com or ESPN+
Siaha’s Stellar Saves
With two huge saves in regulation time and two more in PKs, GK Antony Siaha kept the Green & Blue in the game against Detroit City FC. In the 15th minute, with Hartford up 1-0, Ates Diouf won the ball near the sideline and got around his defender. He fired off a shot that was dropping in just under the crossbar, but Siaha made an acrobatic diving save to keep the ball out of the net. Just seven minutes later, with Hartford still up by one goal, the 6’5” goalkeeper made another spectacular stop. After great defensive efforts from Joe Farrell and TJ Pesthus, the ball fell to Diouf who teed it up for Jeciel Cedeño as he made a run into the box. Cedeño’s one-touch shot was a surefire goal, until Siaha laid out and parried it wide. The Tucson, Arizona native is one of only three players to have played in all 1,080 available USL Championship minutes. He has faced 49 shots and saved 30 of them for a 61.2% save success rate, putting him in the top half of all goalkeepers in the USL while adding three clean sheets, 14 catches and three clearances.
Rematch in Motor City
While this Saturday’s game might feel like deja vu, there will be a few critical differences when Hartford and Detroit square off. First, the match will be played on Detroit’s home turf. It is always harder to win on the road, but Athletic have played the Rouge and Gold to two draws at Keyworth Stadium,. Secondly Hartford have not played a match since these teams last met in Hartford on June 28th.. Coming into the match with an extra few days of rest will allow Hartford to come out strong, potentially unbalancing Detroit from the get-go.
Mamadou Makes Midseason Moves
We’re halfway through the USL Championship Regular Season and the league has opened up voting for a few Mid-Season Awards. Hartford’s Mamadou Dieng is on the ballot for Young Player of the Year, along with Loudoun’s Abdellatif Aboukoura, Tulsa’s Owen Damn and Phoenix Rising’s Collin Smith. The Senegalese forward has contributed three goals and two assists to the Green & Blue’s offense this year. Momo is also in the top three on the team across many categories, including passing accuracy (65.8%), shots (20), shots on target (7), key passes (10), duels (148), duels won (60), aerial duels (74), and aerial duels won (32). The speedy 21-year-old always works hard to put himself in the right place, whether that is offensively for a tap-in goal or defensively to pressure the opponent’s goalkeeper.
About the Opponent
Since Hartford faced off against DCFC two weeks ago, the Michigan side has dropped one spot in the Eastern Conference standings. Detroit now sits in sixth place, with a 5-5-5 record, after a 2-0 loss to Oakland Roots SC on July 5. After a powerful start to the season, Head Coach Danny Dichio’s side comes into Saturday’s match 1-4 across their last five games. With DCFC’s penalty kick success last week against Athletic, the team earned an extra point in the Jägermeister Cup standings. This put them in third place with five points and the chance at a wildcard bid into the knockout stage.
Players to Watch
Hartford – Joe Farrell, DF, #15
Providing both a strong presence on the backline and key contributions to the attack, Joe Farrell will be the player to watch in Saturday’s contest. In last week’s match, the Blue Bell, PA native registered three shots and nine final third entries, along with completing 80.5% of his passes and providing three clearances. Farrell also converted his penalty attempt in the PK shootouts. The 6’2” defender has played in 11 of the possible 12 USL Championship regular season matches, logging nine starts and 825 minutes. Across these matches, Farrell is ranked second on the team in passes (437), long passes (107), clearances (53), blocks (7), aerial duels (62), and aerial duels won (31). As Hartford takes on a team that just played them to a tight 2-2 draw, a player with Farrell’s poise and versatility will be vital to bringing home three points.
Detroit – Matt Sheldon, DF, #13
Matt Sheldon made his presence known in Hartford’s last matchup against Detroit City FC and will be a player to watch when the two teams face off again this weekend. The 6’0” defender scored the first brace of his career against the Green & Blue, earning himself a spot on the USL Jägermeister Cup Team of the Round as a result. This is Sheldon’s second season with the Rouge and Gold, after calling Hartford home in 2023. For Athletic, Sheldon made 29 appearances, ranking second on the team in duels and third in interceptions. He also logged a goal and an assist for the Green & Blue. With almost 10 years in the USL, Sheldon brings a wealth of experience to the Detroit lineup and has shown that he can be effective both on defense and offense.
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