In a highly anticipated and physical regional rivalry clash, Hartford Athletic emerged victorious with a thrilling 3-0 win over Rhode Island FC at home and extended their undefeated streak to eight games. With a few changes to the starting lineup including Owen Presthus with his USL Championship debut, the Boys in Green wasted no time setting the tone.
Hartford came into the game on fire. Within the first two minutes, a scramble in the box nearly gave Hartford the lead. They kept up the pressure, and in the 6th minute, Samuel Careaga opened the scoring with a composed finish, assisted by Adewale Obolala.
Rhode Island responded with bursts of pace down the wings, but TJ Presthus and Hartford’s defensive line was sharp with crucial clearances and held strong.
The visiting team continued to have dangerous plays in front of the goal throughout the first half. Rhode Island earned a free kick in the 17th minute after JJ Williams was fouled in the final third, but the effort drifted wide.
Owen Presthus came close to scoring his first goal in the USL Championship league just before halftime, beating his defender, but the shot curled just wide of the far post. In stoppage time, JJ Williams nearly equalized with a towering header just over the bar but it was stopped by the wall between the posts, goalkeeper Antony Siaha.
Rhode Island came out strong to start the second half with an immediate attempt on goal, but it was blocked by Baboucarr Nije. Minutes later, Scarlett made a critical tackle in the box to prevent a breakaway.
In the 58th minute, a yellow card gave Hartford a free kick opportunity. Careaga’s strike was well-placed but saved by Koke Vegas. Antony Siaha kept the clean sheet intact with a huge save in the 66th minute.
In the 73rd minute, Scarlett serviced a ball over the top of Rhode Island’s back line and Edwards used his speed to sneak past the defenders. Edwards then placed the ball in the back of the net to double Hartford’s lead.
The match grew more intense late on, culminating in a red card for Rhode Island’s Aldair Sanchez. Michee Ngalina broke free in the 84th minute and was sprinting towards goal, when Sanchez took him down from behind.
The final goal came in the 90th minute when Owen Presthus capped the night with his first USL Championship goal. Kyle Edwards perfectly set up a header for Presthus, sealing a dominant win for Hartford against their regional rival and sparking celebrations at Trinity Health Stadium.
Hartford Athletic plays at North Carolina FC at WakeMed Soccer Park on Saturday, August 30th next.
FAST STATS
| HARTFORD | RHODE ISLAND FC | |
|---|---|---|
| Shots | 10 | 9 |
| Shots On Target | 5 | 1 |
| Corners | 3 | 2 |
| Fouls | 17 | 16 |
| Offsides | 5 | 4 |
| Possession | 33.1% | 66.9% |
| Passing Accuracy | 65.0% | 82.4% |
| Saves | 1 | 2 |
SCORING SUMMARY
| HARTFORD | RHODE ISLAND FC |
|---|---|
| 5′ – Samuel Careaga | |
| 73′ – Kyle Edwards (Jordan Scarlett) | |
| 89′ – Owen Presthus (Kyle Edwards) |
DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY
| HARTFORD | RHODE ISLAND FC |
|---|---|
| 48′ – Beverly Makangila (Yellow) | 57′ – Matthew Corcoran (Yellow) |
| 50′ – Adewale Obalola (Yellow) | 84′ – Aldair Sanchez (Red) |
| 90+3′ – Adrian Diz Pe (Yellow) |
LINEUPS
| HARTFORD | RHODE ISLAND FC |
|---|---|
| 77 (GK) Antony Siaha | 1 (GK) Koke Vegas (C) |
| 19 (DF) Jordan Scarlett (C) | 6 (DF) Aimé Mabika (Zach Herivaux, 60′) |
| 22 (DF) TJ Presthus | 24 (DF) Karifa Yao |
| 30 (DF) Adrián Diz Pe | 4 (DF) Hugo Bacharach |
| 23 (DF) Owen Presthus | 17 (MF) Jojea Kwizera (Aldair Sanchez, 60′) |
| 6 (MF) Beverly Makangila (Marlon Hairston, 52′) | 23 (MF) Marc Ybarra (Amos Shapiro-Thompson, 77′) |
| 5 (DF) Baboucarr Njie (Emmanuel Samadia, 60′) | 36 (MF) Matthew Corcoran |
| 10 (MF) Samuel Careaga (Sebastian Anderson, 76′) | 12 (MF) Clay Holstad |
| 17 (MF) Jonathan Jiménez (Michee Ngalina, 60′) | 11 (FW) Noah Fuson (Maxi Rodriguez, 60′) |
| 8 (MF) Junior Moreira | 9 (FW) JJ Williams |
| 81 (FW) Adewale Obalola (Kyle Edwards, 52′) | 7 (FW) Dwayne Atkinson (Albert Dikwa, 71′) |
