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Hartford Athletic were able to equalize after going down early in the first half, but were outmatched by two Sacramento goals in the second 45 minutes of the match. 4-1 was the final.

The first half of tonight’s match was physical and action-packed, with a penalty kick given to each team and three goals scored. After struggling to generate chances in the first part of the game, Sacramento’s Russell Cicerone tapped a ball into the bottom left corner of the net to grab the early lead in the 19th minute. The goal was Cicerone’s fifth against Hartford in six matches against the club in his career, continuing his streak of burning the Green and Blue. It was also his ninth of the season, putting him atop the USL Championship. 

Hartford bounced back quickly by drawing a penalty in the 21st minute. Danny Barrera lobbed a quality ball into the box for Elvis Amoh, and the striker was tripped by Sacramento keeper Danny Vitielle. Kyle Edwards converted the penalty kick to knot the match 1-1. It was Athletic’s tenth goal of the first half this season, only Sacramento have more (16).

17 minutes later, a penalty was given to the visitors. After a cross was looped into the box, Jack Gurr got tangled with Antoine Hoppenot and drew the penalty. Sebastian Herrera converted from the spot, gaining the lead back for Sacramento. The score would stay at 2-1 going into half time. 

Sacramento came out of the locker room in attack mode, burying a goal almost immediately. Aldair Sanchez made a run to the Hartford end line and crossed a ball to the top of the box for Jack Gurr, who’s shot bounced off defender Niall Logue and past the reach of goalkeeper Richard Sanchez. Throughout the next 20 minutes of the half, Republic FC maintained dominance of the possession battle winning it 65% to Athletic’s 35%. 

Athletic created some chances towards the end of the half, but could not find a second goal. The best chance for the Green and Blue was a Elvis Amoh header into the left post, one of 14 touches inside the box for Hartford, double that of Sacramento. 

Republic FC added a fourth score in the 85th minute, the seventh goal that Athletic have conceded in the last 15 minutes of play, the most such goals in the USL Championship. 

The match included several bookings and fouls going both ways, but definitely played a role in the temperament of the game. Both teams were rewarded and connected on penalty kicks as results of these infractions. 

Hartford falls to 2-7-2 and looks to get back in the win column Saturday, June 3rd against  Louisville City FC who sits third in the Eastern Conference of the USL Championship.

FAST STATS

Shots (On-Target): Hartford 4 Sacramento 5

Corners: Hartford 4 Sacramento 2

Fouls: Hartford 13 Sacramento 11

Offsides: Hartford 3 Sacramento 2

Possession: Hartford 55.2% Sacramento 44.8%

Passing Accuracy: Hartford 88.5% Sacramento 83.1%

Saves: Hartford 1 Sacramento 3

SCORING SUMMARY:

19’ – Cicerone (Fernandes)

23’ – Edwards

38’ – Herrera

51’ – Gurr

85’ – Archimede (Herrera)

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY:

28’ – Edwards (Yellow)

38’ – Cedeno (Yellow)

42’ – Herrera (Yellow)

47’ – Sanchez (Yellow)

48’ – Logue (Yellow)

77’ – Amoh (Yellow)

HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP:

1 (GK) Richard Sánchez, 50 (DF) Niall Logue, 28 (DF) Conor McGlynn, 3 (DF) Kaveh Rad, 16 (DF) Matt Sheldon (Merrill, 78′); 5 (DF) Triston Hodge, 8 (MF) Juan Pablo Torres (Torres, 78′); 29 (MF) Antoine Hoppenot, 10 (MF) Danny Barrera (Lewis, 78′); 9 (FW) Elvis Amoh, 17 (FW) Kyle Edwards

SACRAMENTO REPUBLIC FC STARTING LINEUP:

31 (GK) Danny Vitiello, 6 (DF) Shane Wiedt (Desmond, 67′); 24 (DF) Conor Donovan, 5 (DF) Jared Timmer, 40 (DF) Aldair Sanchez (Damià Viader, 67′); 2 (DF) Jack Gurr (Sousa, 77′); 19 (MF) Nicholas Ross, 96 (MF) Luis  Felipe Rodrigues, 29 (MF) Arnold López, 11 (FW) Russell Cicerone (Archimède. 77′); 9 (FW) Sebastian Herrera (Lewis, 86′)

Hartford Athletic started their homestand with a win last week over Loudoun United, and have a chance to make some noise against the Western Conference leader Sacramento Republic FC tomorrow night.

PRESENTED BY TRAVELERS 

Date: Friday, May 26th, 2023

Time: 7:30 PM ET

Location: Trinity Health Stadium, Hartford, Connecticut  

Tickets: HERE

Streaming: ESPN Plus or WTNH.com

HARTFORD ATHLETIC (2-6-2) vs. SACRAMENTO REPUBLIC FC (7-1-3)

LAST TIME OUT

Hartford Athletic are coming off a 2-0 win over Loudoun United last Saturday at home, snapping their three-game losing streak. Hartford were in control for most of the game, suffering few dangerous scoring threats from Loudoun. Juan Pablo Torres scored first for Athletic in the 23rd minute, with Kyle Edwards picking up the assist. Torres’ first goal with Hartford and Edwards second assist of the year. Edwards was involved again in the second half, drawing a penalty kick after getting tripped in Loudoun’s box. Elvis Amoh converted the penalty for Hartford, scoring his third goal of the year in his first game back from injury.

RE-LOADED WITH AMOH

Elvis Amoh made his return to the pitch for Hartford last Saturday, appearing for the first time since suffering a thigh injury on April 8th in Charleston. He logged 32 minutes as a second half substitute, took two shots, and converted a penalty kick that gave Hartford a 2-0 lead in the 67th minute. It was his third goal of the season and a great sign for Athletic to see their top striker back in action and scoring goals. With Amoh back, Hartford await the return of midfielder Kembo Kibato to have their Week One lineup back and fully healthy. Kibato suffered a foot injury against Birmingham in Hartford’s home opener on March 25th, and is out indefinitely. 

A HARTFORD KILLER

Sacramento’s leading goal-scorer Russell Cicerone has a strong history against Hartford. In 2020, he was on Saint Louis FC which heartbreakingly eliminated Athletic from the postseason which the Green and Blue has not been back to since. Then, across two seasons in 2021-2022 with Riverhounds FC, he scored four goals against Hartford, including one in stoppage time, to claim the lead 3-2. This season, Cicerone has eight goals in the club’s 11 matches, putting his second in the USL Championship and first in the Western Conference.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT

Sacramento Republic FC comes to Hartford for the two clubs’ first ever meeting. After outscoring their opponents 6-3 in their last five matches, Sacramento looks to continue its dominance within the USL Championship. The club’s +15 goal differential and 7-3-1 record are atop the league and it also has had a player represented on Team of the Week in 8 of 11 match-weeks this season. Republic FC begins its three-game road trip in Hartford for its first time on the East Coast this season. The club will not return home for a match until mid-June.

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PLAYERS TO WATCH

Hartford Athletic, Elvis Amoh, FW #9

A proven goalscorer in this league, Elvis Amoh is a massive piece for Hartford to have back in their lineup. The penalty he converted last week was his third goal of the season, and he leads Hartford in shots with 14. He has scored 13 goals in each of his last two seasons in the league, and was brought to Hartford this year to be the team’s most consistent scoring threat.

Sacramento Republic FC, Keko, FW #7

Coming off a Week 11 Team of the Week selection, forward Keko attempts to continue his hot streak this Friday. In Saturday’s match against Oakland Roots SC, he tallied both a goal and an assist, earning him Man of the Match honors in the club’s 3-1 win.

INJURY REPORT

Hartford Athletic

Out: Kembo Kibato (Foot), Jonathan Filipe (RT Knee)

Sacramento

Out: Rodrigo Lopez

JOIN THE CONVERSATION: For live updates, follow along on twitter using the hashtag #HFDvSAC

Hartford Athletic announced today that defender Tulu has been transferred to San Antonio FC. 

Tulu departs the club after two full seasons and just under 4,000 minutes played in Green and Blue. He signed with Hartford just before the start of the 2021 season and was a mainstay in the back line, starting 27 matches and leading the team in clearances (135) and blocks (31). At season’s end, he earned his first call to the Togolese National Team’s camp for World Cup Qualifying matches. In 2022, Tulu started 15 of the final 17 games of the year, all a part of a monster second half of the season for the defenseman. He finished the season second on the team in blocked shots (27), third on the team in clearances (88), and scored two goals. He was voted Most Improved Player in the 2022 Fan’s Choice Awards. Tulu has made two appearances for Hartford in 2023, logging 55 minutes. 

Tulu is the third Hartford player in club history to be moved via transfer. In the club’s inaugural season in 2019, Goalkeeper Frederik Due was transferred to Orange County FC, and forward Walmer Martinez was transferred to Monterey Bay FC in 2021. 

Hartford Athletic would like to thank Tulu for his contributions to the club and wish him the best in his career going forward.

A goal in each half and lock down defending from Hartford Athletic propelled them to a commanding 2-0 victory at home over Loudoun United FC, snapping a three-game losing streak in the midst of a downpour at Trinity Health Stadium.

Hartford Athletic had to stave off some attacking pressure from Loudoun United in the opening 20 minutes of tonight’s match. The visiting side forced three corners in the first ten minutes, and first Hartford to scramble on a chaotic free kick in the 13th minute. Jeremy Garay fed a ball into the box from about 30 yards away from goal that was headed to the center of the box, forcing a diving punch from Richard Sánchez. A heads up play by the Hartford keeper to shut down the early scoring threat, as Hartford has given up five goals before the 25th minute this season.

The Green and Blue broke through to score in the 23rd minute. Prince Saydee made an interception in the Loudoun half and played a ball across the field and forward for Antoine Hoppenot, who rolled a perfectly-weighted ball into the box to Kyle Edwards. He made a pass that was deflected by Loudoun keeper Hugo Fauroux and fell to Juan Pablo Torres, who jammed a shot off a Loudoun defender that floated into the open net. A great piece of connecting play from Hartford for Torres’ first goal in Green and Blue. 

Loudoun would take three more shots before the end of the half, putting one on target that forced a routine save from Richard Sánchez. Hartford were out possessed 60.5% to 39.5% in the half, but had 15 touches in Loudoun’s box and made the most of their best scoring chance. 

Much of the action was played in the middle of the field through the first 15 minutes of the second half, with both teams taking just one shot. Kyle Edwards began to create problems for Loudoun in their third, and drew a penalty kick in the 65th minute. Niall Logue played a long ball from midfield all the way up into the Loudoun box, and Edwards, who had gotten behind the Loudoun back line, was tripped by the charging Hugo Fauroux. Head Coach Tab Ramos called on Elvis Amoh to take the penalty, and he buried it straight down the middle. Amoh came off the bench in the 58th minute, making his first appearance since suffering an injury against Charleston on April 8th. A great sign for Hartford to have one of their top strikers back in action. 

With a 2-0 lead, Hartford defended tremendously for the rest of the half. They faced eight more shots, blocked five of them, and allowed just four touches in their box. Richard Sánchez was also reliable in net, making three saves in the half and totaling four in the match. Hartford continued to play positively in Loudoun’s third as well, nearly generating another goal for Elvis Amoh in the 79th minute. Torres chased down a ball in the final third and looped a brilliant ball across the field and into the box for Amoh. The Ghanaian forward lifted his shot over the hand of Fauroux, but it was blocked just in front of the goal line by Hayden Sargis. Hartford planted their feet in their half the rest of the way and kept Loudoun off the scoreboard, earning their first clean sheet of the season and a 2-0 win. Hartford extends their head-to-head record against Loudoun United to 11-1-1 overall, and 8-0-1 at home. 

Hartford Athletic return home next Friday, May 26th, for a matchup with Sacramento Republic FC. Kickoff is set for 7:30 PM.

FAST STATS

Shots (On-Target): Hartford 9 Loudoun 15

Corners: Hartford 2 Loudoun 7

Fouls: Hartford 19 Loudoun 10

Offsides: Hartford 2 Loudoun 2

Possession: Hartford 38.2% Loudoun 61.8%

Passing Accuracy: Hartford 72.2% Loudoun 80%

Saves: Hartford 4 Loudoun 0

SCORING SUMMARY:

23′ – Torres (Edwards)

67′ – Amoh

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY:

10′ – Landry (Yellow)

36′ – Sheldon (Yellow)

81′ – Hopkins (Yellow)

84′ – Merrill (Yellow)

88′ – Rad (Yellow)

HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP

1 (GK) Richard Sánchez, 50 (DF) Niall Logue, 22 (DF) Robin Lapert (Rad, 45′); 28 (MF) Conor McGlynn, 16 (DF) Matt Sheldon (Merrill, 58′); 5 (DF) Triston Hodge, 8 (MF) Juan Pablo Torres, 10 (MF) Danny Barrera (Cedeño, 82′); 29 (FW) Antoine Hoppenot, 7 (FW) Prince Saydee (Amoh, 58′); 17 (FW) Kyle Edwards (Lewis, 82′)

LOUDOUN UNITED FC STARTING LINEUP

30 (GK) Hugo Fauroux, 23 (MF) Kalil ElMedkhar, 27 (DF) Bryce Washington, 20 (DF) Daniel Chica (Koanda, 59′); 2 (DF) Koa Santos, 19 (MF) Houssou Landry (Zanne, 59′); 4 (MF) Aidan Rocha, 11 (MF) Jeremy Garay, 12 (FW) Jackson Hopkins, 14 (FW) Wesley Leggett (Armenakas, 59′); 28 (FW) Zach Ryan (Williamson, 59′)

PRESENTED BY TRAVELERS 

Date: Saturday, May 20th, 2023

Time: 7:00 PM ET

Location: Trinity Health Stadium, Hartford, Connecticut  

Tickets: HERE

Streaming: ESPN Plus or WTNH.com

HARTFORD ATHLETIC (1-6-2) vs. LOUDOUN UNITED FC (3-6-1)

Hartford Athletic return home for three straight games at Trinity Health Stadium, beginning with a matchup against familiar Eastern Conference Loudoun United FC this Saturday at 7:00 PM.

LAST TIME OUT

Hartford Athletic are coming off a 3-1 loss to Phoenix Rising FC on the road last Saturday. Athletic took an early punch in the mouth from Phoenix, conceding just five minutes into the match on a goal from Danny Trejo. They were out possessed 65.2% to 34.8%, but managed to equalize on a penalty kick after Antoine Hoppenot was tripped in the Phoenix box. Kyle Edwards converted the PK. Rising FC was in control for most of the second half, and regained the lead in the 73rd minute. After a corner kick bounced out of the Phoenix box, Matt Sheldon misplayed a ball and fell down with no reinforcements behind him. Carlos Harvey took the ball all the way down the field and scored. Manuel Arteaga sealed the game with another Phoenix goal nine minutes later.

CRUCIAL STRETCH

It’s been tough sledding for Hartford through the first quarter of the season. They’ve earned just five points, have had some brutal losses on late goals conceded, and have played six of their first nine games on the road. Starting this Saturday, however, Hartford will play seven of their next nine matches at home, giving them a massive opportunity to gain some points back and climb the table. “It’s been a tough stretch for us,” said Coach Ramos this week. “We’ve played most of our games on the road, and have been out to the west coast four times. I think the most difficult part of our schedule, as far as road games are concerned, is out of the way.” Hartford host Loudoun, Sacramento, and Louisville for their next three games.

MATCHUP HISTORY

Hartford Athletic have a deep history with Loudoun United across four seasons. They have faced the Northern Virginia side 12 times (T-most in club history with NYRBII) since both clubs entered the league in 2019, and Hartford have dominated the series like no other matchup they’ve had. The Green and Blue hold an astonishing 10-1-1 overall record against Loudoun, and have yet to lose to them at home (7-0-1). They suffered their first lost to Loudoun at Segra Field last September. The two teams come into Saturday’s match on respective losing streaks in the USL Championship, Hartford’s at three and Loudoun’s at four. 

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ABOUT THE OPPONENT

Loudoun United holds a 3-6-2 record, coming off of a 3-1 loss to New Mexico this Wednesday. Loudoun played from behind for the majority of the match, conceding three unanswered goals until converting a penalty kick in the 87th minute. The Northern Virginia side had gotten out to an impressive start this season, beating Memphis, Birmingham, and tying the defending champions San Antonio FC. However, they’ve fallen into a four-game losing streak as of late.  Loudoun currently sits in the eighth spot in the Eastern Conference and are led by captain and top goal scorer Zach Ryan.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Hartford Athletic, Kyle Edwards, FW #17

Kyle Edwards continues to be an attacking force contributing two goals and one assist in his seven games. In Hartford’s last match against Phoenix, Edwards stepped up to the line and easily sank a penalty kick into the bottom left corner of the net to tie the game at 1-1 in the first half. If Hartford can spark an offensive turnaround during this home stretch, Edwards will likely be a key part of it.

Loudoun United, Zach Ryan, FW #28

Ryan is a new addition to Loudoun’s 2023 squad and has made an immediate impact for the team, earning a USL Championship Team of the Week honor in Week one after contributing two goals and one assist in his debut game against Memphis 901 FC. Ryan’s five goals this season has him leading his team in goals scored, along with sitting at fourth overall in the USL Championship league. The 23 year old is a Stanford alum and during his time as a Cardinal, he scored 31 goals in 73 appearances and earned PAC-12 player of the year in 2020.

INJURY REPORT

Hartford Athletic

Out: Kembo Kibato (Foot), Jonathan Filipe (RT Knee)

Loudoun

Out: Alex Nagy (ACL), Kwame Awuah (Achilles), Cole Turner (Meniscus)

Questionable: Yanis Leerman

Hartford Athletic were able to equalize late in the first half tonight after falling down a goal early, but a dominant second half from Phoenix Rising FC shut the door on the visitors. Athletic dropped the match 3-1, losing their third straight in the USL Championship.

Hartford took an early punch in the mouth from Phoenix Rising FC in tonight’s match, conceding just five minutes into the match. Manuel Arteaga lobbed a pass from the Phoenix half that Danny Trejo chased down just across midfield. The Phoenix forward was able to outrun Niall Logue and Triston Hodge into Hartford’s box, and snuck his shot just under the arm of the charging Richard Sánchez and across the goal line. The goal came two minutes after Daniël Krutzen forced a diving save from Richard Sánchez on a free kick taken just outside Hartford’s box. 

The Green and Blue generated two chances shortly after giving up the goal, as Kyle Edwards and Conor McGlynn put shots on target in the 22nd and 23rd minutes. Hartford defended for much of the half after those two shots. Richard Sánchez did well to keep the deficit at one, making three saves on shots from inside the box and giving Hartford a chance to equalize late in the half. In the 43rd minute, Antoine Hoppenot made a brilliant move to beat Eddie Munjoma into the box and the Phoenix defender tripped Hoppenot, drawing a penalty kick for Hartford. Kyle Edwards stepped up to the spot and buried the penalty kick into the bottom right corner, tying the game at 1-1. Despite being out possessed  65.2% to 34.8% in the half, Hartford were right back in the game going into the second 45 minutes. 

Phoenix started to plant their flag in the Hartford final third about 15 minutes into the second half. In the 62nd minute, a corner kick fell to Carlos Harvey in the box and his shot went above the crossbar. Two minutes later, Kevon Lambert forced a save from Sánchez on a well-struck shot from the top right of the box, and Alejandro Fuenmayor hit the crossbar with a shot in the 65th minute. 

The home side continued to knock on the door and broke through to take the lead after a costly mistake on the ball from Hartford. After a corner kick bounced out of the Phoenix box, Matt Sheldon misplayed a ball and fell down with no reinforcements behind him. He was dispossessed by Carlos Harvey, and the Phoenix midfielder had nothing but open field in front of him. He scampered all the way to the Hartford box for a one-on-one chance with RIchard Sánchez, and beat the keeper between his legs. 

Rising FC stayed in control, scoring again in the 81st minute. Manuel Arteaga received a headed pass from Danny Trejo right at the goal line, and powered the ball past Richard Sánchez. The score would stay the same the rest of the way, ending in a 3-1 final to Phoenix Rising FC. 

Hartford totaled five shots and put four on target, but had just 10 touches inside Phoenix’s box. Sánchez had his busiest night of the season in net, making five saves. The goal from Edwards was his second of the season. The Green and Blue fall to 1-6-2 and return home to face Loudoun United FC next Saturday, May 20th. Kickoff is set for 7:00 PM.

FAST STATS

Shots (On-Target): Hartford 5 (4) Phoenix 19 (8)

Corners: Hartford 8 Phoenix 3

Fouls: Hartford 11 Phoenix 9

Offsides: Hartford 4 Phoenix 1

Possession: Hartford 34.2% Phoenix 65.8%

Passing Accuracy: Hartford 78% Phoenix 90.5%

Saves: Hartford 5 Phoenix 3

SCORING SUMMARY:

5′ – Trejo (Arteaga)

44′ – Edwards

73′ – Harvey

81′ – Arteaga (Trejo)

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY:

2′ – Logue (Yellow)

10′ – Njie (Yellow)

17′ – Sheldon (Yellow)

19′ – McGlynn (Yellow)

61′ – Hodge (Yellow)

70′ – Zambrano (Yellow)

80′ – Barrera (Yellow)

84′ – Lambert (Yellow)

HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP

1 (GK) Richard Sánchez, 50 (DF) Niall Logue, 3 (DF) Kaveh Rad (Lapert, 15′); 28 (MF) Conor McGlynn, 5 (DF) Triston Hodge (Edwards, 45′); 16 (DF) Matt Sheldon, 77 (MF) Andre Lewis (Barrera, 66′); 29 (FW) Antoine Hoppenot, 8 (MF) Juan Pablo Torres, 17 (FW) Kyle Edwards, 7 (FW) Prince Saydee

PHOENIX RISING FC STARTING LINEUP

1 (GK) Rocco Rios Novo, 27 (MF) Kevon Lambert, 4 (DF) Daniel Krutzen, 30 (DF) Alejandro Fuenmayor, 6 (DF) Baboucarr Njie (King, 45′); 23 (DF) Eddie Munjoma, 26 (MF) Renzo Zambrano, 10 (MF) Fede Varela (Hernández, 67′); 17 (FW) Danny Trejo (Mullins, 91′); 9 (FW) Manuel Arteaga

PRESENTED BY TRAVELERS 

Date: Saturday, May 13th, 2023

Time: 10:30 PM ET

Location: Phoenix Rising Stadium at 38th St/Washington, Phoenix, Arizona 

Streaming: ESPN Plus, WTNH.com, or MyTV9

HARTFORD ATHLETIC (1-5-2) at PHOENIX RISING FC (2-2-4)

LAST TIME OUT

Hartford Athletic are coming off a 2-0 loss to Memphis 901 FC at home. The Green and Blue struggled to get their feet off the ground in this match, taking just one shot in the first half. They conceded a goal from Laurent Kissiedou in the 32nd minute and went into half time down 1-0. They had an improved second half performance, but did not challenge Memphis’s back line consistently enough. Prince Saydee and Danny Barrera put shots on target in the first five minutes of the half, and Antoine Hoppenot nearly tied the game in the 82nd minute. Matt Sheldon lobbed a throw-in into the box that fell to Hoppenot in front of the net, but his shot was not squared and Bill Hamid made a quality save. Rashawn Dally provided the dagger for Memphis just a minute later, delivering Hartford their second loss at home this year. 

UNCHARTED TERRITORY

Saturday will be Hartford’s first match at Phoenix Rising Soccer Stadium, and their second ever matchup with Rising FC. They faced off last year May 28, 2022, losing 2-1 after getting a loan goal from Prince Saydee. Phoenix’s Kevon Lambert and Greg Hurst recorded a goal each to defeat Hartford at Trinity Health Stadium.

FAULTY FINISHING

Hartford’s struggles on the offensive end have been apparent so far this season, but they have not come by lack of chance creation. Just last week in an otherwise forgetful performance against Memphis, they had chances to tie the game and totaled 1.11 expected goals, but came up empty. They are seventh in the league with 1.51 total expected goals so far, but pair that with a -0.12 xGD. One of the few teams with a worse xGD is Phoenix Rising FC (-0.41 xGD). Hartford also put 37.5% of their shots on target, which is in the top five in the Championship. For the Green and Blue, it’s more a matter of putting their chances away than it is a struggle to create them. 

A LONG WAY TO GO

Despite a frustrating start with some crushing losses, Hartford Athletic find themselves just a couple of wins away from potentially eclipsing the playoff line. With 26 games left to play and 78 points left to play for, the Green and Blue have time to gain a chunk of points back. If they can get a win in Phoenix, they’ll take momentum back to Hartford for back to back matches at home against Loudoun and Sacramento. Catching fire in the second half of May can set them up to be a dangerous team in the summer months, as they will likely have key pieces Kembo Kibato and Elvis Amoh healthy and ready to play by then.

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ABOUT THE OPPONENT

Phoenix Rising FC hold a 2-2-4 record on the 2023 season, coming off of their first loss since March to the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Tampa Bay took a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute when a one-two pass between Yann Ekra and Ryan Spalding on the left flank helped get behind three defenders. Rowdies forward JJ Williams made a long run down the center of the field into the box and was able to get his head on the end of a cross serviced by Spalding, knocking it into the back of the net. Charlie Dennis gave Tampa a 2-0 lead just before halftime in stoppage time with a perfectly placed free kick from the top of the box that curled into the upper left 90 past Phoenix goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo. Phoenix has introduced some new players this season who have become top goal scorers for the club, including former LAFC forward Danny Trejo and former Indy Eleven stand out Manuel Arteaga.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Hartford Athletic, Matt Sheldon, DF #16

Matt Sheldon has played in seven matches for the Green and Blue in his first season and recorded a total of 599 minutes. He has been consistently a part of the action this season on both ends of the field, which earned him Team of the Week honors during week four. During Hartford’s match against Orange County SC, Sheldon swiped four interceptions, won 13 duels, and won possession for the Green and Blue seven times. Sheldon was also busy in the final third, creating three chances, delivering three crosses, and recording a shot on target. He led Hartford in total touches as well with 87. Sheldon continues to be a key player for Hartford with 11 clearances and 11 interceptions total this season.

Phoenix Rising FC, Kevon Lambert, MF #27

Kevon Lambert played the entire 90 minutes of Phoenix’s last match against Tampa Bay, contributing one shot, two clearances, and eight final third entries. Lambert has been a member of the Phoenix Rising squad since 2017 as a midfielder, and has received multiple Team of the Week honors, most recently in Weeks six and seven this season. Lambert recorded 10 clearances, two interceptions and won 10 of 13 duels in his Week seven match against San Antonio FC. The Jamaican native also has experience playing for the Jamaican National team for the U-20 side, along with 14 appearances with the first team.

INJURY REPORT

Hartford Athletic

Out: Kembo Kibato (Foot), Elvis Amoh (Thigh), Jonathan Filipe (RT knee)

Phoenix

Out: Jackson Conway (suspension)

Questionable: Niall Dunn (lower body), Emil Cuello (lower body), Gabi Torres (lower body), Mo Traore (lower body), Erickson Gallardo (lower body), Uzo (lower body)

Hartford Athletic introduced the brand new Beer Bonanza today, a beer festival happening at Trinity Health Stadium on July 22nd from 6-10 PM. The festival will feature a lineup of craft breweries from all throughout New England, food trucks, musical performances, games and more.

Hartford Beer Bonanza offers a day for locals to sip on unlimited tastings, eat from the best food trucks, and listen to live musical performances all night long. The “Game Zone” will be filled with activities like corn hole, giant Jenga, soccer right on the Trinity Health Stadium pitch, and more to be announced. The festivities begin at 6:00 PM on July 22nd and wrap up at 10:00 PM. A special VIP hour takes place from 5-6 PM with exclusive beer offerings, cookout food and first access to all breweries in attendance. VIP tickets are very limited and purchasing early is strongly encouraged. 

Tickets for the Beer Bonanza are now on sale at trinityhealthstadium.com. Tickets start as low as $44 as part of early-bird pricing which runs through Sunday, May 28th.

The festival adds to the busy schedule of events at Trinity Health Stadium this summer. On July 14th and 15th the stadium will host the Hoffman Auto Music Weekend featuring performances from “Back to the 80s” and Reggae Vibrations. For more information, visit trinityhealthstadium.com.

A first half goal and a late dagger buried Hartford Athletic tonight, dropping their second league match in a row 2-0 to Memphis 901 FC. 

Both teams were quiet offensively through the early stages of the first half of tonight’s match, with much of the action happening in the middle of the field. As the half went on, the Hartford back line had trouble keeping up with the pace of Memphis’s forwards. 901 FC were able to create five offensive chances, putting two shots on target and breaking through to score in the 32nd minute. Phillip Goodrum played a lead ball from midfield for Luiz Fernando, who was able to sprint past Robin Lapert and into the Hartford box. Fernando toe-poked a perfect low cross to Laurent Kissiedou in-stride, and the French forward roofed his shot to the top of the net. 

Memphis had one more threat before the end of the half that was wiped out by a strong defensive play from Conor McGlynn. Kissiedou got in behind in the Hartford box again and tried to get the ball across to an open Goodrum, but McGlynn made a clean interception of the pass to save a wide open chance for Memphis before the end of the half. 

Hartford were unable to put much pressure on Memphis in the first 45 minutes, taking just one shot that was off target. 

The Green and Blue began the second half on the comeback trail, and immediately began creating offensive opportunities. Just three minutes into the half, Kyle Edwards received a corner kick feed from Danny Barrera and headed his shot just above the crossbar. Prince Saydee fired a shot on target five minutes later, and Danny Barrera followed up with another. 

The game remained tied as it entered the final 10 minutes, and Hartford continued to knock on the door. They had their best chance of the game when Matt Sheldon lobbed a throw-in into the box that was headed down by Barrera and fell to Antoine Hoppenot just outside the six yard box, but Bill Hamid made a quality save on his shot from close distance. That would be Hartford’s last chance at equalizing, as Rashawn Dally scored on a counter attacking chance for Memphis just a minute later. The visitors would hold on to the 2-0 lead the rest of the way. 

Richard Sánchez did well to keep Hartford in the game, making four saves after Memphis had 12 shots inside Hartford’s box and challenged him and the back line consistently. Despite the loss, it was a positive night for Hartford’s Dren Dobruna. The 17 year old from Waterbury, Connecticut made his first start tonight, making him the youngest player in the history of the club to start a USL Championship match. Tonight was also Danny Barrera’s 200 USL Championship appearance, yet another milestone for Hartford’s longest tenured player. 

Hartford Athletic travel to Phoenix next Saturday to face Phoenix Rising FC. Kickoff is set for 10:30 PM ET.

FAST STATS

Shots (On-Target): Hartford Memphis

Corners: Hartford 10 Memphis 17

Fouls: Hartford 9 Memphis 11

Offsides: Hartford 2 Memphis 1

Possession: Hartford 57.2% Memphis 42.8%

Passing Accuracy: Hartford 81.9% Memphis 79.5%

Saves: Hartford 4 Memphis 4

SCORING SUMMARY:

32′ – Kissiedou (Fernando)

83′ – Dally (Lapa)

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY:

19′ – Cedeño (Yellow)

47′ – McGlynn (Yellow)

HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP

1 (GK) Richard Sánchez, 22 (DF) Robin Lapert (Hodge, 45′); 3 (DF) Kaveh Rad, 28 (MF) Conor McGlynn, 40 (DF) Dren Dobruna (Edwards, 45′); 16 (DF) Matt Sheldon, 77 (MF) Andre Lewis, 29 (FW) Antoine Hoppenot, 8 (MF) Juan Pablo Torres, 11 (FW) Jeciel Cedeño (Barrera, 45′); 7 (FW) Prince Saydee

MEMPHIS 901 FC STARTING LINEUP

21 (GK) Bill Hamid, 14 (DF) Akeem Ward, 3 (DF) Carson Vom Steeg, 16 (DF) Graham Smith, 19 (DF) Rece Buckmaster, 6 (MF) Aaron Molloy, 18 (MF) Jeremy Kelly (Turci, 60′); 7 (MF) Bruno Lapa (Borczak, 91′); 11 (MF) Laurent Kissiedo (Peters, 80′); 10 (FW) Phillip Goodrum (Pickering, 60′); 9 (MF) Luiz Fernando (Dally, 80′)