Hartford Athletic
Hartford Athletic announced today that they have transferred defender Rece Buckmaster to San Antonio FC. Buckmaster joined Athletic ahead of the 2024 season, and leaves Hartford after playing 567 minutes across eight appearances.
After a two-game road trip, Hartford returned back home and earned a point in a 2-2 draw with the Charleston Battery.
After a quiet opening for both teams in the first half of tonight’s match, Hartford took control and opened up the scoring in the 20th minute. Younes Boudadi looped a quality cross into the six yard box that was headed by Michee Ngalina, deflecting it off of Mamadou Dieng right in front of goal and into the net. The 19 year old’s first professional goal gave Hartford a 1-0 lead early.
The Green and Blue stayed on the front foot and added a second goal before halftime. Anderson Asiedu played a perfectly weighted ball ahead to Michee Ngalina, who chipped his shot over the charging Adam Grinwis and into the net for his sixth goal of the season. A dominant 45 minutes, Hartford took to the locker room up 2-0.
An action-packed second half started with back to back yellow cards and a subsequent red card being given to Renen Ribeiro, putting Hartford down a man for the remainder of the match. For the second time this season, goalkeeper Greg Monroe was subbed into the game for Ribeiro.
Charleston got on the board in the 70th minute when Nathan Dossantos fought through the crowded box and placed it past Greg Monroe, cutting Hartford’s lead in half. Forced to keep defending, Joey Akpunonu came up big with back to back goal line clearances in the 72nd minute.
The equalizer came for Charleston in the 90th minute when Nick Markanich. Robbie Crawford played a ball into the box, and the USL Championship’s leading scorer got just enough of the ball with his head to put it past Greg Monroe. After eight minutes of stoppage time, the match ended 2-2.
With the draw, Hartford move to 5-10-2 and pick up their 17th point. They’ll go to Pittsburgh next Saturday for a matchup with the Riverhounds at 7:00pm.
Fast Stats
Shots (On-Target): Hartford 9 (2) Charleston 25 (8)
Corners: Hartford 3 Charleston 11
Fouls: Hartford 14 Charleston 15
Offsides: Hartford 2 Charleston 1
Possession: Hartford 41.1% Charleston 58.9%
Passing Accuracy: Hartford 73.4% Charleston 83.6%
Saves: Hartford 2 Charleston 0
SCORING SUMMARY
20’ – Dieng (Ngalina)
43’ – Ngalina (Asiedu)
70’ – Dossantos
90’ – Markanich
DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY
Hartford:
36’ – Chapman (Yellow)
51’ – Ribeiro (Red)
80’ – Epps (Yellow)
96’ – Ngalina (Yellow)
Charleston:
37’ – Crawford (Yellow)
41’ – Ycaza (Yellow)
50’ – Burke (Yellow)
59’ – Segbers (Yellow)
HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP
40 (GK) Renan Ribeiro (Greg Monroe, 53’), 2 (DF) Younes Boudadi; 3 (DF) Joey Akpunonu, 6 (DF) Beverly Makangila, 8 (DF) Jay Chapman (Thomas Vancaeyezeele 59’), 12 (DF) Anderson Asiedu (Joe Farrell 75’), 29 (MF) Emmanuel Samadia; 11 (FW) Michee Ngalina; 31 (MF) Deshane Beckford (Marcus Epps 59’), 33 (FW) Mamadou Dieng, 4 (FW) Jordan Scarlett
CHARLESTON BATTERY STARTING LINEUP
1 (GK) Adam Grinwis, 2 (DF) Mark Segbers (Robby Crawford 83’), 16 (DF) Graham Smith, 62 (DF) Nathan Dossantos (Joshua Drack-Asami 71’), 4 (MF) Chris Allan, 6 (MF) Aaron Molloy, 8 (MF) Emilio Ycaza (Arturo Rodriguez, 45’), 80 (MF) Juan David Torres Henriquez, 9 (FW) MD Myers, 13 (FW) Nicholas Markanich, 5 (DF) Leland Archer
Hartford Athletic have announced a partnership with Coca-Cola Northeast, making them the official carbonated and isotonic soft drink sponsor of the Club. This partnership marks a significant milestone for Hartford Athletic and underscores a shared commitment to community engagement between the two organizations.
“We are thrilled to welcome a globally recognized and an iconic brand to the Hartford Athletic family,” said Hartford Athletic CEO Nick Sakiewicz. “This partnership aligns with our mission to provide a top-notch experience for our fans and players, and to support our community. Together with Coca-Cola, we are committed to making a positive impact both on and off the field.”
As part of the partnership, Coke Northeast will supply beverages at all Hartford Athletic games, events, and at the new Day Hill Dome, ensuring fans and players have access to their favorite drinks. Fans can look forward to exclusive promotions, giveaways, and special events featuring Coca-Cola products throughout the soccer season.
“We are thrilled to be the beverage partner with a great organization like Hartford Athletic,” said General Manager of Coca-Cola Northeast Mike Defeo. “Our mission and goals align together to make a winning partnership. We look forward to expanding our growth and relationship as we move forward together.”
Hartford Athletic and Coke Northeast are dedicated to giving back to the community, and will join together for initiatives with a focus on providing support to local organizations and charities.
PRESENTED BY TRAVELERS
Date: Friday, July 12th, 2024
Time: 7:30 PM ET
Location: Trinity Health Stadium, Hartford, CT
Tickets: HERE
Watch: MyTV9, wtnh.com, ESPN+
HARTFORD ATHLETIC (5-10-1) vs CHARLESTON BATTERY (10-2-6)
LAST TIME OUT
Hartford Athletic are coming off a 3-0 loss to Loudoun United on the road last Wednesday, July 3rd. Hartford could not get a foothold of the match after Loudoun opened up the scoring in the 25th minute, then followed with another just before the end of the first half. It was Wesley Legget scoring the first goal, then he picked up the assist on the second goal from Zach Ryan. The two connected again to put the match out of reach at the start of the second half, as Leggett found Ryan in the box in the 46th minute to make the score 3-0. Hartford had 74 final third entries to Loudoun’s 40, but could not find a goal.
ON THE TABLE
Hartford Athletic currently sit 10th on the table in the Eastern Conference standings with 16 points, three points behind Rhode Island and five points below the playoff line (North Carolina FC is in the eighth seed with 21 points). Despite losing four our of their last five, Athletic are potentially two wins away from being right back in the playoff conversation as we reach the halfway point of the season with Friday’s match.
THE FIRST MEETING
Hartford and Charleston met for the first time this season on May 4th at Patriots Point, and the Battery took the home victory behind a highlight-reel goal from Nick Markanich in the early going. The league’s leading goal scorer booted in a bicycle kick from inside the box off a Chris Allan cross in the 11th minute, giving his team and early lead that they would cling to and keep for the remainder of the match. Hartford nearly leveled the score in the first half when Michee Ngalina fed a perfect ball to Romario Williams in front of goal, but his one-timed shot rang off the right post. The Green and Blue continued to apply pressure up through second half stoppage time. Anderson Asiedu worked a give-and-go into the box for Michee Ngalina, and Ngalina’s shot forced a quality save from Adam Grinwis. A few minutes later, Ngalina had a breakaway chance and his shot went just wide of the net after being challenged by a charging Grinwis.
MATCHUP HISTORY
Hartford Athletic are 3-7-0 against the Battery all-time, and the series has included some thrilling matches and many high-scoring affairs. Last year at Trinity Health Stadium, Charleston won a back-and-forth match 4-3 that saw eight total yellow cards, a red card, a penalty kick, dueling braces (Kyle Edwards for HFD, Nick Markanich for CHS), and was capped off by a stoppage time screamer from AJ Paterson. Hartford scored their second-most goals ever in a single match on the way to a 6-3 victory over the Battery in 2022, which included the club’s first ever hat trick (Andre Lewis). In total, Charleston lead the overall scoring in the matchup’s chaotic history 27-23.
BETWEEN THE POSTS
Renan Ribeiro recently cracked the top 10 in the USL Championship in total saves, bringing his total to 44 after making five saves against Loudoun last week. He’s put together an impressive campaign since his first start for Hartford on May 4th (debuting against Charleston), posting a 1.41 GAA and a 76% save success rate across 10 starts. He’s coming off a quality month of June in which he allowed just four goals in five games, and was voted Hartford’s Player of the Month by their fans. The 34 year old made five saves against the Battery in their first matchup.
While Adam Grinwis has not made as many saves as Renan Ribeiro (31), he holds the second-most clean sheets in the Championship (seven). He’s stepped up in big moments for the Battery, including a brave punch to clear the ball in the final minute of a 1-0 victory against Birmingham in Week 11. His additional five saves in that match earned him Team of the Week Honors. Grinwis, like Ribeiro, is a veteran who’s played at higher levels than the USL championship, including two separate stints with Orlando City SC from 2018-2019 and 2021-2023. The 32 year old gained popularity for his heroics in the 2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup with two saves in the penalty shootout against New York City FC to advance to the semifinals. He also helped Orlando lift the Open Cup trophy in 2022.
ABOUT THE OPPONENT
The defending Eastern Conference champions are back on the top side of the table, sitting in second place with a 10-2-6 record and just two points behind Louisville City. While their attacking play stands out with 34 goals and 289 shots taken (both second in the league), their defending has been nearly as impressive. They’re tied with Sacramento for the least amount of goals conceded (13), and hold 10 clean sheets. The Battery have put up these numbers while remaining disciplined as well, as they’re tied for the least amount of yellow cards in the league with North Carolina (33). Charleston are coming off a 2-0 win over Birmingham at Patriots Point, and are 4-1-6 on the road this year.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Hartford Athletic: Mamadou Dieng, FW, #33
The 19 year old Dieng has been a frequent insert off the bench for Brendan Burke this season, subbing on to the pitch in nine of his 11 appearances. He’s done well to separate himself from defenders and create space in the box, taking 11 shots and putting six on target. For a team that has scored just two goals in their last five games, Dieng could be a difference maker if he can start to convert as Hartford tries to right the ship.
Charleston Battery: Nick Markanich, FW, #13
Nick Markanich has been running rampant all over the USL Championship this season, leading the league with 15 goals. He’s coming off a brace in Charleston’s 2-0 win over Birmingham last week, and earned Player of the Week honors for Week 18. He scored one of his best goals of the season against Hartford in their first meeting, and will be important to keep an eye on this Friday night.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
For live updates, follow along on twitter using the hashtag #HFDvCHS
Hartford was unable to stop a strong attacking performance from Loudoun United on their home field tonight, losing 3-0 at Segra Field in Virginia.
There was little attacking action through the first 20 minutes of tonight’s match, with only three total shots taken and none that challenged either goalkeeper. The home side turned the pace of the match up a notch in the 25th minute, breaking through to score a goal off the foot of Wesley Leggett. Florian Valot played a cross into the box that deflected off of Thomas Vancaeyezeele and fell to Legget, who played it off his chest and struck his left-footed shot to the bottom right corner to give Loudoun the 1-0 lead.
10 minutes after conceding, Hartford created their best scoring chance of the half. Marcus Epps fed the ball to Michee Ngalina in the box, and the winger laid the ball off for Younes Boudadi in-stride towards goal. Boudadi tried to beat Hugo Fauroux at the near post, but Loudoun’s keeper charged off his line to make the save.
Hartford had to defend a determined attacking effort from Loudoun in the late stages of the half, and couldn’t keep the home side from doubling their lead. Joe Farrell made a heroic clearance off the goal line after Florian Valot beat Renan Ribeiro in the 42nd minute, but Zach Ryan found the back of the net minutes later in stoppage time. It was Leggett on the distribution end this time, tapping the ball back to Ryan at the top of the box for an open look at goal. Ryan bounced his shot from outside the box past Ribeiro, and Hartford took to the locker room down 2-0.
Loudoun extended their lead in the first minute of the second half, as Leggett and Ryan connected for a second time. Leggett made a run up the right flank and delivered a low cross into the box, and Ryan squared his shot to the near post and into the net.
Hartford searched for a way back into the match, but couldn’t find a goal. They challenged Fauroux in the 80th minute after some quality build up play, but the French keeper made a diving save on Mamadou Dieng’s header.
Hartford Athletic fall to 5-10-1 with the loss, and will return home for a matchup with Charleston on Friday, July 12th at 7:30pm. Tickets are available at hartfordathletic.com/tickets.
FAST STATS
Shots (On-Target): Hartford 12 (3) Loudoun 19 (11)
Corners: Hartford 3 Loudoun 4
Fouls: Hartford 9 Loudoun 10
Offsides: Hartford 1 Loudoun 0
Possession: Hartford 47.8% Loudoun 52.2%
Passing Accuracy: Hartford 81.5% Loudoun 85.2%
Saves: Hartford 6 Loudoun 3
SCORING SUMMARY
Loudoun:
25′ – Leggett (Valot)
45+1′ – Ryan (Leggett)
46′ – Ryan (Leggett)
DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY
Hartford:
20’ – Scarlett (Yellow)
23’ – Farrell (Yellow)
Loudoun:
55’ – Skundrich (Yellow)
71’ – Tingey (Yellow)
71’ – Ribeiro (Yellow)
75’ – Loudoun bench (red)
80’ – Header saved
HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP
40 (GK) Renan Ribeiro, 5 (DF) Triston Hodge (Samadia, 78’); 15 (DF) Joseph Farrell (Akpunonu, 78’); 4 (DF) Jordan Scarlett, 2 (DF) Younes Boudadi, 23 (DF) Thomas Vancaeyezeele, 6 (MF) Beverly Makangila (Dieng, 61’); 7 (FW) Marcus Epps (Asiedu, 45’); 8 (MF) Jay Chapman (Barrera, 68’); 31 (FW) Deshane Beckford, 11 (FW) Michee Ngalina
LOUDOUN UNITED FC STARTING LINEUP
23 (GK) Hugo Fauroux, 22 (DF) Robby Dambrot (Erlandson, 57’); 2 (DF) Keegan Hughes, 5 (DF) Yanis Leerman,6 (DF) Kwame Awuah, 3 (DF) Keegan Tingey, 8 (MF) Florian Valot (Aboukoura, 56’); 4 (MF) Tommy McCabe, 12 (MF) Drew Skundrich (Johnson, 68’); 7 (FW) Wesley Leggett (Bidois, 68’); 14 (FW) Zach Ryan (Francois, 80’)
PRESENTED BY TRAVELERS
Date: Wednesday, July 3rd, 2024
Time: 7:30 PM ET
Location: Segra Field, Loudoun County, VA
Watch: MyTV9, wtnh.com, ESPN+
HARTFORD ATHLETIC (5-9-1) vs LOUDOUN UNITED FC (6-6-4)
Hartford Athletic are heading back to the East Coast to challenge Loudoun United FC on Wednesday for the second match of their two-game road trip.
LAST TIME OUT
Hartford Athletic are coming off a 1-0 loss to Sacrameno Republic FC on the road last Saturday, June 29th. Athletic held Republic FC scoreless for 86 minutes, but a late Sebástian Herrera goal spoiled their effort towards taking a point on the road. Hartford had their chances to take the lead themselves, including a one-on-one breakaway from Michee Ngalina that ended with a quality save from Danny Vitiello in the 69th minute. Herrera broke through for Sacramento by tapping the ball in the open net off a rebound of a Kieran Phillips shot that was saved by Renan Ribeiro, but not secured. Hartford nearly equalized in stoppage time, but Vitiello came up big again to deny a shot from Mamadou Dieng from inside the box. Vitiello ended with three saves, and Ribeiro with four.
MATCHUP HISTORY
Hartford Athletic have a deep history with Loudoun United across four seasons. They have faced the Northern Virginia side 14 times (most matchups with a team in club history) 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 a commanding 11-2-1 overall record againstLoudoun, going undefeated through the first 11 matchups and finally conceding a loss in September of 2022. They made history against Loudoun in 2019, picking the club’s first ever USL Championship victory (2-0) at Audi field in Washington, D.C. A year ago, however, it was Loudoun emerging victorious behind an 83rd minute goal from Tommy Williamson to make the score 2-1.
ABOUT THE OPPONENT
Loudoun United FC are coming into Wednesday’s match with momentum after picking up an impressive 2-0 win against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday. The victory marks the sixth straight unbeaten match for Loudoun United, the longest run in the club’s history. “I thought that was our best performance of the year, start to finish,” said head coach Ryan Martin on his team’s outcome. The Virginia-based team currently sits seventh on the table in the Eastern Conference with a record of 6-6-4 this season.
ON THE TABLE
Hartford Athletic currently sit 10th on the table in the Eastern Conference standings, just two points behind North Carolina and in reach of the eighth-place position above the playoff line. Salvaging a positive result on this road trip can put them in a potent spot on the table as we approach the halfway point of the season.
RETURNING TO THE MIDFIELD
Beverly Makangila will be back and available in Wednesday’s match after serving his red card suspension last week. Prior to the red card, Makangila started the last five matches for Hartford and had been strong in winning possession and distribution into the attacking third, winning 44% of his duels and posting a 65% long passing accuracy.
TIGHTENING THE BACK
While Hartford’s 25 goals conceded is the fourth-most in the Championship, their recent stretch in June saw them give up just four goals in five games. Behind Renan Ribeiro’s strong 1.23 GAA and 39 saves, the Green and Blue have swiped the fifth-most interceptions in the Championship (147).
TICK, TICK, TICK…
Both Hugo Fauroux and Renan Ribeiro will be coming into Wednesday’s contest after receiving yellow cards in their previous matchups due to time-wasting penalties. The yellow cards mark Fauroux’s second and Ribeiros’s first of the season.
BETWEEN THE POSTS
Loudoun United FC: #23 Hugo Fauroux
Hugo Fauroux has been reliable in net for Loudoun United, boasting a 71% save success rate against the 69 shots he has faced this season. The 23-year-old keeper is coming off a solid showing against the Rowdies, making seven saves to lock in a 2-0 victory. His best save came in the 66th minute of play when he denied Cal Jenning’s low header toward the bottom right corner. Fauroux’s performance marked his fifth clean sheet of the season, propelling him to the top spot in saves (49) in the Eastern Conference and second spot in clean sheets.
Hartford Athletic: #40 Renan Ribeiro
Ribeiro had a stellar performance against Sacramento, making four crucial saves for the Green and Blue. The 34-year-old keeper saw the majority of action in the second half when he saved a string of goal attempts beginning in the 53rd minute with a shot from Trevor Amann. Ribeiro made a composed stop on Amann’s shot at the near post and then denied two attempts from Luis Felipe shortly after. The Brazilian native has put forward 39 saves for Hartford this season, the fifth most in the Eastern Conference.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Hartford Athletic: Michee Ngalina, FW, #11
Michee Ngalina has been consistent in generating goal-scoring opportunities for Hartford this season, leading in shots (30) and goals (5) for the Green and Blue. The 24-year-old winger was responsible for scoring goals in three of Hartford’s first 10 games, and the team is 3-1 when he puts one in the back of the net. Ngalina currently sits 9th in the Eastern Conference for goals and eighth for shots.
Loudoun United FC: Abdellatif Aboukoura, FW, #30
Abdellatif Aboukoura has been an offensive weapon for Loudoun United, contributing 20 shots and four goals for his team this season. The 19-year-old forward’s eye for goal was put on display in the club’s recent matchup against the Rowdies when Aboukoura scored his fourth goal of the season to give Loudoun United an early 1-0 lead. In the 15th minute of play the Virginia native capitalized on a loose ball in Tampas Bay’s box and fired a shot into the back of the opponents net. Aboukoura’s performance included three shots and 14 duels following his selection for a spot on the USL Championship Team of the Week for week 16.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
For live updates, follow along on twitter using the hashtag #LDNvHFD
Despite a number of scoring chances and 12 shots in tonight’s match, Hartford Athletic couldn’t get a shot past Sacramento’s Danny Vitietllo and a late goal from Sebástian Herrera sent the Green and Blue home without a point.
The first half of tonight’s match moved slowly when it came to attacking play, as just one shot was put on target in total and neither team created much danger in the attacking third. Sacramento was able to cause some trouble for Hartford with their heavy pressing, beginning with a turnover forced by Aldar Sanchez that led to the game’s first shot from Cristian Parano in the 21st minute. Hartford responded nine minutes later with a quality spell of possession on the other side of the field, resulting in their only two shots of the half. Deshane Beckford and Michee Ngalina connected passes to find Marcus Epps for an open shot from inside the box that went wide, and Thomas Vancaeyezeele forced Danny Vitietllo’s first save of the night on the next possession. Sacramento took four more shots before the clock struck 45, but none challenged Renan Ribeiro. The score remained 0-0 at halftime.
Hartford started the second half on the front foot, accelerating the pace of play and creating two chances just minutes in. Danny Barrera laid a ball off to an open Deshane Beckford inside the box, but the Jamaican winger’s well-struck shot was blocked by Conor Donovan. It was Beckford finding Barrea with space in the box two minutes later, but his shot was also broken up by Donovan.
Sacramento answered with some time of their own in Hartford’s third, putting Renan Ribeiro to work. Hartford’s keeper got two hands on Trevor Amann’s shot at the near post in the 53rd minute, then denied two tries from Luis Felipe shortly after. Ribeiro sprung to the bottom right corner of the net to deflect Felipe’s second shot, his best save of the night.
Michee Ngalina had Hartford’s best chance of the match on a breakaway opportunity in the 69th minute. Anderson Asiedu flicked a quality ball ahead to Ngalina after a midfield turnover, leaving Hartford’s top goal scorer alone with only Vitiello to beat. Ngalina took his shot low and to the left, but Vitiello made a composed stop with his right hand to keep Hartford off the board.
The two teams stayed in a stalemate until Sebástian Herrera netted the game winning goal for Sacramento in the 87th minute. Kieran Phillips took a shot from outside the box that Ribeiro dove and blocked with two hands, but the rebound spilled to Herrera with a wide open net. The striker tapped the ball in to give Sacramento a crucial 1-0 lead in the game’s final minutes.
Hartford remained determined and were inches away from evening the score in stoppage time, but were denied again by heroic goalkeeping from Danny Vitiello. Joe Farrell headed a cross down to Mamadou Dieng at the six yard box, and Vitiello was quick to react and stop Dieng’s point-blank shot with his left hand. Hartford couldn’t find an equalizer after seven minutes of stoppage time, and the match ended 1-0 to Sacramento.
Hartford Athletic drop to 5-9-1 with the loss, and will turn around to play at Loudoun United in Leesburg, Virginia on Wednesday, July 3rd at 7:00pm.
FAST STATS
Shots (On-Target): Hartford 12 (3) Sacramento 16 (5)
Corners: Hartford 1 Sacramento 1
Fouls: Hartford 22 Sacramento 24
Offsides: Hartford 1 Sacramento 2
Possession: Hartford 48.9% Sacramento 51.1%
Passing Accuracy: Hartford 73.3% Sacramento 77.8%
Saves: Hartford Sacramento
SCORING SUMMARY
Sacramento:
87’ – Herrera
DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY
Hartford:
35’ – Barrera (Yellow)
65’ – Asiedu (Yellow)
79’ – Ribeiro (Yellow)
Sacramento:
22’ – Portillo (Yellow)
59’ – Briggs (Yellow)
70’ – Amann (Yellow)
HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP
40 (GK) Renan Ribeiro, 29 (MF) Emmanuel Samadia, 15 (DF) Joseph Farrell (Akpunonu, 90’); 4 (DF) Jordan Scarlett, 2 (DF) Younes Boudadi, 23 (DF) Thomas Vancaeyezeele, 10 (MF) Danny Barrera (Asiedu, 60’) 7 (FW) Marcus Epps (Dieng, 80’); 8 (MF) Jay Chapman, 31 (FW) Deshane Beckford, 11 (FW) Michee Ngalina
SACRAMENTO REPUBLIC STARTING LINEUP
1 (GK) Danny Vitiello, 5 (DF) Jared Timmer, 24 (DF) Conor Donovan, 6 (DF) Shane Wiedt, 40 (DF) Aldair Sanchez (Jauregui, 78’); 2 (DF) Jack Gurr (Ricketts, 84’); 19 (MF) Nick Ross, 8 (FW) Luis Rodrigues, 43 (MF) Justin Portillo (Phillips, 71’); 10 (FW) Cristian Parano (Herrera, 84’); 7 (FW) Trevor Amann (Vlader, 71)
PRESENTED BY TRAVELERS
Date: Saturday, June 29th, 2024
Time: 11:00 PM ET (8:00 PM PT)
Location: Heart Health Park, Sacramento, CA
Watch: MyTV9, wtnh.com, ESPN+
HARTFORD ATHLETIC (5-8-1) vs SACRAMENTO REPUBLIC FC (6-2-7)
After splitting their home stand with a win and a loss, Hartford Athletic begin a two-game road trip across the country at Heart Health Park against the Western Conference’s second-place club.
LAST TIME OUT
Hartford Athletic are coming off a 1-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rowdies at Trinity Health Stadium last Friday. It was a physical match, headlined by three yellow cards given out before the 10th minute and an eventual red card to Beverly Makangila. After a slow start from both teams offensively, the game started to open up. The two teams traded scoring chances in the 26th minute, then Hartford nearly took the lead just two minutes later. An unsuccessful clearing attempt left Jordan Farr outside the box, as he scrambled back into goal to make a desperate save on a shot from Marcus Epps. Just minutes before halftime, Beverly Makangila received his second yellow card and subsequent red card, putting Hartford down a man the rest of the match. Tampa Bay kept Hartford’s defense under attack with the man advantage, firing 16 shots and recording 34 touches in their box. Renan Ribeiro was up to the task for Hartford, making six saves to keep the Rowdies off the board until he was subbed off due to injury in the 84th minute. Rookie goalkeeper Greg Monroe entered the match and found himself faced with a PK just two minutes later, following a foul in the box by Younes Boudadi. Manuel Arteaga took the kick for the Rowdies and sent it to the bottom right corner of the net, and Tampa Bay held on for the 1-0 victory.
ABOUT THE OPPONENT
Sacramento Republic FC currently sits second on the table in the Western Conference with a record of 6-2-7 this season. Following an impressive 11-game undefeated streak to start the season, Sacramento suffered their first loss in a 1-0 match against Tampa Bay Rowdies on June 1st. The team has hit a difficult streak after a promising start, going winless in four out of their last five matches. Republic FC come to Hartford off of a 0-0 draw against FC Tulsa last Saturday at ONEOK Field, a trend for the California-based team whose draw-heavy record speaks to their trend in matches ending with a level score.
MATCHUP HISTORY
Saturday marks Hartford’s first ever trip to Heart Health Park, as their only matchup against Sacramento Republic came at Trinity Health Stadium a year ago. The Green and Blue dropped the match 4-1, and three of Sacramento’s four goals came from current players: Russel Cicerone, Jack Gurr, and Sebastian Herrera. Hartford’s lone goal came on a PK from Kyle Edwards.
FAMILIAR FACES
Hartford Athletic: Danny Barrera, MF, #10
Danny Barrera spent his first three seasons in the USL Championship with Sacramento Republic FC (2015-2017), and was one of the best players in the history of the west coast club. The Southern California native captained the team and made 62 appearances, scored six goals, and notched a club record 21 assists.
BETWEEN THE POSTS
Hartford Athletic: Renan Ribeiro, GK, #40
Renan Ribeiro was a rock for Hartford’s defense on Friday night, saving all six of the shots that the Rowdies sent his way. He made his first major stop in the 26th minute of the match, diving to get his hand to a header put on target by Caleb Jennings. The solid performance from Ribeiro ended with him being subbed off due to a shoulder injury he suffered during the match in the 84th minute. Brendan Burke filled Ribeiro’s spot between the posts with rookie goalkeeper Greg Monroe, making his first professional appearance with the Green and Blue. “Greg’s very steady and calm, so if we have to roll with Greg, we are happy to do that,” Burke said in the post game interview.
Sacramento Republic FC: Daniel Vitiello, GK, #1
Daniel Vitiello is coming off an outstanding performance in Sacramento’s recent match against FC Tulsa, saving all seven shots they sent his way. The 28 year old keeper’s performance marked his eighth clean sheet of the season and helped to maintain his top position in clean sheets within the Western Conference, allowing just eight shots by him this season. The New York native has been a brick wall in net for Sacramento since joining the club in 2022 and earned the all-time clean sheet record during his first two seasons with the club.
FINDING FORM ON THE ROAD
Hartford Athletic are 1-5-0 on the road this season, with their only victory away from home coming in the season opener at El Paso. They face back to back road matches with only four days separating them, as they’ll travel back to the east coast on Wednesday, July 3rd for a matchup with Loudoun.Sitting just two points below the playoff line, crucial points hang in the balance for the Green and Blue on this road trip. “Putting together a 90-minute performance on the road is vital to getting points,” said Brendan Burke this week. “We would take one points on the road, but if we can get three, we’re going to go after it.”
MISSING IN THE MIDFIELD
The Green and Blue will be missing a frequent feature in their midfield on Saturday, as Beverly Makangila will be serving his red card suspension after being shown two yellow cards in the first half against Tampa Bay last week. Makangila has started the last five matches for Hartford and has been strong in winning possession and distribution into the attacking third, winning 44% of his duels and posting a 65% long passing accuracy.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Sacramento Republic FC: Cristian Parano, FW, #10 and Trevor Amann, FW, #7
Cristian Parano was a critical piece of Sacramento’s attacking play in their recent match against FC Tulsa. The 24-year-old forward propelled the team towards goal-scoring opportunities, firing off three shots and three chances created for Republic FC, the most on the team. Parano also led the team in passes in the final third (15) and touches in the opposition’s box (6) in his impressive performance against Tulsa. As the top goal scorer in the Western Conference (eight), Amann has been a reliable force in the attacking third for Sacramento as well.. Beyond contributing one assist and 16 shots on goal for his team, the forward is also tied for second in the Western Conference with 31 shots overall.
Hartford Athletic: Younes Boudadi, DF, #2
Younes Boudadi has wasted no time stepping back into his role as a leader on the field for Hartford, returning to the Green and Blue after signing with Indy Eleven ahead of the 2023 season. The 28 year old wingback generated multiple opportunities for Hartford and led the team in chances created (3) against the Rowdies. Boudadi was responsible for leading the breakout in transition that assisted Deshane Beckford’s shot on goal in the 27th minute of play after he won possession in Hartford’s defensive third, and tore up the field to lay off a perfect ball to Beckford. The Belgian native contributed just as much in shutting down Tampa’s offense on Friday night as he did kick starting it for the Green and Blue. Boudadi won possession six times throughout the match on top of racking up three successful tackles.
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A six-save performance from Renan Ribeiro kept Hartford in tonight’s match against the Tampa Bay Rowdies after a red card put the Green and Blue down a man for the entire second half, but a late penalty kick from Tampa Bay’s Manuel Arteaga delivered a 1-0 loss to Hartford.
Tonight’s match got out to a physical start, with three yellow cards given out before the clock reached 10 minutes. Much of the action came in the middle of the field in the early stages, as neither team had a touch in the opposition’s box until the 17th minute.
The Rowdies created the first scoring threat in the 26th minute when Caleb Jennings found space in the box and fired off a header, forcing a diving save from Renan Ribeiro. After the ensuing corner kick, The Green and Blue responded on the counter attack to create their first scoring chance of the night. Younes Boudadi led the breakout in transition and found Deshane Beckford at the top of the box, the Jamaican winger squared a shot on target that Jordan Farr denied with two hands. Two minutes later, Hartford nearly struck first when an unsuccessful clearing attempt left Jordan Farr outside the box and the Rowdies’ goal wide open. Jay Chapman sent a short ball to an open Marcus Epps, but Farr scrambled back in front of goal to make a desperation save.
Physicality remained to play a part in the late stages of the half. In the 43rd minute of play, Makangila received his second yellow card and subsequent red card after a collision with Pacifique Niyongabire. The Green and Blue were able to keep the Rowdies’ off the scoreboard for the final minutes of the half, but took to the locker room down a man for the rest of the match.
With the man advantage, the Rowdies controlled possession throughout the second half and kept kept Hartford’s defense under attack until the final minutes, forcing five saves from Riberio. The Brazilian keeper was a rock for Hartford’s defense, locking down the net against the 16 shots fired towards the Green and Blue in the second half. His best save of the night came in the 72nd minute when he made a dove block to stop a low drive from Manuel Arteaga, who was open in the box.
In the 84th minute, Ribeiro was subbed off due to injury and Brendan Burke turned to rookie goalkeeper Greg Monroe. Just two minutes later, Younes Boudadi was called for a foul in the box while defending Damien Rivera. Manuel Arteaga took the PK and converted it to the bottom right corner of the net, giving Tampa Bay the late lead. After eight minutes of stoppage time, the match ended 1-0 to the Rowdies.
It was an impressive defensive effort from Hartford as a whole, the team had 33 clearances led by Jordan Scarlett who contributed 10. Deshane Beckford had an offensive night offensively, taking four shots and putting two on target.
The loss drops the Green and Blue to an overall record of 5-8-1. The team will head across the country to kick off their two-game road trip at Heart Health Park for their matchup with Sacramento Republic FC next Saturday at 11:00 PM.
FAST STATS
Shots (On-Target): Hartford 9 (3) Tampa Bay 26 (7)
Corners: Hartford 2 Tampa Bay 5
Fouls: Hartford 8 Tampa Bay 13
Offsides: Hartford 0 Tampa Bay 1
Possession: Hartford 35.2% Tampa Bay 64.8%
Passing Accuracy: Hartford 65.3% Tampa Bay 83.6%
Saves: Hartford 6 Tampa Bay 3
SCORING SUMMARY
Tampa Bay:
87’ – Arteaga
DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY
Hartford:
9’ – Beverly Makangila (Yellow Card)
43’ – Beverly Makangila (Red Card)
44’ – Bench (Yellow Card)
Tampa Bay:
2’ – Charlie Dennis (Yellow Card)
2’ – Bench (Yellow Card)
66’ – Farr (Yellow Card)
HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP
40 (GK) Renan Ribeiro (84’ Greg Monroe), 2 (DF) Younes Boudadi, 5 (DF) Triston Hodge (90’ Danny Barrera), 15 (DF) Joe Farrell, 23 (DF) Thomas Vancaeyezeele, 4 (DF) Jordan Scarlett, 6 (MF) Beverly Makangila, 8 (MF) Jay Chapman, 7 (FW) Marcus Epps (88’ Mamadou Dieng), 11 (FW) Michee Ngalina, 13 (FW) Deshane Beckford (88’ Emmanuel Samadia)
TAMPA BAY ROWDIES STARTING LINEUP
1 (GK) Jordan Farr, 22 Jordan Doherty (DF), 33 Aaron Guillen (DF), 19 Frederick Kleemann (DF) (67’ Damien Rivera), 4 Lewis Hilton (MF), 23 Edwin Munjoma (MF), 17 Daniel Crisostomo (MF), 27 Pacifque Niyongabire (MF), 26 Caleb Jennings (93’ Zach Herivaux), (FW), 14 Charlie Dennis (FW) (68’ Manuel Arteaga), 98 Joshua Perez (FW) (82’ Blake Bodily)
