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Hartford Athletic have signed forward Daniel Bloyou and goalkeeper Marvyn Dorchin to 25-day contracts ahead of their matchup against the Tampa Bay Rowdies tonight. These signings come after ten Hartford Athletic players tested positive for COVID earlier this week and will not be available for selection tonight.

This is Bloyou’s second 25-day contract with the club, as his first contract was not extended after it expired on August 28th. The former Penn State striker debuted for Hartford off the bench in their 2-1 win over New Mexico on August 5th, and made another appearance against Pittsburgh on August 12th. 

Dorchin joins Hartford after signing his first professional contract with Norwegian club FK Mjølner in 2022, and most recently spending time with Massachusetts club Valeo FC of the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) this summer. The 24 year old played collegiately at Springfield College and the University of Massachusetts. He put together an excellent career at UMass, starting every game across three seasons and ending his senior year in 2021 with 64 saves, six clean sheets, and a 1.14 GAA. A native of Nice, France, Dorchin played club ball with E.S Cros de Cagnes for five years, competing against Ligue 1 clubs before moving to the U.S. at 14 years old.  

Hartford Athletic kick off at 7:30 tonight in St. Petersburg against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Watch the match on ESPN Plus, MyTV9, or WTNH.com.

PRESENTED BY TRAVELERS

Date: Saturday, September 2nd, 2023

Time: 7:30 PM ET

Location: Al Lang Stadium, St. Petersburg, Florida

Streaming: ESPN Plus or WTNH.com

HARTFORD ATHLETIC (4-18-4) vs TAMPA BAY ROWDIES (14-6-5)

Throughout the course of the week, 10 Hartford Athletic players tested positive for COVID and will be unable to participate in Saturday’s game against Tampa Bay. Hartford will be without:

Goalkeepers:

• Joe Rice
• Richard Sánchez

Defenders:

• Kaveh Rad
• Modesto Méndez
• Matt Sheldon

Midfielders:

• Beverly Makangila
• Juan Pablo Torres
• Conor McGlynn
• Kembo Kibato

Forwards:

• Prince Saydee

LAST TIME OUT

Hartford Athletic are coming off 2-0 loss to El Paso Locomotive FC last Saturday. El Paso took the lead in the 14th minute on a goal from Josué Gómez at the back post. Hartford opened up the second half with a scoring chance from close range. Matt Sheldon lobbed a ball into the box that fell to Danny Barrera, but his shot went off target. Neither team threatened to score over the next 20 minutes of play, until El Paso doubled their lead in the 69th minute on a free kick from Petar Petrovic. The loss marks the third in a row for Hartford, as they were unable to secure any points across the recent home stretch.

MATCHUP HISTORY

Hartford and Tampa Bay have matched up eight times, with the Rowdies holding the upper hand in the series (5-2-1). Hartford came away with a 1-1 tie at Al Lang Stadium last season, but dropped the second matchup at home 3-2. Leo Fernandes scored the game winner for Tampa Bay in the eighth minute of stoppage time, his second goal of the game.

EDWARDS RETURNS

Kyle Edwards is back on the match day roster after missing five games due to a hamstring injury. A significant return for Hartford, as Edwards leads the team with seven goals and is three for three from the PK spot. In addition, Athletic are coming off a month in which they scored just five goals and were shutout three times.

FAMILIAR FACE

Rowdies striker Ariel Martínez will face his former team for the first time on Saturday night. The 37 year old veteran was an exciting midseason signing for Hartford Athletic in 2022, as he provided quite the offensive spark that helped Hartford to a strong finish to the season. He led the team with nine goals and recorded an assist in just 22 games played. This year, he’s made 14 appearances for Tampa Bay and has scored a goal. 

ABOUT THE OPPONENT

The Tampa Bay Rowdies are one of the most complete teams in the Championship this year, ranking among the league’s best in offensive and defensive statistical categories. Their 43 goals are good for the third-most goals in the league, and their top strikers J.J. Williams and Cal Jennings both have 10 goals apiece, while midfielder Charlie Dennis sits at third in the league in chances created (53). On the other side of the ball, they’ve conceded just 23 goals (second-least in the league), and goalkeeper Connor Sparrow’s eight clean sheets put him at 5th overall in the Championship.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Hartford Athletic: Antoine Hoppenot, FW #29

Antoine Hoppenot has been one of Hartford’s best attacking players as of late, recording two goals and an assist in the month of August. He has brought great energy on to the pitch, consistently making runs up the flanks and looping crosses into the box to create chances for forwards. The nine-year USL Championship veteran is also looking to make headway on the league’s all-time assists list, as he sits at number five with 46 career assists. He trails the Indy’s Aodhan by four helpers.

Tampa Bay: J.J. Williams, FW #9

Of Tampa Bay’s 43 goals, J.J. Williams has been involved in 15 of them. His 10 goals are good for seventh-most in the league, and he’s got five assists to go along with them. Standing at six-foot-four, 200 pounds, Williams is a hefty striker with a powerful left foot and great ability to score from distance, but is also graceful over the ball and sees the field very well while going forward.

INURY REPORT

Hartford Athletic

Out: Beverly Makangila (covid), conor mcglynn (covid), joe rice (covid), kaveh rad (covid), kembo Kibato (covid), matt sheldon (covid), prince saydee (covid), richard sanchez (covid), modesto mendez (covid), juan pablo torres (covid)

Tampa Bay Rowdies

Out: Zach Herivaux, Leo Fernandes, Sebastian Dalgaard, Jake Areman

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

For live updates, follow along on twitter using the hashtag #TBRvHFD

Despite creating quality chances throughout the match, Hartford were unable to find the back of the net in tonight, falling 2-0 to El Paso Locomotive FC. 

After Hartford Athletic controlled possession steadily through the opening 10 minutes of tonight’s match, it was El Paso who struck first in the 14th minute. Petar Petrovic’s shot was deflected and went front spinning towards the goal line, and Josué Gómez was there to head it off a bounce and into the net. The early goal marked the 15th time Hartford had conceded first this season. 

Hartford responded with some positive spells of attacking play. Prince Saydee and Antoine Hoppenot connected on a give-and-go that gave Saydee an open look at goal, but Benny Díaz made a quality save on his shot. The rebound fell to Hoppenot, but his shot went far above the crossbar. Later in the half, Edgardo Rito flew up the right flank and fired a shot that forced a diving save from Díaz. Athletic totaled 12 shots in the half, owned 58% of the possession, and had 44 final third entries to El Paso’s 17. The home side would go into the half down 1-0. 

Hartford opened up the second half with a scoring chance from close range. Matt Sheldon lobbed a ball into the box that fell to Danny Barrera, but his shot went off target. Neither team threatened to score over the next 20 minutes of play, until El Paso doubled their lead in the 69th minute on a free kick from Petar Petrovic. A foul was called just outside of Hartford’s box, and Petrovic slotted the free kick between Hartford’s wall and into the bottom left corner of the net. 

The Green and Blue kept on the comeback trail, but were unable to chip away at the El Paso lead. Their best chance of the second half came after Edgardo Rito dangled through defenders and crossed the ball to Luke Merrill right in front of, but Merrill’s shot was blocked. Hartford totaled five shots in the half, but did not put any on target. The 2-0 score remained the same at the final whistle. 

Hartford Athletic head down south to face the Tampa Bay Rowdies next Saturday, September 2nd, and return home on September 9th. 

FAST STATS

Shots (On-Target): Hartford 16 (1) El Paso 14 (1)

Corners: Hartford 5 El Paso 4

Fouls: Hartford 19 El Paso 11

Offsides: Hartford 3 El Paso 1

Possession: Hartford 58.1% El Paso 41.9%

Passing Accuracy: Hartford 87% El Paso 79.6%

Saves: Hartford 2 El Paso 1

SCORING SUMMARY:

El Paso: 14′ – Gómez

El Paso: 69′ – Petrovic

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY:

Hartford: 10’ – Torres (Yellow)

El Paso: 19′ – Dollenmayer (Yellow)

El Paso: 48′ – Rose (Yellow)

Hartford: 54′ – Hodge (Yellow)

El Paso: 84′ – Lyons (Yellow)

Hartford: 87′ – Hartford bench (Yellow)

Hartford: 90+3′ – Logue (Yellow)

HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP:

13 (GK) Joe Rice, 5 (DF) Triston Hodge (Lewis, 72′); 16 (DF) Matt Sheldon (Dobruna, 66′) 72 (DF) Edgardo Rito, 8 (DF) Juan Pablo Torres (Kibato, 65′); 28 (MF) Conor McGlynn, 7 (FW) Prince Saydee, 9 (FW) Elvis Amoh (Merrill, 72′); 29 (FW) Antoine Hoppenot (Logue, 55′); 10 (MF) Danny Barrera

EL PASO LOCOMOTIVE FC STARTING LINEUP:

1 (GK) Benny Díaz, 2 (DF) Marc Navarro, 15 (DF) Noah Dollenmayer, 4 (DF) Erik McCue, 16 (DF) Miles Lyons, 20 (MF) Louis Herrera, 22 (MF) Liam Rose, 10 (MF) Denys Kostyshyn (Sonupe, 66′); 27 (DF) Petar Petrovic, 17 (FW) Ricardo Zacarías (Hinds, 66′); 7 (FW) Josué Gómez

PRESENTED BY TRAVELERS

Date: Saturday, August 26th, 2023

Time: 7:00 PM ET

Location: Trinity Health Stadium, Hartford, Connecticut

Match Day Promotion: It’s our fifth annual Match for a Cause! The players will be wearing special alternate jerseys. Fans can place a bid on their favorite players game-worn jersey here, and all proceeds from the auction go to KNOX Gardens in Hartford.

Streaming: ESPN Plus or WTNH.com

HARTFORD ATHLETIC (4-17-4) vs EL PASO LOCOMOTIVE FC (9-10-5)

Hartford Athletic host El Paso Locomotive FC in the final match of their three-game home stand on Saturday night, looking to salvage a victory after dropping their last two matches.

LAST TIME OUT

Hartford Athletic are coming off a 4-3 loss to Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Wednesday. Albert Dikwa scored twice in the early stages of the first half, as Pittsburgh had complete control over the game out of the gate. Marc Ybarra scored in the 52nd minute for the Hounds, giving them a 3-0. Right when the game seemed completely out of reach for Hartford, they rattled off three goals in under ten minutes. Sheldon headed in Hartford’s first goal in the 78th minute, Barrera tallied one in the 81st, and Antoine Hoppenot tied the game in the 86th minute. The incredible comeback was spoiled by former Hartford striker Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. two minutes later, when he rocketed a shot into the top right corner of the net. 

BARRERA STANDS ALONE

With his 16th goal in a Hartford Athletic uniform on Wednesday, Danny Barrera now stands alone atop the club leaderboard in goals scored. He was tied with Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. at 15 goals apiece, and it was only a matter of time before Barrera tickled the twine to grab sole possession of the franchise record. Barrera, the most tenured player in club history (this is his fifth season) also leads the club in assists with 30.

SUPER SUB

19 of Antoine Hoppenot’s 23 appearances this year have been starts, but he was awfully bright coming off the bench for Hartford on Wednesday night. He provided a spark for the home side in the final third, skillfully beating defenders, playing the ball forward, and putting pressure on Pittsburgh overall. His assist on Danny Barrera’s goal and the equalizing goal he scored himself brought Hartford back to life, and he served as their offensive engine throughout the comeback effort. While Hoppenot has been a starter for the majority of his USL Championship career, he is no stranger to the “Super Sub” role. In his time in MLS with the Philadelphia Union (2012-2015), he registered four goals and one assist in 817 minutes played and earned the nickname “Super Sub” because of his performance off the bench. He registered four goals and one assist, all as a substitute. 

MATCHUP HISTORY

Hartford and El Paso have matched up just once before in June of 2022. They played to a 1-1 tie at Southwest University Park, with goals from Diego Abarca (El Paso) and Peter-Lee Vassell (Hartford). 

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ABOUT THE OPPONENT

El Paso Locomotive are in the midst of a five-game losing streak, most recently falling 3-2 to Indy Eleven last Saturday. Despite the five-game skid, El Paso are still in playoff form at eighth place on the Western Conference table and hold 32 points. They’ve struggled with inconsistency, as they’ve picked up impressive results against Pittsburgh (W 2-0), Louisville (W 3-0), and San Antonio (T 2-2), but have also been on the wrong side of lopsided results against RGV (L 5-2), Miami (L 4-0), and Phoenix (L 5-0). They are a strong team on the road, holding a 5-3-3 record away from Southwest University Park. Locomotive FC are led by Luis Solignac, who has nine goals on the season.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Hartford Athletic: Danny Barrera, MF #10

Danny Barrera has had a quality second half to the season, looking comfortable in the midfield and recording his first goal of the season last game. He is second to only Edgardo Rito in total chances created for Hartford this year (28), and has been effective both as a starter and as a substitute this season. Barrera has also been more aggressive as of late, taking seven shots in the last three games.

El Paso Locomotive: Marc Navarro, DF #2

Marc Navarro is coming off a stellar performance against Indy Eleven last week, recording a top-class goal and assist for his side. He fed a perfect cross to Eric Calvillo for El Paso’s first goal, and blasted a bullet past Indy keeper Tim Trilk for their second. The 27 year old defender has one of the biggest pedigrees of anyone in the Championship, having played in La Liga for Espanyol and in the English Premier League for Watford.

INJURY REPORT

Hartford Athletic

Out: Edwards (hamstring),

Questionable: Méndez (concussion)

El Paso Locomotive FC

Out: Ander Eguliz (ACL), Eder Borelli (calf), Luis Solignac (leg), Yuma (leg)

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

For live updates, follow along on twitter using the hashtag #HFDvELP

After tying the game with three goals in under ten minutes, Hartford’s comeback effort fell short in the late stages of the second half tonight.

Pittsburgh’s leading scorer Albert Dikwa struck first for the visitors tonight, giving them a 1-0 lead in the 14th minute on an unconventional goal. Marc Ybarra’s shot from inside the box was deflected by Joe Rice, then off of Niall Logue, bounced off the right post and fell to Dikwa, who headed the ball in from the goal line. Two minutes later, Dikwa tallied his second goal of the game and his 14th of the season. He headed a cross from Kenardo Forbes off the post, then cleaned up his own miss on the rebound and scored. 

Down two goals early, Hartford created a few chances to get back into the game that fell just short. Elvis Amoh chipped a shot over Pittsburgh’s keeper Jahmali Waite that bounced just a few feet away from the open goal, but Pat Hogan raced to the goal line in the knick of time to clear the ball away. Andre Lewis challenged Waite two minutes later on a well-struck shot from outside the box, but the Hounds’ keeper made a quality two-handed save. Hartford would stay down 2-0 going into halftime. 

Pittsburgh continued to control the game, getting a third goal from Marc Ybarra in the 52nd minute. After 26 minutes of being down 3-0, Hartford began to chip away at the Hounds’ lead. Juan Pablo Torres lobbed a perfect pass into the box for Matt Sheldon, who headed in Hartford’s first goal. Three minutes later, Antoine Hoppenot scampered across the end line and found Danny Barrera at the top of the box, and the 32 year old veteran slotted his first goal of the season past Waite. With momentum and a packed home crowd now behind them, Hartford continued to knock on the door and quickly broke through to equalize in the 86th minute. Hoppenot was the goal scorer this time, scooping up a deflected pass in the box and beating Waite to the bottom left corner of the net. 

Former Hartford Athletic striker Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. spoiled the miraculous comeback effort from Hartford almost instantly after the home side tied the game. In the 88th minute, Obregón Jr. received the ball in Hartford’s box, turned, took a touch, and fired his shot to the top right corner of the net to give the visitors the lead back. After six minutes of stoppage time, the final whistle blew and Hartford fell 4-3. 

Sheldon’s and Barrera’s goals were their firsts of the season, respectively. Hoppenot recorded his third goal and third assist, and Juan Pablo Torres tallied his second assist. 

Hartford Athletic return to action this Saturday against El Paso Locomotive FC. Kickoff is set for 7:00 PM.

FAST STATS

Shots (On-Target): Hartford 12 (6) Pittsburgh 14 (7)

Corners: Hartford 7 Pittsburgh 10

Fouls: Hartford 14 Pittsburgh 16

Offsides: Hartford 3 Pittsburgh 0

Possession: Hartford 57.1% Pittsburgh 42.9%

Passing Accuracy: Hartford 83.1% Pittsburgh 71.7%

Saves: Hartford 3 Pittsburgh 2

SCORING SUMMARY:

Pittsburgh: 13′ – Dikwa

Pittsburgh: 18′ – Dikwa

Pittsburgh: 52′ – Ybarra (Rovira)

Hartford: 78′ – Sheldon (Torres)

Hartford: 81′ – Barrera (Hoppenot)

Hartford: 86′ – Hoppenot

HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP:

13 (GK) Joe Rice, 5 (DF) Triston Hodge (Rad, 69′); (MF) Beverly Makangila (Torres); 16 (DF) Matt Sheldon, 28 (MF) Conor McGlynn, 19 (DF) Luke Merrill (Hoppenot, 55′); 72 (DF) Edgardo Rito (Kibato, 65′); 77 (MF) Andre Lewis, 50 (DF) Niall Logue (Barrera, 55′); 7 (FW) Prince Saydee, 9 (FW) Elvis Amoh

PITTSBURGH RIVERHOUNDS SC STARTING LINEUP:

26 (GK) Jahmali Waite, 6 (DF) Nathan Dossantos (Etou, 65′); 5 (DF) Arturo Osuna, 3 (DF) Patrick Hogan, 7 (FW) Langston Blackstock (Biasi, 65′); 4 (DF) Daniel Rovira, 11 (MF) Kenardo Forbes, 2 (MF) Danny Griffin, 23 (MF) Marc Ybarra, 9 (FW) Albert Dikwa (Obregón, 70′); 19 (FW) Edward Kizza (Farrell, 83′)

PRESENTED BY TRAVELERS

Date: Saturday, August 23rd, 2023

Time: 7:00 PM ET

Location: Trinity Health Stadium, Hartford, Connecticut

Streaming: ESPN Plus or WTNH.com

HARTFORD ATHLETIC (4-16-4) vs PITTSBURGH RIVERHOUNDS SC (13-5-8)

Hartford Athletic play Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC for the second time in two weeks, looking to split the season series against the familiar Eastern Conference foe after falling to them 2-0 on August 12th.

LAST TIME OUT

Hartford Athletic are coming off a 3-0 loss to Miami FC at home last Saturday. Joaquín Rivas had a hat trick for Miami, scoring once in the first half and twice in the second. His first goal deflected off of Modesto Méndez and into Hartford’s net, then he netted a PK after Boluwatife Akinyode was fouled inside Hartford’s box. Rivas put the game out of reach with his third goal in the 84th minute. Hartford took 11 shots and put three on target, but generated very few threatening scoring chances. 

THE FIRST MEETING

Hartford Athletic lost to Pittsburgh 2-0 in this season’s first meeting between the two clubs just two weeks ago at Highmark Stadium. They conceded both goals in the first half. The first was in the 16th minute, when Albert Dikwa took a touch just inside the Hartford box then fired it past Joe Rice. In the 42nd minute, former Athletic forward Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. was awarded and converted a penalty kick to increase the Hounds’ lead to two. Hartford generated just four shots (one on target) all match.

MATCHUP HISTORY

Hartford Athletic have played the Riverhounds 12 times, the second-most matchups they’ve had with any other team in club history (second to Loudoun, who they’ve played 14 times). The Green and Blue have beaten the familiar Eastern Conference foe just one time, a 1-0 victory at Highmark Stadium back on September 26th, 2020. They played to 1-1 and 0-0 draws with the Hounds in the 2021 season as well. Pittsburgh has outscored Hartford 22-8 in total across all matchups, and come into the match holding sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference with 47 points. 

THREE ALL-TIME GREAT DISTRIBUTORS ON THE PITCH

Saturday’s match will feature three of the USL Championship’s current top five all-time assist leaders: Kenardo Forbes, Danny Barrera, and Antoine Hoppenot. Forbes currently holds the most assists in league history (61), Barrera holds the third most (51), and Hoppenot holds the fifth most (46). Hoppenot also recently became the fourth player in USL Championship history to record 40 goals and 40 assists in league play after scoring his 40th career goal against New Mexico on August 5th.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC sit at the top of the Eastern Conference and hold 47 points, second in the league only to Western Conference leader Sacramento Republic FC (48 points). They are coming off a 1-0 loss to Orange County last Wednesday in California, snapping their three-game winning streak. The Hounds are an excellent defensive team, as they lead the league in clean sheets with 12 (eight of them with Jahmali Waite in net, and four of them with Luis Zamudio in net), and have allowed the second fewest goals in the Championship (21).

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Hartford Athletic: Conor McGlynn, MF #28

Conor McGlynn has been aggressive on the offensive end as of late, taking three shots last game and forcing Adrían Zendejas’ best save of the game in the first half on a laser from outside the box. With a powerful right foot and great ability to strike a ball on target from distance, an ambitious strike that finds the back of the net from McGlynn might be just what Hartford needs to pull off the upset against Pittsburgh at home.

Pittsburgh Riverhounds: Albert Dikwa, FW #9

Simply put, Albert Dikwa is one of the best goal scorers in the USL Championship. The Cameroonian striker is having the best season of his career with 12 goals, and sits two behind San Antonio’s Tani Oluwaseyi in the chase for the Golden Boot award. He is excellent at timing his runs, getting free inside the box, and finishing in traffic. Hartford will have their hands full keeping track of him away from the ball as he tries to get loose in scoring areas for his teammates to feed him.

INJURY REPORT

Hartford Athletic

Out: Edwards (hamstring), Méndez (concussion)

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

Out: Tony Lopez (knee)

Questionable: Illal Osumanu (ankle)

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

For live updates, follow along on twitter using the hashtag #HFDvPIT

Hartford Athletic were held scoreless tonight by The Miami FC in front of a sold-out crowd at Trinty Health Stadium. 

After a slow-paced opening to tonight’s match, Hartford created the first dangerous scoring chance in the 20th minute. Danny Barrera laid a ball back to a charging Conor McGlynn at the top of the box, and McGlynn blasted a shot to the top right corner where Adrían Zendejas made a miraculous diving save. Six minutes later, McGlynn made a key slide tackle on the other end to deny Miami’s Joaquín Rivas’ shot from inside the box. 

In the 33rd minute, Rivas got a second look at goal and scored to put Miami ahead 1-0. He received a pass from Florian Valot inside the box, then deflected his shot off Modesto Méndez and into the net. 

Hartford took two more shots the rest of the half, both missing the target. They took to the locker room down 1-0. 

Miami doubled their lead in the 59th minute with another goal from Rivas on a penalty kick. The penalty was drawn by Boluwatife Akinyode, who was tripped by Méndez in the box. Rivas took the penalty and buried it in the bottom left corner. Neither team had taken a shot in the second half up until this point. 

Now trailing 2-0, Hartford quickly generated a corner kick on the ensuing possession after conceding. Edgardo Rito looped a quality ball into the box that fell to McGlynn, but his shot was blocked. 

Rivas put the game out of Hartford’s reach in the 84th minute, putting Miami up 3-0 and completing the hat trick. Aedan Stanley found Rivas at the top left side of the box, and Miami’s leading goalscorer fired his shot to the bottom right corner. 

Hartford have two home matches in the next week. First, they host Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Wednesday, and then El Paso Locomotive FC on Saturday. Both kickoffs set for 7:00 PM at Trinity Health Stadium. 

FAST STATS

Shots (On-Target): Hartford 11 (3) Miami 9 (3)

Corners: Hartford 5 Miami 6

Fouls: Hartford 18 Miami 9

Offsides: Hartford 3 Miami 2

Possession: Hartford 54.7% Miami 45.3%

Passing Accuracy: Hartford 89.0% Miami 86.2%

Saves: Hartford 0 Miami 3

SCORING SUMMARY:

33’ – Rivas (Valot)

59’ – Rivas (Penalty Kick)

84’ – Rivas (Stanley)

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY:

44’ – Hoppenot (Yellow)

45+1’ – Merrill (Yellow)

51’ – Méndez (Yellow)

65’ – Salazar (Yellow)

68’ – Stanley (Yellow)

83’ – Makangila (Yellow)

HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP:

13 (GK) Joe Rice, 5 (DF) Triston Hodge, 28 (MF) Conor McGlynn, 2 (DF) Modesto Méndez (Lapert, 62’); 19 (DF) Luke Merrill (Merrill, 72’); 72 (DF) Edgardo Rito, 77 (MF) Andre Lewis, 8 (MF) Juan Pablo Torres (Kibato, 59’); 10 (MF) Danny Barrera (Makangila, 59’); 29 (FW) Antoine Hoppenot (Amoh, 59’); 7 (FW) Prince Saydee

THE MIAMI FC STARTING LINEUP:

13 (GK) Adrían Zendejas, 3 (DF) Aedan Stanley, 4 (DF) Paco Craig, 22 (DF) Ben Ofeimu, 2 (DF) Mark Segbers, 10 (MF) Florian Valot, 21 (MF) Boluwatife Akinyode, 8 (MF) Gabriel Cabral, 14 (MF) Ryan Telfer (Mines 90’); 17 (FW) Michael Salazar (Murphy, 74’) 11 (FW) Joaquín Rivas (Sorto, 87’)

PRESENTED BY TRAVELERS

Date: Saturday, August 19th, 2023

Time: 7:00 PM ET

Location: Trinity Health Stadium, Hartford, Connecticut

Hartford return home for the first of three home matches in an eight-day span, beginning with a matchup against Miami FC. Both teams sit below the playoff line in the Eastern Conference, and have a chance to complete a six point swing to leap frog closer to the top side of the table.

LAST TIME OUT

Hartford Athletic fell to Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC last Saturday 2-0, conceding both goals in the first half. The first was in the 16th minute, when Albert Dikwa took a touch just inside the Hartford box then fired it past goalkeeper Joe Rice. In the 42nd minute, former Athletic forward Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. was awarded and converted a penalty kick to increase the Hounds’ lead to two. Hartford generated just four shots (one on target) all match.  

GREAT TIME TO BE AT HOME

Hartford Athletic have a chance to stack up 12 points and keep their playoff hopes alive, as they’ll play three heavily weighted games in a row at home (vs. Miami on 8/19 vs. Pittsburgh on 8/23, vs. El Paso on 8/26) to finish the month of August. They currently sit 13 points below the playoff line and 10 points behind Miami, giving them a chance for a six point swing on Saturday night. “They’re fighting for the same position that we are,” said Coach Namazi about Miami FC earlier this week. “We’re ready for this game. We know it’s a six point swing with a close rival, and I think the boys are mentally ready for this one.”

MATCHUP HISTORY

Hartford Athletic are 2-3-1 against Miami FC all-time, dating back to 2021. Athletic’s only one against the familiar Eastern Conference opponent came in July in 2021, when Danny Barrera and Conor McGlynn connected on a goal to give Hartford a 2-0 lead in the second half. Barrera backheeled a ball to McGlynn outside the box, and McGlynn blasted his shot low to the bottom left corner of the net. Both players still remain on the team two years later, and will look to connect again on Saturday night. 

RED HOT RICE

Joe Rice has been on a hot streak recently, winning two Teams of the Week and two Saves of the Week in the last three weeks. He was awarded TOTW in week 20 for his seven-save shutout, and then again in week 22 for his six save performance. Both matches resulted in Hartford Athletic wins. Additionally, Rice won Save of the Week in week 21 for his diving stop of Jorge Hernandez’s shot despite Hartford losing that match. He also won Save of the Week the next week after he saved two consecutive shots from New Mexico inside Hartford’s box.

LEWIS RETURNS

Andre Lewis received two yellow cards in Hartford’s last home match against New Mexico United. As a result, he was ejected from the match and suspended for the club’s next match. After sitting out of last week’s match at Pittsburgh, Lewis is back and eligible for selection. Prior to the suspension, Lewis had been in the gameday lineup for 16 consecutive matches including 11 starts. The Jamaican midfielder is also one of Hartford’s best generators of offensive chances, serving as a reliable player on the ball with strong distribution ability to help Hartford plant their flag in their opponent’s third.  

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Hartford Athletic: Edgardo Rito, Defender #72

Edgardo Rito has played in all 11 matches since he joined Hartford on June 8th from Oakland Roots. Since being subbed on in the 40th minute of his first match with the club, Rito has started and played all 90 minutes of every match since. Including his time in Oakland, the Venezuelan has 31 chances created this season, seven more than the next closest on Hartford’s roster.

Miami: Christian Sorto, Forward #99

Christian Sorto is second on The Miami FC with four goals. He has two goals from direct free kicks, no one else on the team has even one. After missing the first match of the season, Sorto has played in all 23 matches including 18 starts. The Salvadoran forward is two appearances away from 100 in the USL Championship with time spent with both Loudoun United FC and Rio Grande Valley FC Toros across five years.

INJURY REPORT

Hartford Athletic

Out: Edwards (hamstring)

The Miami FC

Out: None

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

For live updates, follow along on twitter using the hashtag #HFDvMIA

Two first-half goals for Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC were enough to hold off Hartford tonight. 

Tonight’s match began after a three-hour weather delay, but Hartford came out firing early. In the fourth minute, Danny Barrera found Edgardo Rito deep down the right sideline. Rito’s cross into the box found Antoine Hoppenot in front of the keeper, but his one-timed shot missed wide right from seven yards out.

About ten minutes later, the Riverhounds got on the scoreboard thanks to leading-scorer Albert Dikwa. Daniel Rovira tapped the ball to him just inside the Hartford box, he took one touch and then fired it past the outstretched Joe Rice. For the second consecutive week, Athletic found themselves down 1-0 early. That score remained until the final minutes of the half. Former Athletic forward Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. made a run into the box where he was fouled by Hartford defender Modesto Mendéz and awarded a penalty. Obregón Jr. converted the penalty kick, doubling the Hounds’ lead. 

Ten minutes into the second half, Pittsburgh’s Edward Kizza riffled a shot from the Hartford box towards the top of the net. Goalkeeper Joe Rice parried the shot above the goal keeping the score at 2-0. A few minutes later, Athletic generated their best chance of the match. The captain, Danny Barrera, put a strong left-footed chance on net, but goalkeeper Jahmali Waite dove to his right and knocked the ball wide. 

The Riverhounds created a chance in the 66th minute with Brunallergene Etou finding Kizza who hammered the ball into the left post. Rice corralled the loose ball to end the attacking threat. This was the last dangerous chance of the match and the score remained 2-0 at the final whistle. 

Hartford were shutout for the first time in five matches. Riverhounds SC now have a league-leading 12 clean sheets. 

Hartford Athletic return home on Saturday to host Miami FC. Kickoff set for 7:00 PM at Trinity Health Stadium. 

FAST STATS

Shots (On-Target): Hartford 4 (1) Pittsburgh 8 (4)

Corners: Hartford 3 Pittsburgh 2

Fouls: Hartford 20 Pittsburgh 13

Offsides: Hartford 1 Pittsburgh 3

Possession: Hartford 50.9% Pittsburgh 49.1%

Passing Accuracy: Hartford 81.2% Pittsburgh 82.8%

Saves: Hartford 2 Pittsburgh 1

SCORING SUMMARY:

16’ – Dikwa (Rovira)

42’ – Obregon Jr. (Penalty Kick)

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY:

6’ – Rito (Yellow)

22’ – Mertz (Yellow)

29’ – Hodge (Yellow)

35’ – McGlynn (Yellow)

41’ – Mendéz (Yellow)

72’ – Hoppenot (Yellow)

90+4’ – Makangila (Yellow)

HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP:

13 (GK) Joe Rice, 5 (DF)Triston Hodge, 28 (MF) Conor McGlynn, 2 (DF) Modesto Méndez (Lapert, 59’); 21 (MF) Kembo Kibato (Makangila, 45’); 72 (DF) Edgardo Rito, 10 (MF) Danny Barrera (Sheldon, 69’); 8 (MF) Juan Pablo Torres (Apollon, 78’); 19 (DF) Luke Merrill, 7 (FW) Prince Saydee, 29 (FW) Antoine Hoppenot (Bloyou, 68’)

PITTSBURGH RIVERHOUNDS SC STARTING LINEUP:

26 (GK) Jahmali Waite, 6 (DF) Nathan Dossantos, 3 (DF) Patrick Hogan, 5 (DF) Arturo Osuna, 7 (FW) Langston Blackstock, 2 (MF) Danny Griffin, 23 (MF) Marc Ybarra, 4 (DF) Daniel Rovira (Biasi, 77’); 14 (MF) Robbie Mertz (Etou, 45’); 29 (FW) Juan Carlos Obregón Jr (Kizza, 45’); 9 (FW) Albert Dikwa (Showunmi, 76’)