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Hartford Athletic and Austin Pack have mutually terminated Pack’s contract with the club. Across five starts, Pack made 11 saves and posted a 1.81 GAA.

My name is Peter-Lee Vassell. I was born in Montego Bay, Jamaica on February 3rd, 1998. Football has always been my passion, but when I was younger, I never envisioned a path that would lead me to turn pro one day. Jamaica isn’t internationally recognized as a country that cultivates household names in football, so the odds were stacked against me from the beginning. My motivation to be the best intensified with each passing year, and I wanted to escape the struggles of living in the ghetto and play football at the highest levels possible.

When I was at Howard Cooke Primary School from the age of five to 11, I played in a league called VMBS, where we played against other schools in the area. Oftentimes, I played up an age group and would be the youngest kid on the team. We won the VMBS U12 title when I was 10, and that was the first winning team I had ever been a part of. Lifting the trophy was a special feeling.  

“It was a fairytale ending.”      

After primary school, I entered high school at Cornwall College. We were very talented and built a culture of excellence, winning championships when I was with the U14 and U16 teams. The competition in high school is considered the highest level of football in Jamaica and games that held the greatest significance garnered the attention of thousands of fans. I lived for those moments and it raised my level of play a great deal. I then started playing on the under 19 team for Cornwall when I was just 15 years old. We competed for the DaCosta Cup, a tournament comprising of many Rural Area schools from around Montego Bay. I played for about four to five years, but the summer before my last year of eligibility, I left the Caribbean for Wilmington, North Carolina. They had a USL team in 2015 called Wilmington Hammerheads FC and they had given me a pre-contract. However, I left stateside not long after arriving to return back home to where my heart was truly pulling me. The DaCosta Cup is one of the biggest football events in the country and I wanted to win more than anything after coming up empty-handed my first couple of years. In 2016, we reigned supreme and gave Cornwall College their first DaCosta Cup victory since 2001. I won MVP honors and it was a fairytale ending to a youth career that I am forever grateful for.  

“I wanted to put myself in a position that would get me one step closer to my mission.”

I returned to the U.S. to play in the CASA tournament in Florida that gave me exposure to many scouts from Division I colleges and universities. The team was assembled with the 10 best players from the DaCosta Cup and the 10 best players from the Manning Cup, which is an Urban Area tournament for schools around the capital city of Kingston. Despite very few practices as a squad, we showed great chemistry on the pitch and won the tournament in dominant fashion. I was awarded MVP again and received several offers to go to college. Growing up, I didn’t have the mentality of going to school at this point in my life, but as more opportunities presented themselves, I found myself in a dilemma: Should I go to university or should I go pro? Most guys that play Division I never go on to represent their national team. Where I come from, playing for the “Reggae Boyz” is the biggest honor you can achieve playing football, and I wanted to put myself in a position that would get me one step closer to my mission. So I turned pro.

Falkland FC in Montego Bay is where I got my start as a professional when I was 17. I was still going to high school at the time too, and I was the only player on the active roster that did both. The level of play was extremely high, but I was ready for the step-up in competition. I ended up getting MVP of the league and that recognition helped get my name out there with some of the teams from higher tiers in Jamaica.  

Former professional footballer Ricardo “Bibi” Gardner saw potential in me and was the coach with Harbour View FC at the time, which competes in the top flight of Jamaican football as a member of the RSPL (Red Stripe Premier League). As an 18-year veteran in England and a mainstay on the “Reggae Boyz” during his career, I admired his body of work. He took me under his wing as a mentor and a father figure, helping me acclimate to life in Kingston. I played two years for Harbour View, scoring three goals in 44 appearances and winning many game MVPs during my time there.  

After my first year with Harbour View, I got my call up for the national team. That one phone call made all the hard work, dedication, and sacrifice devoted to the game of football since I was five years old worth it. I achieved my dream in the sport I love at such a young age, but ultimately my journey was just getting started.      

One of the first competitions I was a part of with the national team was the Caribbean Cup. The combine includes all of the best players from the Caribbean, and Jamaica was the host the year I played in it. Individually, I performed really well and I got picked as the MVP. From there, I earned a straight contract from Jamaica to play in the MLS the next year. I was ecstatic about the opportunity to play in the highest tier of football in the U.S.

“The hunger inside of me dying to compete was reinvigorated.”

The wait for my name to be called in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft was quite stressful, but towards the end of the second round I finally found out where my next destination would be. I was selected by LAFC with the 40th selection, and this moment, along with getting called up to play for the Jamaican national team, were the greatest days of my life.  

Right from the get-go, I was in the everyday lineup, making six appearances during the first few months of the season. However, André Horta, a player LAFC paid millions for, was on his way back from injury and he is a midfielder like me. The coach at the time, Bob Bradley, called me into a meeting to discuss where I fit in with the team. He told me I wasn’t going to be in the lineup the weekend Horta returned, but that he wanted me to stay in LA and continue to work hard in training. At first, I was not frustrated that I lost my spot because I was still young and willing to do whatever it took to prove to Bob that I was worthy of meaningful minutes in games. As weeks and months passed, I never made it back on the pitch for LAFC, and they never wanted to loan me either. I became fed up and confused, wanting an opportunity to play somewhere else. I organized another meeting with Bob to tell him my aspirations of getting loaned to Phoenix Rising FC in the USL Championship. There were a few Jamaican guys that I knew from the team who were all having a positive experience and I thought it could be a comfortable fit for me as well. Bob granted my wish and the hunger inside of me dying to compete was reinvigorated.

The move to Phoenix was smooth and I appeared in six games for the Rising, but I unfortunately got injured towards the end of September, cutting short my stay with the team.

I returned to LAFC and we ended up winning the Supporters Shield as the best regular-season team in the MLS. It was a history-making moment for the franchise because it was just their second year of existence after joining the MLS as an expansion team in 2018. This was the first international trophy I won in my career, and it was a great feeling to be a part of a group that knew how to win. Not many have done that coming from Jamaica. 

LAFC did not see me as a piece for their future, so during the winter of 2020, I explored other options. I spent a couple of months training in Denmark until COVID-19 put everything on hold. Soon after, I went home to Jamaica without a job in football, and that would remain the same all through 2020. To stay in shape I did a lot of boxing and football-related drills to keep my skills sharp.

Once COVID restrictions were lifted and many football leagues resumed play, I was eager to be a part of a team again. My journey brought me back to America, and I signed with USL Championship side Indy Eleven for the 2021 season. It was a nice place to play and the supporters were incredible. Almost every home game was sold out with people screaming and cheering from start to finish. I had three goals in 20 appearances for Indy in what was a tough season overall, but I became great friends with many of my teammates there.   

This past offseason I was contacted by Harry Watling. He said he really liked my game and that I would be a great fit for Hartford’s style of play. Now, Hartford is my home and while it’s been a bumpy start for us, we have a lot of quality players here that are capable of mounting a comeback. The most important thing is that we stick together and not dwell on a bad result that happened in the past. I always have a saying that “race is not for the swift, but we can endure.” We have to take control of our own destiny and work as hard as we can in training in order to slowly make our way back into the playoff race.  

I’m Peter-Lee Vassell, and this is my story.

Tom Brewitt has been named to the USL Championship Team of the Week for Week 15. This is Brewitt’s first Team of the Week selection and Hartford Athletic’s first of 2022.

The defenseman was key to Hartford’s four points on the week. On Wednesday night against Memphis 901 FC, Brewitt made a game saving block on the goal line in stoppage time to keep the score knotted at 1-1 and earn Hartford a point. On Saturday night in Atlanta, Brewitt added to his week with a goal, assist, three interceptions, and three tackles won on the way to a 3-0 victory for his squad.

Hartford midfielder Luka Prpa, who scored his second goal of the season on Saturday night, made the Honorable Mention list for the Team of the Week. In week 10, Hartford forward Corey Hertzog also made the Honorable Mention list.

USL Championship Team of the Week – Week 15

GK – Austin Wormell, FC Tulsa: Wormell recorded his second shutout in three outings for Tulsa with a five-save performance against the New York Red Bulls II that earned the visitors a point in a 0-0 draw at MSU Soccer Park.

D – Rashid Tetteh, New Mexico United: The Ghanaian had a strong two-way performance in New Mexico’s 2-1 win at Oakland Roots SC, completing 39 of 45 passes and recording two chances created while winning a game-high four tackles and 10 of 16 duels.

**D – Tom Brewitt, Hartford Athletic: Brewitt had a result-saving goal line clearance in stoppage time of Hartford’s 1-1 draw with Memphis 901 FC on Wednesday night before recording a goal and assist in the club’s 3-0 victory at Atlanta United 2 on Saturday.

D – Stephen Carroll, Detroit City FC: The Irish center back won 8 of 11 duels and 3 of 3 tackles, and made eight clearances, six interceptions and five recoveries in Le Rouge’s 1-1 draw against El Paso Locomotive FC on Saturday afternoon.

M – Michee Ngalina, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC: The Congolese winger scored twice on five shots overall, including a candidate for Goal of the Year, in the Switchbacks 4-3 victory against Indy Eleven on Saturday night.

M – Sami Guediri, Loudoun United FC: Guediri recorded one goal on two shots and had two chances created while completing 28 of 38 passes and winning 5 of 7 tackles in Loudoun’s 4-3 victory against Phoenix Rising FC on Saturday night.

M – Aaron Molloy, Memphis 901 FC: Molloy put in a strong two-way performance as Memphis rallied for a 1-1 draw against Hartford Athletic on Wednesday night, recording five chances created and completing 55 of 64 passes while winning 3 of 3 tackles and 8 of 13 duels and making five interceptions.

M – Hadji Barry, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC: The reigning MVP recorded a goal and assist, had three shots and two chances created overall, and completed 25 of 33 passes in the Switchbacks’ 4-3 victory against Indy Eleven.

M – Sergio Rivas, New Mexico United: Rivas played a key two-way role in New Mexico’s 2-1 win at Oakland Roots SC, recording one assist and two chances created, completing 5 of 6 dribbles and 27 of 33 passes, and winning 13 of 17 duels and 3 of 3 tackles as United won its fifth game in a row.

F – Preston Judd, LA Galaxy II: The Nevada native recorded the second hat trick of his career in the Championship to lead Los Dos to a 3-2 victory against Monterey Bay F.C. on Wednesday night.

F – Abdellatif Aboukoura, Loudoun United FC: The 17-year-old notched a pair of goals to lead Loudoun’s 4-3 victory against Phoenix Rising FC while completing 20 of 26 passes and making nine recoveries defensively.

Bench: Abraham Romero (LV), AJ Paterson (CHS), Mohamed Traore (LV), Aodhan Quinn (PHX), Enoch Mushagalusa (LOU), Luka Prpa (HFD), Manuel Arteaga (IND)

Hartford Athletic return to play this Saturday, June 25th at 1:00 PM against Louisville City FC. The game will be nationally broadcasted on ESPN. Do

Hartford Athletic extended a one goal lead to a 3-0 final score in the second half tonight, earning them three points on the road and a season split with Atlanta United 2.

Hartford Athletic kept their wits about them in the first half after a surprising missed penalty kick from Corey Hertzog in the 33rd minute. A golden opportunity to take an early 1-0 lead was denied by Atlanta keeper Justin Garces, who made the save on the perennial goal scorer. The Green and Blue kept their foot on the gas, however, and were rewarded with a goal from Luka Prpa in the 42nd minute. Atlanta had three shots on target in the half, with their strongest chance coming on a shot from Jackson Conway that forced Yannik Oettl to make a save at the near post.

Hartford stayed on the front foot in the second 45, holding Atlanta without a shot for the first 20 minutes of the half and recording four shots of their own while doing so. Rashawn Dally and Joel Johnson came on in the 61st and 66th minutes for Hartford, and the two made an impact quickly. Dally gained possession of the ball at midfield and did well to escape two Atlanta defenders and lay the ball off to Johnson, who played a ball forward for to Prince Saydee, and he found Andre Lewis on the left side of Atlanta’s box. Lewis crossed a ball to Dally, who was able to save the ball from going beyond the end line and tap a pass to an open Johnson in the center of the box. The veteran defenseman finished with his left foot past Garces, giving Hartford a 2-0 lead in the 75th minute. Six minutes later, it was Dally who fired a shot that was saved by Garces, and defender Tom Brewitt cleaning up the rebound and tapping in Hartford’s third goal.

The Green and Blue recorded a season high in shots (22), putting nine of them on target. On the other side of the ball, they held Atlanta to four shots on target and allowed just 12 touches in the Hartford box. Yannik Oettl stepped in for Jimmy Slayton nicely, making four saves and keeping a clean sheet in his Hartford Athletic debut.

Hartford Athletic will play again next Saturday, June 25th at 1:00 PM at Trinity Health Stadium against Louisville City FC. The game will be nationally televised on ESPN.

FAST STATS:

Shots (On-Target): Hartford 22 (9) – Atlanta 10 (4)

Corners: Hartford – Atlanta

Fouls: Hartford 7 – Atlanta 6

Offsides: Hartford 1 – Atlanta 0

Possession: Hartford 49.3% – Atlanta 50.7%

Passing Accuracy: Hartford 73% – Atlanta 71.9%

Saves: Hartford 4 – Atlanta 6

SCORING SUMMARY:

42′ – Prpa (Brewitt)

75′ – Johnson (Dally)

81′ – Brewitt

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY:

8′ – Mejia (Yellow)

35′ – Lewis (Yellow)

53′ – Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. (Yellow)

65′ – Gdula (Yellow)

90+2:12′ – McGlynn (Yellow)

HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP:

13 (GK) Yannik Oettl, 2 (DF) Younes Boudadi, 3 (DF) Logan Gdula, 5 (DF) Tom Brewitt, 7 (FW) Prince Saydee (Apollon, 86′); 9 (FW) Juan Carlos Obregon Jr. (Johnson, 66′); 11 (MF) Luka Prpa (Barrera, 86′); 12 (FW) Corey Hertzog (Dally, 61′); 23 (DF) Modou Jadama, 28 (MF) Conor McGlynn, 77 (MF) Andre Lewis

ATLANTA UNITED 2 STARTING LINEUP:

25 (GK) Justin Garces, 6 (DF) Orji Nelson Chukwuma, 35 (MF) Efraín Morales, 39 (DF) Noah Cobb, 12 (DF) Raimar, 29 (MF) Nick Firmino, 34 (MF) Brendan Lambe (Matheus, 45′); 11 (MF) David Mejía (Centeno, 45′);14 (MF) Robbie Mertz, 36 (FW) Jackson Conway (Nwogu, 84′); 37 (MF) Jonantan Villal (Trager, 64′)

PRESENTED BY TRAVELERS 

Date: Saturday, June 18th, 2022

Time: 7:30 PM ET

Location: Third Bank Stadium, Kennesaw, Georgia

Local TV: WCTX MyTV9

Streaming: ESPN+ or hartfordathletic.com/watch

HARTFORD ATHLETIC (2-8-3) vs ATLANTA UNITED 2 (3-10-1)

LAST TIME OUT

Hartford was rewarded with one point Wednesday night after a draw with the top team in the Eastern Conference, Memphis 901 FC. Juan Carlos Obregón Jr opened up the scoring early with a goal in the 21st minute. Conor McGlynn played a long ball from midfield that found its way past the Memphis backline and into the box. Obregón Jr ran onto it wide of the net, cut towards the middle, and then tucked it back towards the near post. Hartford keeper Jimmy Slayton was able to keep Hartford ahead until the 64th minute when Lucas Turci found Phillip Goodrum at the top of the box. Goodrum rushed towards the net and slid onto the ball to slip it past Slayton and tie the game at one apiece. Hartford had several chances with odd man breaks on Memphis, but could not find a second goal.

BEND BUT DON’T BREAK

Hartford Athletic faced 18 shots from Memphis on Wednesday night, seven of which were on target, and could have conceded far more than one goal if not for miraculous team defending. Jimmy Slayton made five saves, including a spectacular stop from point blank distance after Phillip Goodrum was fed a perfect ball into Hartford’s box in the 59th minute. The Green and Blue defense blocked four shots, one of them being a game saver in stoppage time by Tom Brewitt. A poor clearance attempt gave 901 FC’s Edward Kizza an open look from just yards out, and Brewitt made a heroic block with his head while standing on the goal line. While Hartford’s offensive frustration continues, their back line has been a bright spot that has bent at times, but has seldom broken. They average under two goals conceded per game so far this season (1.6, T13th best in the USL Championship).

LET BOUDADI DISH

Hartford Athletic have leaned on Younes Boudadi to be a key distributor in their attacking third play as of late. In Wednesday’s 1-1 draw against Memphis, Boudadi had an 85% passing accuracy percentage in the final third and led the team with four total crosses. The Belgian defensemen has just one assist on the season, but he’s been a consistent generator of offensive chances for Hartford with 11 created so far this year.

OBRE-GOAL IS BACK

Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. returned to the starting lineup for Hartford Athletic on Wednesday night. The club’s top striker had missed two months of action due to a knee injury suffered on April 7th. He played 17 minutes at San Diego last Saturday, but took advantage of extended playing time on Wednesday night by scoring the opening goal against Memphis, his second of the season. Obregón was surely missed by his squad, as his goal was the difference maker that earned Hartford a point in the 1-1 draw. 

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Hartford Athletic, Prince Saydee, FW #7

Prince Saydee has put his blistering speed on display this season and has especially so as of late. In Hartford’s last four games, Saydee has had 11 touches in the opposition’s box, along with five shots. The forward also led multiple counter attacking opportunities for Hartford against Memphis on Wednesday night. He’s found the back of the net just once this season, but has been attacking the opposition effectively as of late. Saydee also leads the Green and Blue with three assists on the year. 

Atlanta United 2, Raimar, DF #7

Brazilian defender Raimar is coming off a two goal performance against Loudoun United last Saturday, his second and third of the season that gave Atlanta the 2-0 victory. He earned USL Championship Player of the Week honors for this performance, the first USL accolade for the 20-year old who made his debut for Atlanta just last month. The youngster is dynamic on the ball and has brought a spark of energy to his squad in his short stint so far. 

ABOUT THE OPPONENT

Atlanta United 2 are coming off a 2-0 victory over Loudoun United at home last Saturday. The win was their first in their last nine games that followed their 2-1 victory over Hartford on the road on April 2nd. It was midfielder Nicolas Firmino who scored the two goals that spoiled Hartford’s home opener two months ago. Atlanta are led by forward Jackson Conway, who has four goals on the year. The Green and Blue will look for the season split in their second meeting with Atlanta.

INJURY REPORT:

Hartford Athletic:

Out: Ariel Martinez (Achilles), Damon Rouse (Concussion), Tulu (Hip), Jimmy Slayton (Personal)

Atlanta United 2:

Out: None

JOIN THE CONVERSATION:

Follow along on twitter @hfdathletic and #ATLvHFD

After being shutout in San Diego just four days prior, Hartford was determined to get back on track and put on a show for their fans. In the absence of Head Coach Harry Watling, who was serving a one game suspension, Hartford took the early lead and had multiple scoring chances late, but were only able to muster up one goal and earned a hard fought draw with the top team in the Eastern Conference. 

Early on, Hartford tried to play the long ball multiple times, but could not manage to slip past the Memphis backline. 901 FC did not have much luck to start either, as neither team attempted a shot until the 21st minute. Hartford earned that first shot of the game and made it count, scoring to take an early lead and extend their home scoring streak to 19 games. Conor McGlynn went back to the long ball, sending one past the Memphis defense from midfield. In his return to the lineup, Juan Carlos Obregón Jr ran onto McGlynn’s pass in the box, cut towards the middle, and tucked a low shot just inside the near post to beat 901 FC’s keeper and open up the game’s scoring. 

Memphis did not want to play from behind though, upping their offensive intensity after Obregón Jr’s goal. In the 29th minute, Memphis sent a high ball into Hartford’s box and was able to get a header on it that looked like it would tie the game up. However, Slayton came flying in and was able to stop 901 FC in their tracks. Memphis continued their high pressure offense, but failed to find the back of the net in the first half. A large part of Athletic’s clean first half was Tom Brewitt, who bolstered the Hartford backline and continually put an end to 901 FC scoring opportunities. Hartford tried to double their lead before the half when Joel Johson played what appeared to be a hard through ball into the box for Juan Carlos Obregón Jr, but Obregón Jr faked a touch and let the ball go on net, almost leading to a goal. After a strong first half showing, Hartford went back to the locker room leading by a goal. 

The Green and Blue tried again to jump on Memphis early when the second half kicked off. In the 47th minute, Younes Boudadi ran up along the sideline and cut towards the box for a two-on-one with Obregón Jr. Boudadi waited patiently and tried to hit Johnson as the trailer, but a 901 FC defender slid in and knocked the ball out of harm’s way. Memphis did not let up from their first half pressure either, frantically trying to tie up the game. Their prayers were answered in the 64th minute. Lucas Turci got a hold of the ball in the attacking third and served up Phillip Goodrum at the top of Hartford’s box. The USL Championship’s third leading goal scorer moved up to second when he slid onto the ball and slipped it past Slayton to tie the game up at one apiece.

As the game drew later, Hartford was hungry for three points. In the 79th minute, Younes Boudadi launched a ball into the top of the box and Rashawn Dally scorched a header on net. The Memphis keeper just got a hand on it and tipped the ball over the woodwork, denying Dally a goal. In the last few minutes of play, both Danny Barrera and Andre Lewis had scoring opportunities in the box with chances to win the game, but neither could notch the game-winning tally. Then in stoppage time, a Memphis forward found themselves open in the middle of the box and looked to unleash a devastating game-winner in the final minutes of play. As the shot sailed toward the open net, Tom Brewitt appeared out of nowhere and blocked the goal, securing the draw, and point, for Athletic. 

Hartford will go on the road for another quick turnaround as they travel down south to face Atlanta United 2 Saturday night at 7:00 PM. 

FAST STATS:

Shots (On-Target): Hartford 8 (4) – Memphis 18 (7)

Corners: Hartford 3 – Memphis 5

Fouls: Hartford 11  – Memphis 10

Offsides: Hartford 2  – Memphis 1

Possession: Hartford 48.8% – Memphis 51.2%

Passing Accuracy: Hartford 83.8% – Memphis 83.6%

Saves: Hartford 5 – Memphis 2

SCORING SUMMARY:

21’ – Obregón Jr (McGlynn)

64’ – Goodrum (Turci)

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY:

77’ – Molloy (Yellow)

HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP:

31 (GK) Jimmy Slayton, 2 (DF) Younes Boudadi, 3 (DF) Logan Gdula, 5 (DF) Tom Brewitt, 9 (FW) Juan Carlos Obregón Jr (P. Saydee, 54’); 10 (MF) Danny Barrera, 11 (MF) Luka Prpa (A. Lewis, 67’); 12 (FW) Corey Hertzog (R. Dally, 67’); 23 (DF) Modou Jadama, 28 (MF) Conor McGlynn, 30 (DF) Joel Johnson (P. Vassell, 86’) 

MEMPHIS 901 FC STARTING LINEUP:

25 (GK) Trey Muse, 6 (MF) Aaron Molloy, 7 (DF) Patrick Seagrist, 8 (MF) Chris Allan, 10 (FW) Phillip Goodrum, 14 (FW) Derek Dodson (D. Boyce, 91’); 16 (DF) Graham Smith, 18 (MF) Jeremy Kelly, 19 (DF) Rece Buckmaster, 21 (DF) Lucas Turci (E. Kizza, 71’); 50 (DF) Niall Logue

Returning home after a long trip to San Diego, Hartford Athletic will face off with Memphis 901 FC on Wednesday night.

PRESENTED BY TRAVELERS 

Date: Wednesday, June 15th, 2022

Time: 7:00 PM ET

Location: Trinity Health Stadium, Hartford, Connecticut 

Tickets: Here

Local TV: WCTX MyTV9

Streaming: ESPN+ or hartfordathletic.com/watch

HARTFORD ATHLETIC (2-8-2) vs MEMPHIS 901 FC (9-3-1)

LAST TIME OUT

Hartford Athletic are returning home after two long road trips. On June 4, they ventured to El Paso, TX to grab one point in a 1-1 tie with El Paso Locomotive FC. Most recently, Hartford made the cross-country haul this past Saturday to face off against San Diego loyal SC. They suffered a 3-0 loss, as San Diego controlled play in their attacking third from the start of the game and broke the tie with a strike from Charlie Adams in the 29th minute. Loyal added to their lead in the 44th minute when Thomas Amang chased down a long ball from Alejandro Guido. They’d score one more time on an own goal, as a ball deflected off of Rashawn Dally and into Hartford’s net in the 83rd minute. Hartford had seven shots and 45 final third entries, but were unable to ruin San Diego’s clean sheet.  

GOOD TO BE HOME

Wednesday’s contest will mark Hartford’s first home game since they suffered a 2-1 loss to Phoenix Rising FC at Trinity Health Stadium on May 28. The past two weeks were two difficult road trips, long flights and strong opponents. They earned a 1-1 tie in the Lone Star State with El Paso Locomotive FC on June 4 and then suffered a 3-0 defeat at San Diego this past Saturday. Returning home will be a welcome change for the team, as both of Hartford’s wins have come at Trinity Health Stadium this season.

FROM THE GAFFER

FROM THE SKIPPER

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Hartford Athletic, Juan Carlos Obregón Jr., FW #9

Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. has returned for Hartford Athletic after missing two months with a knee injury that required surgery. He made his first appearance since April 7th in last Saturday’s 3-0 loss to San Diego, playing 17 minutes. His absence was significant for Hartford, as the Honduran striker had 10 goals for the Green and Blue in 2021 and scored in the first game of this season against Pittsburgh. Back at home, Obregón will have a chance to help his squad pull off an upset against top seeded Memphis.

Memphis 901 FC, Phillip Goodrum, FW #10

Phillip Goodrum currently leads Memphis with seven goals and two assists. He’s been a consistent goal scorer, putting together an impressive three game stretch from May 18th to June 4th in which he scored in each game, bagging four goals total. In week 11, he earned Player of the Week honors for a two goal and two assist performance across two games. 

ABOUT THE OPPONENT 

Memphis 901 FC’s last outing was a 1-0 loss to the Birmingham Legion on Wednesday, June 8. It was only the second shutout Memphis has suffered in USL Championship league play, with the other coming in a 3-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in their first match of the season. Memphis is skilled on the offensive side of the ball, tied for third in the USL Championship with 27 goals on the season. They are led by forward Phillip Goodrum who is also tied for third in the USL Championship with 7 goals. Despite being among the league leaders in goals, Memphis is in the middle of the pack in shots with 162, proving that they convert their scoring chances at a high rate.

INJURY REPORT:

Hartford Athletic:

Out: Ariel Martinez (Achilles), Damon Rouse (Concussion), Tulu (Hip

Memphis 901 FC:

Out: Matt Brucker (L Knee/ACL), John Berner (R achilles), Luarent Kissiedou (R adductor)

JOIN THE CONVERSATION:

Follow along on twitter @hfdathletic and #HFDvMEM

San Diego Loyal SC hosted Hartford for their first home game in eight weeks and they were determined to put on a show for their fans. Athletic couldn’t find the back of the net as Loyal posted a clean sheet and knocked off the visitors at Torero Stadium. 

Hartford made the cross-country trip to meet San Diego Loyal SC on the road for the first ever meeting between the two clubs. Loyal applied high offensive pressure from the get-go. In the first ten-minutes, they controlled the play in the attacking third of the field, taking the first four shots of the game and gaining eight final third entries as opposed to Hartford’s three. In the 11th minute, San Diego played a long through ball and went streaking towards Hartford’s net, but Conor McGlynn came out of nowhere and slid in just outside the box to prevent a likely Loyal goal. McGlynn was issued a yellow card on the play, beginning a theme for Athletic throughout the next 20 minutes. Head Coach Harry Watling was upset about a no-call that knocked down Corey Hertzog and received a yellow card in the 22nd minute. Two minutes later, the Green and Blue’s gaffer was handed a red card and had to leave the pitch. Then, just three minutes after Watling left the sideline, Hertzog was given a yellow card. 

San Diego was able to capitalize on the disruption to Hartford’s sideline, scoring the first goal of the game in the 29th minute. Charlie Adams found himself the recipient of a pass from Collin Martin off a turnover in Athletic’s third and launched a bullet from just outside the box. Goalkeeper Jimmy Slayton got his hand on it, but was unable to slow it down enough as it bounced into the net. Hartford nearly found an answer five minutes later when Logan Gdula fired a long shot from outside the box, serving up a rebound for Corey Hertzog who was able to get a shot off. However, the San Diego keeper just got a hand on it and redirected Hertzog’s shot out of bounds to strand him on the doorstep. Loyal soon added to their lead, when in the 44th minute, Alejandro Guido ran onto a long ball past Hartford’s defense and found himself in a three on one inside Athletic’s box. He passed the ball off to Thomas Amang who finished to put Loyal up by two heading into the break. 

The second half of play would be an uphill battle for the Boys in Blue who, both down by a pair and without their Head Coach, were looking to get back into this west coast contest. Both teams were able to largely keep opponents out of their third for the first 20 minutes of the second half. Then, Prince Saydee found an opening and sprinted into the San Diego box for a prime scoring opportunity, but his shot was blocked by a Loyal defender and sent out of play. In the 71st minute, Loyal found themselves on a breakaway, but Jimmy Slayton stood his ground and kept the ball out of Hartford’s net. Ten minutes later, Slayton pulled off another spectacular save to keep Hartford in the game. San Diego’s pressure finally proved fatal when in the 83rd minute they sent a free kick from the sideline into Hartford’s box. The Loyal forward got a head on it and bounced the ball off Rashawn Dally into the net to tack on the lead.

Hartford will return home to Trinity Health Stadium on Wednesday, June 15, for a midweek matchup with Memphis 901 FC at 7:00 PM. It’s $2 Beer, $1 Hot Dog night, fans interested in purchasing tickets should visit hartfordathletic.com/tickets.

FAST STATS:

Shots (On-Target): Hartford 7 (3) – San Diego 17 (5)

Corners: Hartford 3 – San Diego 8

Fouls: Hartford 14  – San Diego 11

Offsides: Hartford 5  – San Diego 1

Possession: Hartford 55.7% – San Diego 44.3%

Passing Accuracy: Hartford 79.5% – San Diego 74.2%

Saves: Hartford 2 – San Diego 3

SCORING SUMMARY:

29’ – C. Adams (C. Martin) 

44’ – Amang (Guido)

83’ – Dally Own Goal

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY:

8’ – Moon (Yellow)

11’ – McGlynn (Yellow)

22’ – Watling (Yellow) 

24’ – Watling (Red)

28’ – Hertzog (Yellow)

50’ – C. Adams (Yellow)

67’ – Jadama (Yellow)

89’ – K. Adams (Yellow)

HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP:

31 (GK) Jimmy Slayton, 2 (DF) Younes Boudadi (J. Obregón Jr, 73’); 3 (DF) Logan Gdula, 5 (DF) Tom Brewitt, 8 (MF) Peter-Lee Vassell (P. Saydee, 46’); 10 (MF) Danny Barrera, 11 (MF) Luka Prpa (A. Lewis, 46’); 12 (FW) Corey Hertzog (R. Dally, 57’); 23 (DF) Modou Jadama, 28 (MF) Conor McGlynn (Tulu, 85’); 30 (DF) Joel Johnson 

SAN DIEGO LOYAL SC STARTING LINEUP:

28 (GK) Jon Kempin, 3 (DF) Elijah Martin, 32 (DF) Kyle Adams, 5 (DF) Grant Stoneman, 6 (MF) Charlie Adams, 17 (MF) Collin Martin (C. Riley, 86’); 20 (FW) Nick Moon (J. Metcalf, 78’); 10 (MF) Alejandro Guido (J. Blake, 62’); 14 (FW) Evan Conway, 9 (FW) Kyle Vassell (N. Boxall, 86’); 23 (FW) Thomas Amang (T. Moshobane, 78’)

PRESENTED BY TRAVELERS 

Date: Saturday, June 11th, 2022

Time: 10:00 PM ET

Location: Torero Stadium, San Diego, California

Local TV: WCTX MyTV9

Streaming: ESPN+ or hartfordathletic.com/watch

HARTFORD ATHLETIC (2-7-2) vs SAN DIEGO LOYAL (6-3-4)

LAST TIME OUT

Hartford Athletic will be embarking on another long road trip after earning one point in a hard fought 1-1 tie with El Paso Locomotive FC last Saturday night. Each team had dangerous opportunities in the first half, but neither could find the back of the net. El Paso made an early sub in the second half, entering Diego Abarca into the game. The 16-year-old Abarca opened up the scoring with a magnificent left-footed strike from the top of Hartford’s box in the 56th minute. Hartford was able to answer with their own substitutions, as Peter-Lee Vassell replaced Danny Barrera in the 64th minute. Four minutes later, Corey Hertzog launched a throw into the box and El Paso’s keeper deflected the ball back into traffic where Vassell was in the right place at the right time, netting the equalizer off the deflection. This score would hold for the remainder of the match.

A FULL 90 MINUTES

Over the past two weeks, Head Coach Harry Watling has repeatedly emphasized the need for his club to consistently play like the “big team.” Following the 1-1 tie with El Paso last Saturday, he said, “We’ve got to evolve from being that team we’ve become, which is a team that fights and can dominate when we really put our foot on the gas, to a team that arrives like that at the beginning of the game and puts 90 minutes together.”

20 OUT OF 20

Saturday in El Paso, Hartford’s second half substitutions proved to to turn the tide of the game in Hartford’s favor. El Paso controlled the first half of the contest and Hartford’s gaffer decided to shake up his lineup in the second. He made five substitutions, including the rare choice to take Hartford captain Danny Barrera out of the game, replacing him with Jamaican Midfielder Peter-Lee Vassell. This decision was validated just minutes later when Vassell scored the equalizer off of a rebound in the box. Post-game, Watling further elaborated on the greater than usual substitutions, saying, “It’s a squad game. We’ve got twenty players on our roster and we need all twenty of them.” 

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Hartford Athletic, Modou Jadama, DF #23

Mo Jadama has been an anchor on the backline for Hartford all season, impressively playing every minute of every game up until this point. He had an exceptional performance in a 1-1 draw against El Paso Locomotive FC, using his 6’1, 180-pound frame to shut down on the many dangerous chances created by the home side. Jadama’s willingness to lay his body on the line and his poise with the ball sets him apart from many of his defensive counterparts around the league. The Gambian’s assist to Corey Hertzog on Hartford’s game-winning stoppage-time goal against New York Red Bulls II is an added bonus to his 2022 resumé.

San Diego Loyal SC, Thomas Amang, FW #23

U.S. soccer royalty and San Diego Loyal SC manager Landon Donovan needed a spark after his squad faced a 2-0 halftime deficit against New York Red Bulls II last time out. 24 year old forward Thomas Amang was called upon to help reverse the game script and made an instantaneous impact on the pitch just minutes after entering the game. His elegant jumping header in the 50th minute reached the back of the net and brought the Loyal back within striking distance. In pursuit of furthering their comeback, the Loyal kept their foot on the gas and were rewarded with their efforts after another Amang goal. The Cameroonian one touched his right-footed half volley past the Red Bulls II goalkeeper in the 88th minute, securing a point on the road. Amang has a wealth of momentum heading into a matchup with Hartford Athletic this weekend

ABOUT THE OPPONENT 

San Diego Loyal SC are looking to notch their first win since topping the Tampa Bay Rowdies 3-2 with an 88th minute goal in their April 30th contest. They have grabbed a point in each of their last two games, most recently scoring two second half goals to tie the New York Red Bulls II 1-1 on the road. San Diego is tied for second place in the goal-scoring ranks of the USL Championship with 27 on the season. Their offensive prowess and persistence is evidenced by their results, only conceding one clean sheet so far this season and scoring multiple goals in 10 of 13 contests. They currently sit in fourth place in the Western Conference standings with 22 points. The Loyal are led by Kyle Vassell, who not only leads his team with eight goals in 13 appearances, but also ranks second among all USL Championship players in goals scored. 

INJURY REPORT:

Hartford Athletic:

Out: Ariel Martinez (Achilles), Damon Rouse (Concussion)

San Diego Loyal:

None

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