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Hartford Athletic is delighted to announce that Jon Stead has joined Harry Watling’s staff as Assistant Coach.

A seasoned forward, Huddersfield native Stead amassed over 165 goals in more than 700 first-team appearances. Stead’s playing career included spells in the Premier League with Sunderland, Sheffield United, and, most notably, Blackburn Rovers, where his winning goals in crucial matches with Fulham, Everton, and Manchester United helped Blackburn avoid relegation from the Premier League.

“The opportunity to become Assistant Coach at Hartford Athletic and continue my coaching development is incredibly exciting for me,” said Stead. “After speaking with [Head Coach] Harry Watling, as well as [Technical Director] Luiz Silva, Paul Buckle, and Bruce Mandell, it became very clear that this would be a perfect fit for us all. My time will be dedicated to assisting Harry, the players, and the club as we continue the strong start to the season.”

"As a manager, I like to strike while the iron is hot. We have recruited an excellent professional who has a wonderful playing career in the Premier League and the lower levels of England,” said Watling. “Jon will bring an expertise to our forward line and add value to our goal scoring players and our match winners. We are delighted to have Jon on board.”

Jon will join Coach Watling on the bench this weekend against Charlotte Independence in a battle of the second and third place teams in the Atlantic Division. Luiz Silva who had been previously serving as Assistant Coach will move full time into his role as Technical Director. Hartford holds second place in the division and is the lone undefeated team remaining in the Eastern Conference.

Hartford Athletic is delighted to announce that Jon Stead has joined Harry Watling’s staff as Assistant Coach.

A seasoned forward, Huddersfield native Stead amassed over 165 goals in more than 700 first-team appearances. Stead’s playing career included spells in the Premier League with Sunderland, Sheffield United, and, most notably, Blackburn Rovers, where his winning goals in crucial matches with Fulham, Everton, and Manchester United helped Blackburn avoid relegation from the Premier League.

“The opportunity to become Assistant Coach at Hartford Athletic and continue my coaching development is incredibly exciting for me,” said Stead. “After speaking with [Head Coach] Harry Watling, as well as [Technical Director] Luiz Silva, Paul Buckle, and Bruce Mandell, it became very clear that this would be a perfect fit for us all. My time will be dedicated to assisting Harry, the players, and the club as we continue the strong start to the season.”

“As a manager, I like to strike while the iron is hot. We have recruited an excellent professional who has a wonderful playing career in the Premier League and the lower levels of England,” said Watling. “Jon will bring an expertise to our forward line and add value to our goal scoring players and our match winners. We are delighted to have Jon on board.”

Jon will join Coach Watling on the bench this weekend against Charlotte Independence in a battle of the second and third place teams in the Atlantic Division. Luiz Silva who had been previously serving as Assistant Coach will move full time into his role as Technical Director. Hartford holds second place in the division and is the lone undefeated team remaining in the Eastern Conference.

Hartford Athletic will host USL League Two side Western Mass Pioneers in a friendly match on July 20 at 7 PM at Dillon Stadium. This will be the first ever matchup between the two sides. 

The Pioneers currently hold a record of 5-1-1 and are in 2nd place in the Eastern Conference's Northeast Division, just two points shy of Boston Bolts for the top spot on the table. Five Pioneer players come from Connecticut, all from the Greater Hartford area. 

This match will be included as part of the season ticket member package. Season Ticket holders should see the match appear in their account today. Fans interested in purchasing tickets can visit https://www.hartfordathletic.com/single to do so.

Hartford Athletic will host USL League Two side Western Mass Pioneers in a friendly match on July 20 at 7 PM at Dillon Stadium. This will be the first ever matchup between the two sides. 

The Pioneers currently hold a record of 5-1-1 and are in 2nd place in the Eastern Conference’s Northeast Division, just two points shy of Boston Bolts for the top spot on the table. Five Pioneer players come from Connecticut, all from the Greater Hartford area. 

This match will be included as part of the season ticket member package. Season Ticket holders should see the match appear in their account today. Fans interested in purchasing tickets can visit https://www.hartfordathletic.com/single to do so.

Hartford Athletic announced today that the Club will be one of eight founding members of the newly formed USL W League. The League will begin play in 2022 and will provide an elite pre-professional pathway for women looking to build their careers both on and off the pitch. 

“We created Hartford Athletic to do big things for our community and to accomplish economically, socially, and culturally broad objectives. The W League is another exciting opportunity for us to make an impact here in Connecticut,” said Hartford Athletic Chairman Bruce Mandell. “We are thrilled to provide playing opportunities for top women’s college and high school players in our professional environment and dedicated to creating pathways for women looking to build their careers both on and off the pitch. We’re very proud to be working with the USL to make this a reality.”  

The W League founding members include eight clubs from the USL Championship, League One, League Two and one expansion club. The league will align with the USL League Two season, kicking off in May 2022 and ending with the W League Playoffs and W League Final in late July.  

“Our goal for the W League is to use women’s soccer as a source for societal good by creating a national platform to increase opportunity, gender equity, and career development,” said USL Director of Women’s Soccer, Betsy Haugh. “We’re expecting to have as many as 30 clubs for our inaugural season, which would provide upwards of 750 opportunities to play, work, and coach in the women’s game. We’re very excited about what the future holds.” 

To learn more about the USL W League, visit uslwleague.com or follow the W League on Twitter at @uslwleague.  

Hartford Athletic announced today that the Club will be one of eight founding members of the newly formed USL W League. The League will begin play in 2022 and will provide an elite pre-professional pathway for women looking to build their careers both on and off the pitch. 

“We created Hartford Athletic to do big things for our community and to accomplish economically, socially, and culturally broad objectives. The W League is another exciting opportunity for us to make an impact here in Connecticut,” said Hartford Athletic Chairman Bruce Mandell. “We are thrilled to provide playing opportunities for top women’s college and high school players in our professional environment and dedicated to creating pathways for women looking to build their careers both on and off the pitch. We’re very proud to be working with the USL to make this a reality.”  

The W League founding members include eight clubs from the USL Championship, League One, League Two and one expansion club. The league will align with the USL League Two season, kicking off in May 2022 and ending with the W League Playoffs and W League Final in late July.  

“Our goal for the W League is to use women’s soccer as a source for societal good by creating a national platform to increase opportunity, gender equity, and career development,” said USL Director of Women’s Soccer, Betsy Haugh. “We’re expecting to have as many as 30 clubs for our inaugural season, which would provide upwards of 750 opportunities to play, work, and coach in the women’s game. We’re very excited about what the future holds.” 

To learn more about the USL W League, visit uslwleague.com or follow the W League on Twitter at @uslwleague.  

After a 7-0 victory on Saturday night, it's no surprise that Hartford Athletic has representation in the USL Championship's Team of the Week for Week 7. Hartford midfielder Danny Barrera and Forward Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. have been named to the Team of the Week and Defender Gabriel Torres and Forward Preston Tabort Etaka were given Honorable Mention.

This is Barrera and Obregón's first time on the Team of the Week in the 2021 season. Barrera earned the honor twice in the 2020 season. He assisted on Obregón's second goal of the evening, a beautiful left footed cross which Obregón headed to the far post that put the home side up 3 goals headed into halftime. 

Tabort-Etaka added two goals in just 35 minutes of play as a substitute and Torres had two assists of his own, playing the full 90 minutes and recording 4 tackles, 3 clearances, 2 interceptions, and winning 2 fouls. 

USL Championship Team of the Week – Week 7

GK – Alec Kann, Atlanta United 2: Alec Kann recorded a seven-save shutout including a late penalty kick save to deny Louisville City FC’s Niall McCabe as Atlanta took a 1-0 victory on Sunday night, its first against LouCity in its history.

D – Robert Coronado, OKC Energy FC: Robert Coronado provided the assist for Energy FC’s game-tying goal in a 1-1 draw against Indy Eleven, and went a perfect 11 of 11 in duels while completing 3 of 3 dribbles and making four interceptions.

D – Kaveh Rad, Sporting Kansas City II: Kaveh Rad scored his first goal in the professional ranks and completed 62 of 71 passes while winning 8 of 9 duels and recording seven clearances and 14 recoveries defensively.

D – Aiden McFadden, Atlanta United 2: Aiden McFadden scored the only goal as Atlanta United 2 defeated Louisville City FC 1-0 on Sunday night while also winning 11 duels and six aerial duels defensively.

D – Macauley King, El Paso Locomotive FC: Macauley King provided the assist on Locomotive FC’s goal in its 1-0 win against Austin Bold FC on Thursday night, and completed 67 of 78 passes while winning 2 of 3 tackles and 5 of 8 duels.

M – Arturo Rodriguez, Phoenix Rising FC: Arturo Rodriguez helped spark Phoenix Rising FC’s late two-goal comeback, recording seven key passes in 18 minutes and the assist on Joey Calistri’s equalizer in the side’s 2-2 draw with San Diego Loyal SC.

M – Laurent Kissiedou, Memphis 901 FC: Laurent Kissiedou recorded one assist and two key passes, completed 27 of 31 passes overall and won 7 of 10 duels as 901 FC claimed a 2-1 victory on the road against Indy Eleven on Saturday night.

M – Danny Barrera, Hartford Athletic*: Danny Barrera posted a career-high single-game individual mark with three assists and also notched a goal as Hartford took a 7-0 victory against the New York Red Bulls II for the largest victory in club history.

F – Elvis Amoh, Rio Grande Valley FC: Elvis Amoh scored the second hat trick in Toros history to lead a second-half comeback for the visitors in a 4-2 win against Miami FC, while finishing the night with five shots.

F – Neco Brett, Birmingham Legion FC: Neco Brett bagged his first two-goal game of the season and recorded three shots on target overall while winning 5 of 6 duels and 3 of 3 aerial duels in Legion FC’s 2-1 win against FC Tulsa.

F – Juan Carlos Obregon Jr., Hartford Athletic*: Juan Carlos Obregon Jr. scored twice on three shots overall, recorded two key passes and won 4 of 7 duels before being substituted 10 minutes into the second half of Hartford’s 7-0 win against the Red Bulls II.

Bench: Evan Louro (TBR), Caleb Wiley (ATL), Gabriel Torres (HFD)*, Bryce Duke (LV), Ronaldo Damus (OC), Preston Tabort Etaka (HFD)*, Cal Jennings (LV)

After a 7-0 victory on Saturday night, it’s no surprise that Hartford Athletic has representation in the USL Championship’s Team of the Week for Week 7. Hartford midfielder Danny Barrera and Forward Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. have been named to the Team of the Week and Defender Gabriel Torres and Forward Preston Tabort Etaka were given Honorable Mention.

This is Barrera and Obregón’s first time on the Team of the Week in the 2021 season. Barrera earned the honor twice in the 2020 season. He assisted on Obregón’s second goal of the evening, a beautiful left footed cross which Obregón headed to the far post that put the home side up 3 goals headed into halftime. 

Tabort-Etaka added two goals in just 35 minutes of play as a substitute and Torres had two assists of his own, playing the full 90 minutes and recording 4 tackles, 3 clearances, 2 interceptions, and winning 2 fouls. 

USL Championship Team of the Week – Week 7

GK – Alec Kann, Atlanta United 2: Alec Kann recorded a seven-save shutout including a late penalty kick save to deny Louisville City FC’s Niall McCabe as Atlanta took a 1-0 victory on Sunday night, its first against LouCity in its history.

D – Robert Coronado, OKC Energy FC: Robert Coronado provided the assist for Energy FC’s game-tying goal in a 1-1 draw against Indy Eleven, and went a perfect 11 of 11 in duels while completing 3 of 3 dribbles and making four interceptions.

D – Kaveh Rad, Sporting Kansas City II: Kaveh Rad scored his first goal in the professional ranks and completed 62 of 71 passes while winning 8 of 9 duels and recording seven clearances and 14 recoveries defensively.

D – Aiden McFadden, Atlanta United 2: Aiden McFadden scored the only goal as Atlanta United 2 defeated Louisville City FC 1-0 on Sunday night while also winning 11 duels and six aerial duels defensively.

D – Macauley King, El Paso Locomotive FC: Macauley King provided the assist on Locomotive FC’s goal in its 1-0 win against Austin Bold FC on Thursday night, and completed 67 of 78 passes while winning 2 of 3 tackles and 5 of 8 duels.

M – Arturo Rodriguez, Phoenix Rising FC: Arturo Rodriguez helped spark Phoenix Rising FC’s late two-goal comeback, recording seven key passes in 18 minutes and the assist on Joey Calistri’s equalizer in the side’s 2-2 draw with San Diego Loyal SC.

M – Laurent Kissiedou, Memphis 901 FC: Laurent Kissiedou recorded one assist and two key passes, completed 27 of 31 passes overall and won 7 of 10 duels as 901 FC claimed a 2-1 victory on the road against Indy Eleven on Saturday night.

M – Danny Barrera, Hartford Athletic*: Danny Barrera posted a career-high single-game individual mark with three assists and also notched a goal as Hartford took a 7-0 victory against the New York Red Bulls II for the largest victory in club history.

F – Elvis Amoh, Rio Grande Valley FC: Elvis Amoh scored the second hat trick in Toros history to lead a second-half comeback for the visitors in a 4-2 win against Miami FC, while finishing the night with five shots.

F – Neco Brett, Birmingham Legion FC: Neco Brett bagged his first two-goal game of the season and recorded three shots on target overall while winning 5 of 6 duels and 3 of 3 aerial duels in Legion FC’s 2-1 win against FC Tulsa.

F – Juan Carlos Obregon Jr., Hartford Athletic*: Juan Carlos Obregon Jr. scored twice on three shots overall, recorded two key passes and won 4 of 7 duels before being substituted 10 minutes into the second half of Hartford’s 7-0 win against the Red Bulls II.

Bench: Evan Louro (TBR), Caleb Wiley (ATL), Gabriel Torres (HFD)*, Bryce Duke (LV), Ronaldo Damus (OC), Preston Tabort Etaka (HFD)*, Cal Jennings (LV)

For the first time since 2019, Dillon Stadium hosted fans at full capacity and the Boys in Green put on a historic performance. In front of 5,023 screaming fans, Hartford Athletic defeated New York Red Bulls II 7-0 in a match that saw a goal and three assists for Danny Barrera, braces for Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. and Preston Tabort Etaka, and one of the best goals in club history from Conor McGlynn.

Hartford struggled through the first 15 minutes of the game according to Head Coach Harry Watling, allowing a number of opportunities to the Red Bulls II attack including two shots off the cross bar. But Hartford weathered the initial punch and dominated the rest of the way. Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. opened the scoring in the 15th minute, sneaking into the box and tapping home an assist from Gabi Torres. The goal was oddly reminiscent of the goal he scored against RBII in the season opener. The score held until stoppage time when Hartford erupted. Sebastian Elney scored against his old squad and Obregón Jr. scored just seconds later to give Hartford a 3-0 lead at the half. Captain Danny Barrera, who dominated in the midfield the entire evening, assisted both goals.

Athletic wasted no time in the second half, and it was the Skipper who got started. Barrera operated on the right side with loads of space and curled a ball to the far post and into the net for the fourth goal of the night. 10 minutes later, Conor McGlynn scored one of the best goals in the Club's short history. Noticing the keeper well out of the net, Conor chipped the keeper from his own half of the field! The ball hung in midair for what seemed like an eternity and floated just under the crossbar and out of reach of a sprinting RBII keeper for the fifth goal of the night. Preston Tabort Etaka added the final two goals of the night for Hartford. 

With the win and a Tampa Bay Rowdies loss tonight, Hartford is now the only undefeated team left in the Eastern Conference. Your Boys in Green hit the road next Sunday when they take on Charlotte Independence at 7 PM. You can catch the match on WCTX MyTV9 or stream at https://www.hartfordathletic.com/watch.

FAST STATS:

Shots (On-Target): Hartford Athletic 15 (9) – 19 (2) NYRBII

Corners: Hartford Athletic 4-5 NYRBII

Fouls: Hartford Athletic 18-13 NYRBII

Offsides: Hartford Athletic 1-1 NYRBII

Possession: Hartford Athletic 36.8%-63.2% NYRBII

Passing Accuracy: Hartford Athletic 64.6%-82.2% NYRBII

Saves: Hartford Athletic 2-2 NYRBII

SCORING SUMMARY:

15' – Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. (Gabriel Torres) 1-0

45+2' – Sebastian Elney (Danny Barrera) 2-0

45+3' – Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. (Danny Barrera) 3-0

50' – Danny Barrera (Gabriel Torres) 4-0

59' – Conor McGlynn 5-0

65' – Preston Tabort Etaka 6-0

71' – Preston Tabort Etaka (Danny Barrera) 7-0

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY:

32' – Michael Knapp (Yellow)

51' – Mandela Egbo (Yellow)

58' – Arthur Rogers (Yellow)

62' – Juan Castillo (Yellow)

82' – Gabriel Torres (Yellow)

90+3' – Alex Lara (Yellow)

HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP:

13 (GK) Jeff Caldwell; 3 (DF) Younes Boudadi, 2 (DF) Alex Lara, 15 (DF) Tulu, 20 (DF) Thomas Janjigian, 16 (DF) Gabriel Torres; 10 (MF) Danny Barrera (Bradford Jamieson IV, 83'), 6 (MF) Arthur Rogers (Nii Armah Ashitey, 66'), 28 (MF) Conor McGlynn; 29 (FW) Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. (Preston Tabort Etaka, 55'), 9 (FW) Sebastian Elney (Alfonso Vazquez, 83')

NEW YORK RED BULLS II STARTING LINEUP:

40 (GK) Anthony Marcucci; 39 (DF) Mandela Egbo, 30 (DF) Emir Tombul, 4 (DF) Andres Reyes (Jake LaCava, 89'), 24 (DF) Jason Pendant (Juan Castillo, 45' (Joseph Zalinsky, 71')); 16 (MF) Dru Yearwood, 66 (MF) Mike Knapp (Daniel Edelman, 45'), 19 (MF) Wikelman Carmona, 21 (MF) Omir Fernandez; 17 (FW) Cameron Harper, 74 (FW) Tom Barlow (Omar Sowe, 70')

For the first time since 2019, Dillon Stadium hosted fans at full capacity and the Boys in Green put on a historic performance. In front of 5,023 screaming fans, Hartford Athletic defeated New York Red Bulls II 7-0 in a match that saw a goal and three assists for Danny Barrera, braces for Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. and Preston Tabort Etaka, and one of the best goals in club history from Conor McGlynn.

Hartford struggled through the first 15 minutes of the game according to Head Coach Harry Watling, allowing a number of opportunities to the Red Bulls II attack including two shots off the cross bar. But Hartford weathered the initial punch and dominated the rest of the way. Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. opened the scoring in the 15th minute, sneaking into the box and tapping home an assist from Gabi Torres. The goal was oddly reminiscent of the goal he scored against RBII in the season opener. The score held until stoppage time when Hartford erupted. Sebastian Elney scored against his old squad and Obregón Jr. scored just seconds later to give Hartford a 3-0 lead at the half. Captain Danny Barrera, who dominated in the midfield the entire evening, assisted both goals.

Athletic wasted no time in the second half, and it was the Skipper who got started. Barrera operated on the right side with loads of space and curled a ball to the far post and into the net for the fourth goal of the night. 10 minutes later, Conor McGlynn scored one of the best goals in the Club’s short history. Noticing the keeper well out of the net, Conor chipped the keeper from his own half of the field! The ball hung in midair for what seemed like an eternity and floated just under the crossbar and out of reach of a sprinting RBII keeper for the fifth goal of the night. Preston Tabort Etaka added the final two goals of the night for Hartford. 

With the win and a Tampa Bay Rowdies loss tonight, Hartford is now the only undefeated team left in the Eastern Conference. Your Boys in Green hit the road next Sunday when they take on Charlotte Independence at 7 PM. You can catch the match on WCTX MyTV9 or stream at https://www.hartfordathletic.com/watch.

FAST STATS:

Shots (On-Target): Hartford Athletic 15 (9) – 19 (2) NYRBII

Corners: Hartford Athletic 4-5 NYRBII

Fouls: Hartford Athletic 18-13 NYRBII

Offsides: Hartford Athletic 1-1 NYRBII

Possession: Hartford Athletic 36.8%-63.2% NYRBII

Passing Accuracy: Hartford Athletic 64.6%-82.2% NYRBII

Saves: Hartford Athletic 2-2 NYRBII

SCORING SUMMARY:

15′ – Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. (Gabriel Torres) 1-0

45+2′ – Sebastian Elney (Danny Barrera) 2-0

45+3′ – Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. (Danny Barrera) 3-0

50′ – Danny Barrera (Gabriel Torres) 4-0

59′ – Conor McGlynn 5-0

65′ – Preston Tabort Etaka 6-0

71′ – Preston Tabort Etaka (Danny Barrera) 7-0

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY:

32′ – Michael Knapp (Yellow)

51′ – Mandela Egbo (Yellow)

58′ – Arthur Rogers (Yellow)

62′ – Juan Castillo (Yellow)

82′ – Gabriel Torres (Yellow)

90+3′ – Alex Lara (Yellow)

HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP:

13 (GK) Jeff Caldwell; 3 (DF) Younes Boudadi, 2 (DF) Alex Lara, 15 (DF) Tulu, 20 (DF) Thomas Janjigian, 16 (DF) Gabriel Torres; 10 (MF) Danny Barrera (Bradford Jamieson IV, 83′), 6 (MF) Arthur Rogers (Nii Armah Ashitey, 66′), 28 (MF) Conor McGlynn; 29 (FW) Juan Carlos Obregón Jr. (Preston Tabort Etaka, 55′), 9 (FW) Sebastian Elney (Alfonso Vazquez, 83′)

NEW YORK RED BULLS II STARTING LINEUP:

40 (GK) Anthony Marcucci; 39 (DF) Mandela Egbo, 30 (DF) Emir Tombul, 4 (DF) Andres Reyes (Jake LaCava, 89′), 24 (DF) Jason Pendant (Juan Castillo, 45′ (Joseph Zalinsky, 71′)); 16 (MF) Dru Yearwood, 66 (MF) Mike Knapp (Daniel Edelman, 45′), 19 (MF) Wikelman Carmona, 21 (MF) Omir Fernandez; 17 (FW) Cameron Harper, 74 (FW) Tom Barlow (Omar Sowe, 70′)

HARTFORD ATHLETIC (2-0-1) vs NEW YORK RED BULLS II (1-4-2)

Date: Saturday, June 5th

Time: 7:00 PM ET

Location: Dillon Stadium, Hartford, CT

Local TV: WCTX MyTV9

Tickets: https://bit.ly/3dKRaCe

Streaming: ESPN+ or https://www.hartfordathletic.com/watch

International Viewers: YouTube

LAST TIME OUT: 

With this past Saturday’s match being postponed due to a positive COVID test in the Real Monarchs camp, Hartford’s last match took place on May 15. Athletic’s first home match of the season ended in thrilling fashion, as a last-minute equalizer from Luka Prpa salvaged a point for Harry Watling’s side in a 1-1 draw with Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Yet again, Danny Barrera was at the heart of the action, as his pinpoint delivery was met by a glancing header at the near post from Prpa that sent Dillon Stadium into an absolute frenzy.

INTERNATIONAL ACTION:

Hartford Athletic players Nicolás Cardona, Giovanni Calderón and Walmer Martinez will not be available for Saturday's match due to their international responsibilities. Cardona and Calderón are competing with the Puerto Rico National Team in their CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers. Cardona, who was named captain for his home country earlier this week, scored the final goal in a 7-0 victory over the Bahamas. Martinez received the call to his first international camp for El Salvador earlier this Spring. El Salvador play their next Qualifying match on Saturday against the Virgin Islands. 

TAMING THE BULLS:

Saturday’s match will mark the eighth time that Athletic and RBII have met in USL Championship play. While the Red Bulls scored 9 goals in their first 2 meetings with Hartford, in the last 5 matchups they have only scored 4. Caldwell and co. will be looking to maintain this excellent defensive record on Saturday, against a Red Bulls side that have mustered up seven goals through their first seven matches of the season.

FROM THE GAFFER:

HARTFORD ATHLETIC (2-0-1) vs NEW YORK RED BULLS II (1-4-2)

Date: Saturday, June 5th

Time: 7:00 PM ET

Location: Dillon Stadium, Hartford, CT

Local TV: WCTX MyTV9

Tickets: https://bit.ly/3dKRaCe

Streaming: ESPN+ or https://www.hartfordathletic.com/watch

International Viewers: YouTube

LAST TIME OUT: 

With this past Saturday’s match being postponed due to a positive COVID test in the Real Monarchs camp, Hartford’s last match took place on May 15. Athletic’s first home match of the season ended in thrilling fashion, as a last-minute equalizer from Luka Prpa salvaged a point for Harry Watling’s side in a 1-1 draw with Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Yet again, Danny Barrera was at the heart of the action, as his pinpoint delivery was met by a glancing header at the near post from Prpa that sent Dillon Stadium into an absolute frenzy.

INTERNATIONAL ACTION:

Hartford Athletic players Nicolás Cardona, Giovanni Calderón and Walmer Martinez will not be available for Saturday’s match due to their international responsibilities. Cardona and Calderón are competing with the Puerto Rico National Team in their CONCACAF World Cup Qualifiers. Cardona, who was named captain for his home country earlier this week, scored the final goal in a 7-0 victory over the Bahamas. Martinez received the call to his first international camp for El Salvador earlier this Spring. El Salvador play their next Qualifying match on Saturday against the Virgin Islands. 

TAMING THE BULLS:

Saturday’s match will mark the eighth time that Athletic and RBII have met in USL Championship play. While the Red Bulls scored 9 goals in their first 2 meetings with Hartford, in the last 5 matchups they have only scored 4. Caldwell and co. will be looking to maintain this excellent defensive record on Saturday, against a Red Bulls side that have mustered up seven goals through their first seven matches of the season.

FROM THE GAFFER:

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Hartford Athletic, Danny Barrera, #10, MF (C)

The club captain has picked up right where he left off last season in the Blue and Green, with a goal and two assists in his first three appearances this season. In the last fixture with Red Bulls II, Danny opened the scoring in a dominant first half display from Athletic in New Jersey. The captain will be looking to win the midfield battle for Hartford this Saturday, while adding to his stellar form in front of goal. 

New York Red Bulls II, Mandela Egbo, #39

Athletic will be keen to not give away cheap fouls in the box on Saturday, with center back Mandela Egbo having bagged three goals from the spot this season. The former Borussia Mönchengladbach man is Red Bulls’ leading scorer this season, and netted against Athletic in their fixture on April 30.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT:

The boys in Blue and Green are quite familiar with Saturday’s opposition, having taken three points from the MSU Soccer Park in New Jersey a little over a month ago. Since that 3-2 win for Athletic in April, the Red Bulls have struggled for form, having taken just 5 points from their last 6 matches. Despite their recent struggles, the Red Bulls will be looking to prove a point on Saturday at Dillon Stadium, meaning Athletic will need to be at their very best to get the three points in their first 100 percent capacity match of the season.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION:

Follow along on Twitter @hfdathletic and #HFDvNY

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Hartford Athletic, Danny Barrera, #10, MF (C)

The club captain has picked up right where he left off last season in the Blue and Green, with a goal and two assists in his first three appearances this season. In the last fixture with Red Bulls II, Danny opened the scoring in a dominant first half display from Athletic in New Jersey. The captain will be looking to win the midfield battle for Hartford this Saturday, while adding to his stellar form in front of goal. 

New York Red Bulls II, Mandela Egbo, #39

Athletic will be keen to not give away cheap fouls in the box on Saturday, with center back Mandela Egbo having bagged three goals from the spot this season. The former Borussia Mönchengladbach man is Red Bulls’ leading scorer this season, and netted against Athletic in their fixture on April 30.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT:

The boys in Blue and Green are quite familiar with Saturday’s opposition, having taken three points from the MSU Soccer Park in New Jersey a little over a month ago. Since that 3-2 win for Athletic in April, the Red Bulls have struggled for form, having taken just 5 points from their last 6 matches. Despite their recent struggles, the Red Bulls will be looking to prove a point on Saturday at Dillon Stadium, meaning Athletic will need to be at their very best to get the three points in their first 100 percent capacity match of the season.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION:

Follow along on Twitter @hfdathletic and #HFDvNY

Welcome back to 20 Questions, this week featuring center back Thomas Janjigian! Thomas talks to us about when he realized he would be a pro footballer, getting engaged, and giraffes….?

1) What was your favorite team growing up?

TJ: It would have to be Chelsea. When I was younger that’s the team my dad and my brother watched all the time and I kind of just stuck with that. Still one of my favorite teams to watch for sure.

2) When did you decide that you wanted to be a professional soccer player?

TJ: I thought about it early. When I first started to play, I saw how professional soccer players got to where they were, and I wanted to be like that. But it never really hit me until probably my sophomore year in high school when I really felt like I could take this to the next level and make a career out of it.

3) I saw some pictures of you with a surfboard, how good are you at surfing?

TJ: I’m not good at surfing, my sister is good. I can stand up it’s just that right when I stand up I nosedive, I don’t know how to balance very well.

4) Does pineapple belong on a pizza?

TJ: I think so. My favorite type of pizza is jalapeno, pineapple and pepperoni, so I would have to say yes.

5) Which player in the world do you think has a similar playing style to yours?

TJ: I would say Aleksandar Kolarov. He just has a very powerful left foot and knows how to spread the ball and distribute.

6) What’s the best thing about California?

There’s a lot of good things but I would have to say the weather is definitely number one. After that… good food, beaches. There’s a lot of things that make it very good, but I also have to say that one of the worst things is that there’s a lot of people crammed into one little spot. 

7) How are you feeling about moving to the east coast? 

TJ: I’m excited. It’s going to be a really different experience, it’s just a whole different vibe there, but I’m really excited to be on a new team and show the coaches and the staff what I can do. 

8) When where you more nervous, when you made your pro debut, or when you recently proposed to your fiancé?

TJ: Oh my god… Definitely pro debut. The engagement was more like nerves for the preparation to be correct, I wasn’t really nervous for actually saying what I needed to say, it was more like just the preparation. My first game I was definitely very, very nervous, the anxiety levels were going through the roof. It was like that up until I stepped on the field, then things were all good. 

9) What’s the best advice you’ve received that has impacted your performance on the pitch?

TJ: One of my college coaches told me to be smart and stick to my strengths. I feel like when you’re on the field and you do things that are out of your comfort zone, that’s when you make mistakes, and I think sticking to your strengths is a good idea for sure.  

10) Describe yourself in three words

TJ: Kind, hardworking and passionate

11) What is your biggest career goal before you retire?

TJ: My biggest goal is to get to the MLS. If I was to get there then I would probably have another goal after that but that’s my biggest goal as of right now, that’s been my goal my whole life. 

12) Why did you decide to come to Hartford Athletic?

TJ: The coaches seemed to value me more than in other places. I got multiple interest but nobody really seemed to jump at me like Hartford did and I feel like that definitely shows that they value me as a player.

13) How do you see the team so far this season?

TJ: I think we're a good squad, very hard working, very ball oriented, keep the ball all the time kind of side. I think we’ll play guys often off the pitch for sure.

14) What’s your favorite TV show?

TJ: It would have to be Breaking Bad. Recently… I don’t know, Game of Thrones has to be up there too.

15) What’s been the most challenging moment in your career?

TJ: Definitely when I tore my ACL during my second year of college. The process of rehab and everything you have to do for that is very tough, it’s mentally and physically challenging. Yeah, that’s definitely one of the toughest things I’ve went through.

16) Who’s your favorite player in the world?

TJ: Messi, one hundred percent. He does magical things with the ball every time we watch him, especially when he was younger. He’s the best.

17) Is there any other athletes you look up to outside of soccer?

TJ: Yes, I’m a huge basketball fan so I look up to all of the greats. LeBron, Kyrie, Anthony Davis.  All those guys that are just out of this world good.

18) What’s your spirit animal?

TJ: That’s a tough question… people call me a giraffe because I’m so tall, so let’s go with that

19) What was one of your new year’s resolutions?

TJ: To gain weight or put on muscle wight. As a defender, people like to see more physical looking guys. Coaches have told me about it all my live so yeah, that’s definitely a goal of mine.

20) Where do you see yourself and the team a year from now?

TJ: I see us making the playoff this season. I see myself doing well enough that the coaches like me and I can stay here for another year so we can continue to show what we can do and go to the playoffs again.

***

For last week's interview with midfielder Luka Prpa, click here.

Welcome back to 20 Questions, this week featuring center back Thomas Janjigian! Thomas talks to us about when he realized he would be a pro footballer, getting engaged, and giraffes….?

1) What was your favorite team growing up?

TJ: It would have to be Chelsea. When I was younger that’s the team my dad and my brother watched all the time and I kind of just stuck with that. Still one of my favorite teams to watch for sure.

2) When did you decide that you wanted to be a professional soccer player?

TJ: I thought about it early. When I first started to play, I saw how professional soccer players got to where they were, and I wanted to be like that. But it never really hit me until probably my sophomore year in high school when I really felt like I could take this to the next level and make a career out of it.

3) I saw some pictures of you with a surfboard, how good are you at surfing?

TJ: I’m not good at surfing, my sister is good. I can stand up it’s just that right when I stand up I nosedive, I don’t know how to balance very well.

4) Does pineapple belong on a pizza?

TJ: I think so. My favorite type of pizza is jalapeno, pineapple and pepperoni, so I would have to say yes.

5) Which player in the world do you think has a similar playing style to yours?

TJ: I would say Aleksandar Kolarov. He just has a very powerful left foot and knows how to spread the ball and distribute.

6) What’s the best thing about California?

There’s a lot of good things but I would have to say the weather is definitely number one. After that… good food, beaches. There’s a lot of things that make it very good, but I also have to say that one of the worst things is that there’s a lot of people crammed into one little spot. 

7) How are you feeling about moving to the east coast? 

TJ: I’m excited. It’s going to be a really different experience, it’s just a whole different vibe there, but I’m really excited to be on a new team and show the coaches and the staff what I can do. 

8) When where you more nervous, when you made your pro debut, or when you recently proposed to your fiancé?

TJ: Oh my god… Definitely pro debut. The engagement was more like nerves for the preparation to be correct, I wasn’t really nervous for actually saying what I needed to say, it was more like just the preparation. My first game I was definitely very, very nervous, the anxiety levels were going through the roof. It was like that up until I stepped on the field, then things were all good. 

9) What’s the best advice you’ve received that has impacted your performance on the pitch?

TJ: One of my college coaches told me to be smart and stick to my strengths. I feel like when you’re on the field and you do things that are out of your comfort zone, that’s when you make mistakes, and I think sticking to your strengths is a good idea for sure.  

10) Describe yourself in three words

TJ: Kind, hardworking and passionate

11) What is your biggest career goal before you retire?

TJ: My biggest goal is to get to the MLS. If I was to get there then I would probably have another goal after that but that’s my biggest goal as of right now, that’s been my goal my whole life. 

12) Why did you decide to come to Hartford Athletic?

TJ: The coaches seemed to value me more than in other places. I got multiple interest but nobody really seemed to jump at me like Hartford did and I feel like that definitely shows that they value me as a player.

13) How do you see the team so far this season?

TJ: I think we’re a good squad, very hard working, very ball oriented, keep the ball all the time kind of side. I think we’ll play guys often off the pitch for sure.

14) What’s your favorite TV show?

TJ: It would have to be Breaking Bad. Recently… I don’t know, Game of Thrones has to be up there too.

15) What’s been the most challenging moment in your career?

TJ: Definitely when I tore my ACL during my second year of college. The process of rehab and everything you have to do for that is very tough, it’s mentally and physically challenging. Yeah, that’s definitely one of the toughest things I’ve went through.

16) Who’s your favorite player in the world?

TJ: Messi, one hundred percent. He does magical things with the ball every time we watch him, especially when he was younger. He’s the best.

17) Is there any other athletes you look up to outside of soccer?

TJ: Yes, I’m a huge basketball fan so I look up to all of the greats. LeBron, Kyrie, Anthony Davis.  All those guys that are just out of this world good.

18) What’s your spirit animal?

TJ: That’s a tough question… people call me a giraffe because I’m so tall, so let’s go with that

19) What was one of your new year’s resolutions?

TJ: To gain weight or put on muscle wight. As a defender, people like to see more physical looking guys. Coaches have told me about it all my live so yeah, that’s definitely a goal of mine.

20) Where do you see yourself and the team a year from now?

TJ: I see us making the playoff this season. I see myself doing well enough that the coaches like me and I can stay here for another year so we can continue to show what we can do and go to the playoffs again.

***

For last week’s interview with midfielder Luka Prpa, click here.

The USL Championship announced today that the previously scheduled match between Hartford Athletic and Real Monarchs SLC has been postponed.

Proceeding with an abundance of caution, the postponement comes after a covered person in the Real Monarchs SLC organization tested positive for COVID-19, as part of weekly routine testing. There have been no positive tests among Hartford Athletic players and staff.

More information on a rescheduled date will be provided as available. Tickets for tonight's match will be honored for the future rescheduled date.

The USL Championship announced today that the previously scheduled match between Hartford Athletic and Real Monarchs SLC has been postponed.

Proceeding with an abundance of caution, the postponement comes after a covered person in the Real Monarchs SLC organization tested positive for COVID-19, as part of weekly routine testing. There have been no positive tests among Hartford Athletic players and staff.

More information on a rescheduled date will be provided as available. Tickets for tonight’s match will be honored for the future rescheduled date.

HARTFORD ATHLETIC (2-0-1) vs REAL MONARCHS SLC (0-2-2)

Date: Saturday, May 29th

Time: 7:00 PM ET

Location: Dillon Stadium, Hartford, CT

Local TV: WCTX MyTV9

Tickets: https://bit.ly/3wD7nC0

Streaming: ESPN+ or https://www.hartfordathletic.com/watch

International Viewers: YouTube

LAST TIME OUT:

Hartford’s first home match of the season ended in thrilling fashion, as a last-minute equalizer from Luka Prpa salvaged a point for Harry Watling’s side in a 1-1 draw with Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Yet again, Danny Barrera was at the heart of the action, as his pinpoint delivery was met by a glancing header at the near post from Prpa that sent Dillon Stadium into an absolute frenzy. 

POSSESSION WITH A PURPOSE:

The early success of this Hartford squad has centered around their ability to play effective, possession football. Through their three matches this season, Hartford boasts a 77.7 percent pass success rate, with 51.3 percent of their long passes being successful as well. The most important statistic, however, is the direction of Hartford’s possession. 36.4 percent of Hartford’s passes are forward passes, highlighting the squad’s intent and desire to attack (Stats via USL). 

DECISIVE DEPTH:

The flying start to the season has seen the squad score five goals in three games, with the last two goals coming from substitutes Preston Tabort Etaka against Miami FC, and Luka Prpa against Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Preston and Luka’s goals were not only important for helping the squad to pick up valuable points in tough matches, but also demonstrate the fantastic depth for the Boys in Blue and Green.

FROM THE GAFFER:

HARTFORD ATHLETIC (2-0-1) vs REAL MONARCHS SLC (0-2-2)

Date: Saturday, May 29th

Time: 7:00 PM ET

Location: Dillon Stadium, Hartford, CT

Local TV: WCTX MyTV9

Tickets: https://bit.ly/3wD7nC0

Streaming: ESPN+ or https://www.hartfordathletic.com/watch

International Viewers: YouTube

LAST TIME OUT:

Hartford’s first home match of the season ended in thrilling fashion, as a last-minute equalizer from Luka Prpa salvaged a point for Harry Watling’s side in a 1-1 draw with Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Yet again, Danny Barrera was at the heart of the action, as his pinpoint delivery was met by a glancing header at the near post from Prpa that sent Dillon Stadium into an absolute frenzy. 

POSSESSION WITH A PURPOSE:

The early success of this Hartford squad has centered around their ability to play effective, possession football. Through their three matches this season, Hartford boasts a 77.7 percent pass success rate, with 51.3 percent of their long passes being successful as well. The most important statistic, however, is the direction of Hartford’s possession. 36.4 percent of Hartford’s passes are forward passes, highlighting the squad’s intent and desire to attack (Stats via USL). 

DECISIVE DEPTH:

The flying start to the season has seen the squad score five goals in three games, with the last two goals coming from substitutes Preston Tabort Etaka against Miami FC, and Luka Prpa against Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Preston and Luka’s goals were not only important for helping the squad to pick up valuable points in tough matches, but also demonstrate the fantastic depth for the Boys in Blue and Green.

FROM THE GAFFER:

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Hartford Athletic, Danny Barrera, #10, MF (C)

The club captain has picked up right where he left off last season in the Blue and Green, with a goal and two assists in his first three appearances this season. While this Saturday may be Real Monarchs' first appearance at Dillon Stadium, Danny has had experience playing them during his time with Sacramento Republic FC. The captain will be looking to win the midfield battle for Hartford this Saturday, while adding to his stellar form in front of goal. 

Real Monarchs SLC, Malik Johnson, #61, MF/FW

One of the lone bright sparks for Real Monarchs in the opening three matches of the season, Malik Johnson has scored once and created 7 chances through the opening three matches of the season. A familiar opponent, Johnson formerly represented our Eastern Atlantic Conference rivals the Tampa Bay Rowdies, from 2019 to 2020, making 33 appearances and scoring 5 goals.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT:

Hartford will welcome the 2019 USL Championship title winners, Real Monarchs, to Dillon Stadium this Saturday in an inter-conference clash. The Monarchs have only taken two points from their first three matches, with draws to San Antonio and Austin Bold being separated by a 2-0 defeat to LA Galaxy II. Despite the indifferent start to the season for the Herriman-based side, Jámison Olave’s squad boasts several dangerous players, including forward Bode Davis, who has 1 goal and 1 assist through the opening 3 matches of the season.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Follow along on Twitter @hfdathletic and #HFDvSLC

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Hartford Athletic, Danny Barrera, #10, MF (C)

The club captain has picked up right where he left off last season in the Blue and Green, with a goal and two assists in his first three appearances this season. While this Saturday may be Real Monarchs’ first appearance at Dillon Stadium, Danny has had experience playing them during his time with Sacramento Republic FC. The captain will be looking to win the midfield battle for Hartford this Saturday, while adding to his stellar form in front of goal. 

Real Monarchs SLC, Malik Johnson, #61, MF/FW

One of the lone bright sparks for Real Monarchs in the opening three matches of the season, Malik Johnson has scored once and created 7 chances through the opening three matches of the season. A familiar opponent, Johnson formerly represented our Eastern Atlantic Conference rivals the Tampa Bay Rowdies, from 2019 to 2020, making 33 appearances and scoring 5 goals.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT:

Hartford will welcome the 2019 USL Championship title winners, Real Monarchs, to Dillon Stadium this Saturday in an inter-conference clash. The Monarchs have only taken two points from their first three matches, with draws to San Antonio and Austin Bold being separated by a 2-0 defeat to LA Galaxy II. Despite the indifferent start to the season for the Herriman-based side, Jámison Olave’s squad boasts several dangerous players, including forward Bode Davis, who has 1 goal and 1 assist through the opening 3 matches of the season.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

Follow along on Twitter @hfdathletic and #HFDvSLC