After a two-game road trip, Hartford returned back home and earned a point in a 2-2 draw with the Charleston Battery.
After a quiet opening for both teams in the first half of tonight’s match, Hartford took control and opened up the scoring in the 20th minute. Younes Boudadi looped a quality cross into the six yard box that was headed by Michee Ngalina, deflecting it off of Mamadou Dieng right in front of goal and into the net. The 19 year old’s first professional goal gave Hartford a 1-0 lead early.
The Green and Blue stayed on the front foot and added a second goal before halftime. Anderson Asiedu played a perfectly weighted ball ahead to Michee Ngalina, who chipped his shot over the charging Adam Grinwis and into the net for his sixth goal of the season. A dominant 45 minutes, Hartford took to the locker room up 2-0.
An action-packed second half started with back to back yellow cards and a subsequent red card being given to Renen Ribeiro, putting Hartford down a man for the remainder of the match. For the second time this season, goalkeeper Greg Monroe was subbed into the game for Ribeiro.
Charleston got on the board in the 70th minute when Nathan Dossantos fought through the crowded box and placed it past Greg Monroe, cutting Hartford’s lead in half. Forced to keep defending, Joey Akpunonu came up big with back to back goal line clearances in the 72nd minute.
The equalizer came for Charleston in the 90th minute when Nick Markanich. Robbie Crawford played a ball into the box, and the USL Championship’s leading scorer got just enough of the ball with his head to put it past Greg Monroe. After eight minutes of stoppage time, the match ended 2-2.
With the draw, Hartford move to 5-10-2 and pick up their 17th point. They’ll go to Pittsburgh next Saturday for a matchup with the Riverhounds at 7:00pm.
Fast Stats
Shots (On-Target): Hartford 9 (2) Charleston 25 (8)
Corners: Hartford 3 Charleston 11
Fouls: Hartford 14 Charleston 15
Offsides: Hartford 2 Charleston 1
Possession: Hartford 41.1% Charleston 58.9%
Passing Accuracy: Hartford 73.4% Charleston 83.6%
Saves: Hartford 2 Charleston 0
SCORING SUMMARY
20’ – Dieng (Ngalina)
43’ – Ngalina (Asiedu)
70’ – Dossantos
90’ – Markanich
DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY
Hartford:
36’ – Chapman (Yellow)
51’ – Ribeiro (Red)
80’ – Epps (Yellow)
96’ – Ngalina (Yellow)
Charleston:
37’ – Crawford (Yellow)
41’ – Ycaza (Yellow)
50’ – Burke (Yellow)
59’ – Segbers (Yellow)
HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP
40 (GK) Renan Ribeiro (Greg Monroe, 53’), 2 (DF) Younes Boudadi; 3 (DF) Joey Akpunonu, 6 (DF) Beverly Makangila, 8 (DF) Jay Chapman (Thomas Vancaeyezeele 59’), 12 (DF) Anderson Asiedu (Joe Farrell 75’), 29 (MF) Emmanuel Samadia; 11 (FW) Michee Ngalina; 31 (MF) Deshane Beckford (Marcus Epps 59’), 33 (FW) Mamadou Dieng, 4 (FW) Jordan Scarlett
CHARLESTON BATTERY STARTING LINEUP
1 (GK) Adam Grinwis, 2 (DF) Mark Segbers (Robby Crawford 83’), 16 (DF) Graham Smith, 62 (DF) Nathan Dossantos (Joshua Drack-Asami 71’), 4 (MF) Chris Allan, 6 (MF) Aaron Molloy, 8 (MF) Emilio Ycaza (Arturo Rodriguez, 45’), 80 (MF) Juan David Torres Henriquez, 9 (FW) MD Myers, 13 (FW) Nicholas Markanich, 5 (DF) Leland Archer
