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PRESENTED BY TRAVELERS

Date: Saturday, October 5th, 2024

Time: 7:00 PM ET

Location: Trinity Health Stadium, Hartford, Connecticut

Tickets: HERE

Watch: MyTV9, wtnh.com, ESPN+

HARTFORD ATHLETIC (10-12-7) vs LOUDOUN UNITED FC (10-11-8)

On The Table: Hartford Athletic: Ninth in the East (37 points) | Loudoun United: Eighth in the East (38 points)

Hartford Athletic host Loudoun United tomorrow night in their most significant match of the season so far, with the chance to bring themselves into playoff positioning for the first time since May 18th.

SETTING THE SCENE

Hartford Athletic can jump ahead of Loudoun United FC into eighth place in the East for the final playoff spot with five matches left in the 2024 campaign. With the result of this match being a potential six-point swing, this contest is pivotal for the playoff push for both sides. The fans in the 860 and the 203 have rallied behind the Green and Blue, supporting the team to an 8-3-4 record at Trinity Health Stadium this season. Athletic haven’t lost a match at home since June 21st in a closely contested 1-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rowdies after a heart-breaking penalty goal by Manuel Arteaga in the 87th minute. Coincidentally, the Rowdies were the team that Loudoun last beat on the road, posting a 2-0 victory at Al Lang Stadium on August 17th. Athletic have a challenging road trip set up for the final stretch of the season, as the three teams in the remaining away matches have a combined 19-12-9 home record. 

SCHEDULE SHAKEUP

Due to the impacts of Hurricane Helene, Hartford’s match at the Tampa Bay Rowdies was postponed last week. A rescheduled date is still to be announced. 

LAST TIME OUT

Hartford Athletic are coming off a commanding 2-0 victory over Oakland Roots SC at home on Saturday, September 21st. They came out on the front foot, putting four shots on target before Marlon Hairston cleaned up a Triston Hodge rebound to give the home side the early lead. Oakland forced two comfortable saves from Renan Ribeiro for the rest of the half, and Mamadou Dieng hit the post for Hartford in the 38th minute. Just 11 minutes into the second 45, Jordan Scarlett was given a red card for a hard tackle on Irakoze Donasiyano. Down a man, Ribeiro and Hartford staved off eight shots before Kyle Edwards doubled Athletic’s lead. Thomas Vancaeyezeele hustled to possess a deflected ball off a free kick in the box, played it over to Edwards, and the striker from St. Vincent buried his first goal of the season to the bottom right side of the net. With a sold-out home crowd in a raucous state, the Green and Blue charged through the final 20 minutes of the match to seal the 2-0 win. 

MATCHUP HISTORY

Hartford Athletic have a deep history with Loudoun United across five seasons. They have faced the Northern Virginia side 15 times (most matchups with a team in club history) since both clubs entered the league in 2019, and Hartford have dominated the series like no other matchup they’ve had. The Green and Blue hold an 11-3-1 overall record against Loudoun, going undefeated through the first 11 matchups and finally conceding a loss in September 2022. They made history against Loudoun in 2019, picking up the club’s first-ever USL Championship victory (2-0) at Audi Field in Washington, D.C. A year ago, however, it was Loudoun emerging victorious for the first time behind an 83rd-minute goal from Tommy Williamson to make the score 2-1. The last matchup between Hartford and Loudoun happened earlier this season on July 3rd at Segra Field, resulting in a 3-0 victory for Loudoun behind stellar performances by Zach Ryan and Wesley Leggett.

SUSTAINED SUCCESS

Hartford’s defense has been impressive recently, letting up only three goals in the last seven games and keeping four clean sheets. Athletic lead their opponents in almost every stat category over this span, including a +13 tackles won differential, +26 interceptions, +16 shots inside the box, +6 shots on target, +16 total big chances, +23 touches in opposition box, and +98 final third entries. Joe Farrell has been especially instrumental for the back line, with a team-leading 26 clearances and seven interceptions.

A HOLE IN THE BACK

With Jordan Scarlett out of this match after receiving a red card in the matchup vs Oakland Roots SC, Thomas Vancaeyezeele could be one of the players to fill the defensive void in his absence. One step on the pitch away from his 150th regular season appearance, Vancaeyezeele is a seasoned veteran in his sixth season in the USL Championship. The French defender had stints with four different USL teams before signing with Hartford ahead of the 2024 season (Pittsburgh Riverhounds, San Diego Loyal, Birmingham Legion, and most recently the Tampa Bay Rowdies), and is experiencing a return to form after battling injuries since 2022. Vancaeyezeele was instrumental in the last outing against Oakland Roots SC, notching his career-high third assist of the season on a game-sealing goal by Kyle Edwards after subbing in for Jordan Scarlett. 

FIRST GOAL = THREE POINTS

Hartford Athletic have yet to lose a game this season after holding a winning position. On the flip side, they have come back to earn a result five times this year.

BETWEEN THE POSTS

Loudoun United FC, Hugo Fauroux #23

The 28-year-old Frenchman is in his second season with Loudoun United FC, signing with the team on February 3, 2023. Fauroux made his USL debut in the 2021 campaign with Austin Bold FC, appearing in five games and conceding more goals than he saved with 13 goals conceded and eight saves. After his debut campaign, Fauroux signed with Charleston Battery on March 1, 2022. Fauroux became a regular starter for the Battery midway through the 2022 season and would go on to register the seventh-most saves in the regular season with 83. Following the 2022 season, Fauroux was released by Charleston. Fauroux has started in every appearance with Loudoun United in the past two seasons. In his first season with the club, he had 46 saves, 35 goals conceded, and three clean sheets against 79 shots on target in 18 appearances. Through 29 appearances this season, Fauroux has tallied 80 saves (6th most in the league), eight clean sheets (T-8th in the league), and 34 goals conceded against 116 shots on target posting a career-best 1.17 goals against per 90 minutes. 

Hartford Athletic, Renan Ribeiro #40

Ribeiro has had an excellent four-game stretch dating back to the match against Indy Eleven on September 7th. Ribeiro hasn’t let up any goals in the last four games, with 18 saves and eight clearances on 65 shots (18 on target and 37 inside the box). In his first season with Hartford, Ribeiro’s presence in goal has been paramount to the club’s success. In 22 appearances and starts this season, he has tallied 87 saves (tied for second-most in the league), seven clean sheets and 22 goals conceded. Ribeiro is looking to break Jeff Caldwell’s single-season record for saves; set in 2021 with 108 saves.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT

Loudoun United FC have been middle-of-the-pack in almost every facet of the game except for passing and fouls. Loudoun ranks third and fourth in the league in passes (14,180) and passing accuracy (83%), respectively. Two of the top-10 league leaders in passes are on Loudoun (Tommy McCabe, 3rd & Jacob Erlandson, 7th). On the disciplinary end, they have conceded the second-fewest fouls (319), are tied for the sixth-fewest yellow cards (66), and are tied for the fewest red cards (1). 

Prematch Interviews

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Hartford Athletic, Joe Farrell, DF #15 

The 30-year-old has been one of Hartford’s most consistent defenders this year. Signing with Athletic ahead of the 2024 season, Farrell leads the team in clearances (100) and blocks (29) and is 3rd on the team in interceptions (27). Over this current seven-game unbeaten streak, Joe Farrell has been especially instrumental for the back line with a team-leading 34 clearances and nine interceptions. 

Loudoun United FC, Zach Ryan, FW #14

Ryan played four years of soccer at Stanford University (2017-2021), earned All-Pac-12 honors all four years, won Pac-12 Player of the Year, and was a MAC Hermann Trophy Semifinalist in 2020. On January 20th, 2022, he was signed to a one-year MLS homegrown contract with the New York Red Bulls. On May 10, 2022, Ryan scored his first goal as a professional, helping New York to a 3-0 victory over DC United as they advanced to the Round of 16 in the 2022 U.S. Open Cup. Following the 2022 season, his contract option was declined by New York. On January 14, 2023, Ryan joined Loudoun United. The past two seasons with Loudoun have been the best stretch of Ryan’s career, tallying 20 goals and six assists. This season, he leads the team with ten goals and 49 shots and is second on the team with four assists. 

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

For live updates, follow along on Twitter using the hashtag #HFDvLDN

Hartford Athletic announced today that Founding Partner Liberty Bank will once again serve as the Presenting Partner of the sixth annual Match for a Cause. The match will take place on Saturday, October 5th at 7:00 PM and will benefit Our Piece of the Pie (OPP), a nonprofit organization in Hartford.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with Liberty Bank for another year of our Match for a Cause and support the impactful work being done by nonprofit organizations in Greater Hartford,” said Hartford Athletic Chairman Bruce Mandell. “We are proud to have Liberty Bank, a company that prioritizes making a difference in the community, as a Founding Partner and a teammate in making Hartford the best place to live, work, and play. This year, we are honored to support Our Piece of the Pie, an organization that empowers youth with the key competencies needed to overcome barriers and succeed in education and employment.”

“Liberty Bank is proud to be a long-time partner of Hartford Athletic and to leverage our Be Community Kind brand promise through the support of Match for a Cause,” said David W. Glidden, President and CEO of Liberty Bank. “Hartford Athletic and OPP are two remarkable organizations that are helping youth in Greater Hartford experience success at an early age while also focusing on creating brighter futures for all of us. We couldn’t be more excited to be a part of this meaningful partnership that is improving lives right here in our communities and we look forward to what else we will achieve together.”

Our Piece of the Pie (OPP) is a nonprofit dedicated to empowering youth in Greater Hartford, CT, by providing personalized, comprehensive support to help them succeed in education and employment. OPP works with youth ages 14-24, offering services in personal development, academic achievement, and workforce readiness. Through initiatives like mentoring, job training, and alternative education, OPP helps young people overcome barriers and build brighter futures. Each youth is paired with a specialist to create an individualized plan for long-term success.

“Our Piece of the Pie is extremely honored to have been chosen as this year’s Match For A Cause Beneficiary,” said Hector Rivera, President and CEO of Our Piece of the Pie. “We appreciate the continued support of Liberty Bank and are excited to foster a new relationship with Hartford Athletic. Our youth and staff are incredibly excited to attend the event and experience this fun opportunity!”

Hartford Athletic players will wear special alternate jerseys for the match and auction off the player-issued and game-worn jerseys to raise funds to support Our Piece of the Pie. Liberty Bank will match all proceeds raised from the auction with all funds raised. Last season, Hartford Athletic and Liberty Bank teamed up to raise $20,000 for the KNOX Foundation in Hartford – last year’s beneficiary. Fans interested in bidding on jerseys, purchasing tickets to the match, or and looking for more information can visit hartfordathletic.com/cause.

The Tampa Bay Rowdies and the USL Championship announced today that the match between the Rowdies and Hartford Athletic scheduled for Saturday, September 28th at Al Lang Stadium has been postponed due to the impacts of Hurricane Helene. A makeup date for the match will be announced at a later date.

Hartford Athletic announced today that the club has signed Emmanuel Samadia to a two-year contract extension that will keep him in Green and Blue through the 2026 season.  

“I’ve enjoyed my time here in Hartford, and I’m happy to be staying with the club long-term,” said Samadia. “I want to thank Coach Burke for the trust and belief he’s shown in me, and the Hartford Athletic fans who have made me feel welcome and supported us all year long. We still have work to do this year, but I can’t wait to create more memorable moments with this club for years to come.” 

The 23 year old has had a breakout performance in his first season of American soccer, making a critical impact on both ends of the pitch as a versatile wingback. He ranks top five on the team in assists (3), chances created (23), crosses (70), and interceptions (22), and has earned USL Championship Team of the Week honors at both left back and right back. Samadia has been a key part of Hartford’s second half surge and seven-match undefeated streak, assisting on two of Mamadou Dieng’s six goals over the stretch of games and creating 12 chances.

“Emmanuel’s development this year has been incredible, and we would not be in the position we’re in without him,” said Head Coach and General Manager Brendan Burke. “We’re thrilled to have him in Green and Blue for the long term, and I’m excited to see him continue to develop and be a leader for us in the seasons ahead.”

The Freetown, Sierra Leone native has also impressed in six appearances with the Sierra Leone National Team this year, picking up two assists in World Cup qualifying play against Djibouti and Burkina Faso. He was most recently called up to the African Cup of Nations Qualifiers earlier this month. 

Samadia and Athletic sit in ninth place in the Eastern Conference, and continue their push towards the playoffs this Saturday, September 28th at the Tampa Bay Rowdies. Kickoff is set for 7:30 PM. 

Hartford secure their tenth win of the season with a 2-0 victory over Oakland Roots SC following the Green and Blue’s fourth straight clean sheet. Hartford have held teams scoreless for the last 429 minutes of gameplay and have yet to allow a goal the entire month of September. The three points won from this contest jump Hartford ahead of Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC for 9th place in the Eastern Conference and level on points with 8th place Loudoun United. 

Hartford was on the attack right from the jump with Mamadou Dieng and Beverly Makangila both getting off shots in the first ten minutes. Moments later, on a Green and Blue attack sequence, Marlon Hairston scored his first goal of the season (20’) on just his third shot of the season, rebounding Triston Hodge’s shot just two seconds prior. Unfortunately, five minutes after scoring, Hairston went down with an injury and was substituted out of the game for Thomas Vancaeyezeele. Hartford hit the half with a 1-0 lead.

The second half exhibited the same physical play seen in the first half. Following two Oakland yellow cards in the first forty-five by Irakoze Donasiyano (‘11) and Gagi Margvelashvili (40’), José Luis Sinisterra picked up Oakland’s third yellow of the game in the first minute of second-half play. Unfortunately for Hartford, the foul bug was infectious, as Jordan Scarlett picked up a red card in the 51st minute and would be forced to play down a man for the remaining 39 minutes. 

Athletic were on the defensive end most of the second half, until Kyle Edwards scored his first goal of the season in the 77th minute off of a free-kick sequence assisted by Thomas Vancaeyezeele, putting Hartford up 2-0. The Green and Blue stayed strong behind another masterclass performance by Renan Ribeiro with six saves featuring an end of second-half stoppage time stretch of three back-to-back shots on target all being saved by the Brazilian goalkeeper.

The win moves the Green and Blue up to 9th place in the East with a 10-12-7 record and 37 points. Hartford head to Tampa Bay next Saturday, September 28th to face the Rowdies at Lang Stadium, kicking off at 7:30 PM.

Fast Stats: 

Shots (On-Target): Hartford 14 (6) Oakland 19 (6)

Corners: Hartford 7 Oakland 2

Fouls: Hartford 10 Oakland 12

Offsides: Hartford 4 Oakland 1

Possession: Hartford 46.5% Oakland 53.5%

Passing Accuracy: Hartford 80.8% Oakland 80.7%

Saves: Hartford 6 Oakland 4

SCORING SUMMARY: 

Hartford:

20’ – Marlon Hairston 

77’ – Kyle Edwards (Thomas Vancaeyezeele)

Oakland: None

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY

Hartford: 

51’ – Scarlett (Red)

57’ – Bench (Yellow)

90 + 4’ – Asiedu (Yellow)

Oakland: 

11’ – Donasiyano (Yellow)

40’ – Margvelashvili (Yellow) 

46’ – Sinisterra (Yellow)

HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP

40 (GK) Renan Ribeiro, 4 (DF) Jordan Scarlett, 5 (DF) Triston Hodge; 15 (DF) Joseph Farrell, 24 (DF) Michael DeShields, 6 (MF) Beverly Makangila (Asiedu, 90’); 10 (MF) Danny Barrera (Edwards, 71’); 29 (MF) Emmanuel Samadia, 94 (MF) Marlon Hairston (Vancaeyezeele, 25’); 7 (FW) Marcus Epps, 33 (FW) Mamadou Dieng

OAKLAND ROOTS STARTING LINEUP

20 (GK) Paul Blanchette, 2 (DF) Baboucarr Njie (Naider-Chery, 74’); 4 (DF) Gagi Margvelashvili, 14 (DF) Justin Rasmussen, 23 (DF) Guillermo Diaz, 6 (MF) Daniel Gómez, 8 (MF) Irakoze Donasiyano (Reid, 63’); 22 (MF) Rafael Baca, (Elmasnouy, 74’); 17 (FW) Johnny Rodriguez, 98 (FW) José Luis Sinisterra (Cruz, 90 + 1’); 15 (DF) Neveal Hackshaw

PRESENTED BY TRAVELERS

Date: Saturday, September 21st, 2024

Time: 7:00 PM ET

Location: Trinity Health Stadium, Hartford, Connecticut

Tickets: HERE

Watch: MyTV9, wtnh.com, ESPN+

HARTFORD ATHLETIC (9-12-7) vs OAKLAND ROOTS SC (12-12-4)

Playing their best soccer and sitting just three points below the Eastern Conference playoff line, Hartford Athletic can make another jump up the table with a home win against Oakland Roots SC on Saturday night.

LAST TIME OUT

Hartford Athletic are coming off a comfortable 3-0 victory at Miami FC last Saturday, busting the match open with all three goals in the second half. Mamadou Dieng led the way with his second brace of the season, scoring first in the 49th minute. Danny Barrera played a quality ball to the young striker toward Miami’s box, and Dieng blasted his shot low and past Khadim Ndiaye. About 20 minutes later, Dieng connected with Joe Farrell to double Hartford’s lead. He crossed the ball from the top left side of the box to his teammate just in front of the goal, and Farrell tapped in the rebound after Ndiaye stopped his first shot. The young striker provided the finishing touches with his third goal just before the 90th minute, scooping up a misplayed ball by Ndiaye and finishing on the open net. 

MATCHUP HISTORY

Hartford are 1-1-0 vs Oakland Roots SC. The first of the two matchups took place at Trinity Health Stadium on October 8th, 2022, ending in a 3-1 victory for Oakland. The last matchup was at Laney College Football Stadium, which resulted in a 2-1 victory for Hartford. Interestingly enough, in both matchups, the team who led in possession lost the game. Oakland dominated with 68% ball possession in the last matchup, and 15 shots compared to just six from Hartford. However, five of Hartford’s six shots were on target while Oakland had only two.

FAMILIAR FACE

Niall Logue makes his return to Trinity Health Stadium as a member of Oakland Roots SC. The Irish center back made 20 appearances and 18 starts for Hartford a year ago, notching two assists as well. He’s been a mainstay in Oakland’s back line this season, logging 23 appearances and adding a goal and assist to his stat line.  

COMING INTO FORM

Hartford Athletic have come into quality form in the late stage of the season, going undefeated in their last six matches (3-0-3). They lead their opponents in almost every stat category over this span including a +13 tackles won differential, +26 interceptions, +16 shots inside the box, +6 shots on target, +16 total big chances, +23 touches in opposition box, +98 final third entries, and +4 clearances. Joe Farrell has been especially instrumental for the back line with a team-leading 26 clearances and seven interceptions. Emmanuel Samadia is also back on the defensive end after spending time with the Sierra Leone national team. In the three-game stretch before playing with the national team, he was one of Hartford’s most efficient defenders, with nine interceptions and seven clearances. 

PAINTING THE PLAYOFF PICTURE GREEN

Hartford Athletic’s recent run of form has put them in the USL Championship playoff conversation. They jumped in front of North Carolina after last Saturday’s win, moving into 10th place after being stuck in 11th for the majority of the season. They’re just three points below the playoff line, with six matches left and 18 points to collect. With a Hartford win and a Pittsburgh tie or loss, they can surpass the Riverhounds and move into ninth place. To move above the line, the Green and Blue will have to rely on a maximum point total. Their -14 goal differential is the lowest of any team in playoff contention, making their matchup with Loudoun on October 5th, and with North Carolina on October 12th (both at home) crucial calls for three points.

BETWEEN THE POSTS

Hartford Athletic, Renan Ribeiro #40

Renan Ribeiro has been stellar for Hartford lately, earning USL Championship Player of the Week for his performance over Hartford’s recent road trip (first Player of the Week in Hartford Athletic history). He was heroic in Hartford’s 0-0 draw at Memphis 901 FC on Wednesday night, putting on a showstopping seven-save performance to keep his team from dropping a crucial point. He was peppered with six shots in the second half, and came up with one acrobatic denial after another. The red hot keeper picked up right where he left off when Hartford traveled to Miami on Saturday, erasing the home side’s most dangerous scoring opportunity of the night when he leapt into the air to push Alejandro Mitrano’s curling strike up and over the crossbar. In 21 starts, Ribeiro has made 81 saves (third in the league, and second most in Hartford Athletic single-season history), collected six clean sheets, holds a 1.07 GAA and the league’s best save percentage at 80% (minimum 15 games played). 

Oakland Roots, Paul Blanchette, #20

In 23 appearances this season, Blanchette has tallied 71 saves (good for 8th most in the league), 35 goals conceded, and four clean sheets. The 30-year-old goalkeeper is in his fourth season with Oakland, joining the team ahead of the 2021 season. Before signing with Roots, Blanchette made ten appearances with Rio Grande Valley FC in the 2020 season. Since graduating from Loyola Marymount, Blanchette has played for six different teams, although over 60% of his games have been with Oakland. Blanchette began the 2021 season on the bench before taking over as the full-time goalkeeper midway through the season. Blanchette made 23 appearances in the regular season as well as two more in the playoffs both of which were shutouts. In 2022, Blanchette made 20 starts, earning Player of the Week once and Save of the Week twice.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT

Oakland Roots come into Saturday’s matchup in sixth place in the Western Conference (12-12-4) with a 7-5-2 record at CSUEB Pioneer Stadium and 5-7-2 on the road. However, they’ve been struggling lately, losing the last two matches in scoreless fashion and going 1-2-2 in the previous five. Oakland’s success this season is somewhat surprising when looking at the stats. They have a -12 goal differential with 33 goals scored and 45 goals conceded, the latter good for second most in the league. Even though Oakland ranks third to last in shots, they are efficient in their opportunities, ranking seventh in conversion rate (15%). Oakland also play very physically, ranking top ten in fouls conceded (379), yellow cards (74), and tied for the second most red cards (6). Two of those six red cards have come from one of Oakland’s premier defenders, Neveal Hackshaw, who is fourth on the team in minutes played, third in duels won, second in clearances, and first in blocks.

Prematch Interviews

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Johnny Rodriguez FW #17

Rodriguez has hit his stride the last two seasons as Oakland’s leading goalscorer. In the 2023 season, he tallied 12 goals, 43 shots (28 on target), one assist, and 21 chances created in 31 appearances with 22 starts. Through 26 appearances (20 starts) in the 2024 campaign, Rodriguez has put up an equally impressive stat line with ten goals, three assists, 46 shots (21 on target), and 12 chances created. This year, Rodriguez is tied for 8th in goals scored in the league. 

The 26-year-old striker made his debut with Oakland in the 2020-2021 NISA season in which he played six games and scored in both the semi-final and final of the 2020 NISA Fall Championship Tournament. He made his USL Championship debut on August 18, 2021, in a 1-1 draw with New Mexico United, coming on as a substitute. At the beginning of 2021, after a successful debut, Rodriguez went down with an injury the night before the opening game. Despite the setback, he still made 20 appearances scoring twice, including a bicycle kick that won Oakland Roots Goal of the Year. In 2022, Rodriguez once again won Oakland Roots Goal of the Year, scoring two goals in 24 appearances all off the bench. 

Mamadou Dieng FW #33

Dieng is in the midst of the most successful stretch of his young career, scoring nine goals in his last twelve games. He is tied for 10th in the league in goals scored after netting two goals in a 3-0 victory against Miami FC. Mamadou is Hartford’s leading goalscorer, adding 41 shots which is second on the team behind Michee Ngalina. Dieng has been very efficient in the attack, putting over half of his shots on target and posting a far-and-away team-leading 141.9 minutes per goal. The 20-year-old Senegalese striker signed with Hartford on a long-term contract in February ahead of the 2024 season after playing for the Sahel Academy in Senegal. He went goalless in his first twelve appearances with the Green and Blue but is now in late-season form and helping push Athletic closer to the playoffs. 

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

For live updates, follow along on Twitter using the hashtag #HFDvOAK

Joe Farrell and Mamadou Dieng have been named to the USL Championship Team of the Week for Week 28. They join teammate Renan Ribeiro, who won Player of the Week for his stellar performance in goal, putting Hartford’s four-point road trip and excellent run of form into the league spotlight.

Farrell was a central part of a determined defensive effort from the Green and Blue on Wednesday night in Memphis. He booted six of Hartford’s 34 clearances, made five tackles, and swiped two interceptions. 

The veteran defender and young striker both put their foot print on Hartford’s 3-0 win at Miami on Saturday, contributing to all three goals. Dieng put Hartford on the board in the early stages of the second half off, receiving a quality feed from Danny Barrera and blasting a low shot past Miami’s Khadim Ndiaye. Farrell started the attacking buildup to the goal, quickly moving the ball forward to Beverly Makangila after a Miami turnover. Just over 20 minutes later, Dieng and Farrell connected beautifully to double the team’s lead. After Griffin Tomas kept possession through traffic off a corner kick opportunity, Dieng fired the ball across the box to Farrell. The defender’s header at the right near post was initially saved by Ndiaye, but Farrell touched the rebound in with ease for his second goal of the season. 

Dieng notched his second goal in the 81st minute, pouncing on a misplayed ball from Ndiaye inside the box and finishing on the open net. His ninth goal and second brace of the season secured the victory for Athletic, giving his team a crucial three points towards their pursuit of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. 

Hartford Athletic now have 19 total selections to the Team of the Week this season. The Green and Blue sit just three points below the Eastern Conference playoff line with six matches left on their schedule. They return home this Saturday, September 21st to host Oakland Roots SC at 7:00pm. Tickets are available at hartfordathletic.com/tickets. 

USL Championship Team of the Week – Week 28 GK – Renan Ribeiro, Hartford Athletic: The Brazilian shot-stopper posted 10 saves across two shutouts in the week, including a seven-save performance against Memphis 901 FC on Wednesday night, to record a -1.86 Goals Prevented mark.

D – Yanis Leerman, Loudoun United FC: Leerman recorded one assist and had three chances created while completing 98 of 111 passes and defensively won 5 of 7 aerial duels and made eight recoveries, two interceptions and two clearances in his side’s 4-2 victory against Birmingham Legion FC.

D – Sean Totsch, Louisville City FC: Totsch notched the assist on LouCity’s only goal against FC Tulsa and was key as the side posted a second consecutive shutout without allowing a shot on target as he won 9 of 12 aerial duels and made one interception and two recoveries.

D – Joe Farrell, Hartford Athletic: The veteran center back went the full 90 minutes in each of Hartford’s shutouts over the week and found the net in their 3-0 win at Miami FC while completing 64 of 66 passes and recording three clearances and three recoveries at Pitbull Stadium.

M – Jack Gurr, Sacramento Republic FC: The English wingback notched both assists as Sacramento took a 2-0 victory against Phoenix Rising FC, recording two big chances created among three chances created overall and winning 2 of 2 tackles and 3 of 5 duels.

M – Florian Valot, Loudoun United FC: The French midfielder scored once and recorded two shots and six chances created in Loudoun’s 4-2 comeback victory against Birmingham Legion FC while also completing 42 of 52 passes and making eight recoveries.

M – Jack Blake, Indy Eleven: The English midfielder recorded one assist and five chances created in Indy’s 3-1 victory against El Paso Locomotive FC and completed 27 of 35 passes overall while making nine recoveries and one interception.

M – Isaiah Johnston, Loudoun United FC: The Canadian scored his first goal of the season, completed 51 of 58 passes and 2 of 3 dribbles while making nine recoveries and winning 5 of 9 ground duels defensively in United’s victory against Birmingham Legion FC.

F – Marlon Santos, Memphis 901 FC: The Brazilian forward scored a pair of goals to lead 901 FC to a 3-0 victory against North Carolina FC while completing 10 of 11 passes and winning 5 of 6 duels.

F – Mamadou Dieng, Hartford Athletic: The 20-year-old forward bagged another pair of goals in his side’s 3-0 victory against Miami FC to move to nine tallies this campaign while completing 13 of 16 passes and recording two chances created.

F – Zach Ryan, Loudoun United FC: United’s captain recorded a goal and assist in his side’s 4-2 win against Birmingham Legion FC to move to 10 goals this season and had three shots on target out of six shots overall while completing 15 of 18 passes.

Coach – Ryan Martin, Loudoun United FC: Martin’s side rallied to take victory from a halftime deficit for the first time since October, 2019 in its 4-2 victory against Birmingham Legion FC as United moved back above the playoff line with seven games to go in the season.

Bench – Colin Shutler (OC), Oscar Jimenez (MEM), Devon Amoo-Mensah (DET), Emerson Hyndman (MEM), Maxi Rodriguez (DET), Maalique Foster (IND), Romario Williams (IND)

Renan Ribeiro has been named the USL Championship Player of the Week for Week 28, becoming the first player in Hartford Athletic history to earn the honor after an outstanding showing in goal over the team’s recent road trip.

Ribeiro was heroic in Hartford’s 0-0 draw at Memphis 901 FC on Wednesday night, putting on a showstopping seven-save performance to keep his team from dropping a crucial point. He was peppered with six shots in the second half, and came up with one acrobatic denial after another. One of his top stops was in the opening minutes of the half, when he dove and fully extended to deflect a curling shot from Emerson Hyndman that was labeled for the top right corner. He added another stellar save in the 81st minute, springing to the left side of the net and getting his right hand a strong header from Leston Paul off a corner delivery.

The red hot keeper picked up right where he left off when Hartford traveled to Miami on Saturday, erasing the home side’s most dangerous scoring opportunity of the night in lieu of a 3-0 win for the Green and Blue. He charged off his line to punch out an inswinging corner in the 29th minute, then leapt into the air to push Alejandro Mitrano’s curling strike up and over the crossbar. 

The 34 year old Brazilian signed with Hartford in November after spending four seasons in Liga Portugal, and a brief stint in the Saudi Pro League. He missed the first eight matches of the season due a quad injury, and has been nothing short of superb since making his American soccer debut on May 4th. In 21 starts, he’s made 81 saves (third in the league, and second most in Hartford Athletic single-season history), collected six clean sheets, holds a 1.07 GAA and the league’s best save percentage at 80% (minimum 15 games played). 

Ribeiro and Athletic sit just three points below the Eastern Conference playoff line with six matches left on their schedule. They return home this Saturday, September 21st to host Oakland Roots SC at 7:00pm. Tickets are available at hartfordathletic.com/tickets.

Hartford Athletic broke through for three unanswered goals in the second half of tonight’s match against Miami FC, picking up a road win that moves them three points below the Eastern Conference playoff line. 

A slow-moving first half of tonight’s match saw limited scoring chances for both teams, with most of the action coming in the middle of the field. Hartford saw their first opening in the 17th minute, when Thomas Vancaeyezeele saw a clean look on goal. Emmanuel Samadia guided a low ball through the box that found Vancaeyezeele at the top of the 18, but he rocketed his strike above the crossbar.

In the 29th minute, Renan Ribeiro continued his streak of excellent goalkeeping for the Green and Blue. The 34-year-old Brazilian charged off his line to punch out an inswinging corner, then sprung into the air to push Alejandro Mitrano’s curling strike above the crossbar. 

Mamadou Dieng came inches away from giving Athletic the lead just before the half, powering a header on target that gave Khadim Ndiaye trouble in net. The opportunity came off another quality cross delivered by Samadia, setting up Dieng’s header that went off the hands of Ndiaye and up and off the crossbar. It would be the final action of the half, keeping the score 0-0 as the teams took to the locker rooms. 

Hartford’s Senegalese striker picked up right where he left off at the start of the second half, threatening in the attacking third and finding the back of the net on his second try. Joe Farrell and Beverly Makangila connected to get the ball to Danny Barrera in Miami’s half, and the veteran distributor threaded a pass ahead to Dieng. Behind Miami’s back line at the right side of the box, Dieng fired his shot low, again off the hands of Ndiaye, but this time the ball fell across the line. The 20-year-old’s eighth goal of the season gave Hartford the 1-0 lead in the 50th minute. 

Dieng added an assist to his performance in the 72nd minute, helping Joe Farrell move Hartford comfortably in front of Miami by two goals. After Griffin Tomas kept possession through traffic off a corner kick opportunity, Dieng fired the ball across the box to Farrell. The defender’s header at the right near post was initially saved by Ndiaye, but Farrell touched the rebound in with ease to give Hartford a 2-0 lead. 

Nine minutes later, a misplayed ball by Ndiaye helped Dieng put the finishing touches on both his brace and Hartford’s victory. Miami’s keeper hit the top of the ball in his attempt to boot it out of his own box, leaving a wide-open chance on goal for Dieng, who finished with ease. The goal secured Dieng’s second brace of the season. The final whistle blew less than 10 minutes later, solidifying a massive three points earned for Hartford in their push toward the playoffs. 

The win moves the Green and Blue up to 10th place in the East with a 9-12-5 record and 34 points. Hartford return home next Saturday, September 21st to play Oakland Roots SC at Trinity Health Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:00 PM, and tickets are available at hartfordathletic.com/tickets.

FAST STATS

Shots (On-Target): Hartford 15 (6) Miami 6 (3)

Corners: Hartford 5 Miami 3

Fouls: Hartford 13 Miami 18

Offsides: Hartford 1 Miami 0

Possession: Hartford 59.4% Miami 40.6%

Passing Accuracy: Hartford 92.8% Miami 89%

Saves: Hartford 3 Miami 3

SCORING SUMMARY

Miami None

Hartford:

50′ – Dieng (Barrera)

72′ – Farrell (Dieng)

81′ – Dieng

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY

Miami:

77′ – Mitrano (Yellow)

87′ – López (Yellow)

Hartford:

64′ – Toure (Yellow)

HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP

40 (GK) Renan Ribeiro, 5 (DF) Triston Hodge, 4 (DF) Jordan Scarlett, 15 (DF) Joseph Farrell, 24 (DF) Michael DeShields (Freeman, 85′); 94 (MF) Marlon Hairston (Barrera, 45’); 23 (DF) Thomas Vancaeyezeele, 29 (MF) Emmanuel Samadia, 7 (FW) Marcus Epps (Toure, 57’) (Tomas, 68’);  17 (FW) Kyle Edwards (Makangila, 45’); 33 (FW) Mamadou Dieng

MIAMI FC STARTING LINEUP

1 (GK) Khadim Ndiaye, 14 (DF) Daniel Barbir, 18 (DF) Junior Palacios, 4 (DF) Nicolás Cardona (Joseph, 74’); 29 (DF) Alejandro Mitrano (Santana, 87′); 50 (FW) Roberto Molina, 23 (FW) Rocco Genzano (Botta, 73’); 5 (MF) Joey DeZart, 99 (MF) Allen Gavilanes, 11 (MF) Frank López, 19 (FW) Michael Lawrence (Luishino, 63’)