PRESENTED BY TRAVELERS
Date: Saturday, April 2nd, 2022
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Location: Trinity Health Stadium, (250 Huyshope Ave., Hartford, CT)
Local TV: WCTX MyTV9
Tickets: Click here
Streaming: ESPN+ or hartfordathletic.com/watch
HARTFORD ATHLETIC (0-1-1) vs ATLANTA UNITED 2 (1-3-0)
LAST TIME OUT:
Hartford Athletic are coming off a 1-1 draw to the Tampa Bay Rowdies in St. Petersburg, which earned them their first point of the season. Joel Johnson got Hartford on the board early with a highlight-reel goal in the sixth minute. The strike from about 20 yards out was a Goal of the Week nominee. Johnson, Hartford’s final signing of the offseason, has proven to be a huge one. He’s played 170 minutes across two starts and added some offense to his strong play in Hartford’s back line. A deflection from Jake LaCava in the 39th minute brought the Rowdies level, and Hartford was able to stave off a strong Tampa Bay attacking effort in the second half. The Rowdies owned just under 70% of the possession in the final 45, fired off seven shots, and had 12 touches inside Hartford’s 18. A gritty defensive performance earned Hartford a point in one of the toughest places to play in the Eastern Conference.
CONNECTICUT INFLUENCE:
Hartford Athletic signed four Connecticut natives to the squad for 2022: Rashawn Dally (Bloomfield), Pearse O’Brien (West Hartford), Jimmy Slayton (Wethersfield), and Sebastian Pliszka (Newington). Dally and Slayton both bring USL Championship experience, as Dally spent last season with Memphis 901 FC and Slayton with Real Monarchs SLC. The two stayed close to home in their collegiate careers as well, with Dally playing four years at Quinnipiac University and Slayton at the University of Hartford. O’Brien and Pliszka, both 17-years old, are two of the three Hartford Athletic Academy signings of 2022. It will be an exciting homecoming for these four, as Trinity Health Stadium is sure to be filled with some familiar faces.
HOME OPENERS:
Hartford Athletic are 2-0-1 all-time in home openers. This is the earliest home match in Hartford Athletic’s history, as they have never played at home in April due to stadium preparations in 2019, and COVID-19 in 2020 and 2021. They’ll be ringing in the new “Trinity Health Stadium” name and the club has added some new features for their fans: A Connecticut craft beer garden, new local food/drink trucks, the “GOAL Zone,” and more.
FROM THE GAFFER:
PLAYERS TO WATCH:
Hartford Athletic, Prince Saydee FW #7
Saydee was a notable signing in Hartford’s offseason, and has lived up to his playmaking expectations so far in 2022. The forward has been the assist man on Hartford’s two goals so far this season, and has looked lively alongside JC Obregon Jr. in Hartford’s front line. He has shown his ability to distribute, but is a player with explosive attacking ability that is sure to find the back of the net sooner rather than later.
Atlanta United 2, Jackson Conway FW #36
In his fifth season with Atlanta United 2, Jackson Conway is looking awfully comfortable in 2022. The 20 year old is coming off the best offensive performance of his professional career, bagging a hat trick in Atlanta’s 4-1 win over Charleston last Sunday. He’s had a quality start to the season as a striker, booting 10 shots and putting five of them on goal. He’s got an assist as well, and Hartford’s back line will have their hands full containing the aggressive forward.
ABOUT THE OPPONENT:
Atlanta United 2 enter Saturday’s match with a 1-3-0 record, coming off their first win of the season over the Charleston Battery last Sunday. Forward Jackson Conway led the way in the 4-1 victory, securing his first career hat trick after Charleston was reduced to 10 men in the second half. Hartford Athletic are 1-1 all time against Atlanta, as the two teams have not met since 2019. After an 0-3 start to 2022, Atlanta will finally be carrying some momentum and will look to gain some ground in the Eastern Conference by spoiling Hartford’s home opener.
INJURY REPORT:
Hartford Athletic:
None
Atlanta United 2:
None
JOIN THE CONVERSATION:
Follow along on twitter @hfdathletic and #HFDvATL
