Marlon Hairston has been named to the USL Championship Team of the Week for Week 32. He joins teammate Danny Barrera, who won Player of the Week.
Hairston was a catalyst to Barrera’s league-best performance in Hartford’s 4-3 win over North Carolina on Saturday, assisting on both of his goals. He found Barrera at the top of the box for his first goal in the ninth minute, then synched up with his fellow midfielder for a perfectly-timed aerial ball into the attacking third. With the ball in Hartford’s half, Hairston sliced it up and over North Carolina’s back line to hit Barrera in stride, leaving him all alone going towards goal. The connection between the two oldest outfield players on Hartford’s roster put their team up 2-0, leading to a crucial victory in their last home match of the season.
Hairston’s one shot of the night nearly gave Hartford a 3-0 lead just three minutes into the second half. With North Carolina keeper Jacob McGuire off his line, he fired a shot from well outside the box. The ball rang off the crossbar and down across the goal line, but it was ruled no goal. The 30 year old was a pest of the defensive end as well, winning three tackles and swiping two interceptions.
Hairston has had a quality second half of the season, making just his sixth start of the year against Las Vegas on August 17th and staying in the starting 11 in each match since then. Hartford has lost in just one of those nine matches, and Hairston has recorded two assists and a goal.
Hartford Athletic are back in action on Saturday, October 19th at FC Tulsa. Kickoff is set for 6:00pm, and the Hartford Athletic front office is hosting a watch party at XL Center Sports Bar & Sportsbook. Fans can RSVP here.
USL Championship Team of the Week – Week 32
D – Grayson Doody, Las Vegas Lights FC: Doody put in a stellar defensive display in the Lights’ 3-0 win against Birmingham Legion FC, winning 4 of 5 tackles and 9 of 12 ground duels while completing 45 of 52 passes and recording three chances created at Protective Stadium.
D – Ben Ofeimu, Indy Eleven: Ofeimu led Indy’s back line to a pair of shutouts over the week, recording a team-high 20 clearances while winning 9 of 14 duels and notching the assist on the side’s game-winning goal against Loudoun United FC on Tuesday night.
D – Jacob Erlandson, Loudoun United FC: Erlandson produced a pair of stellar performances for Loudoun across its two outings, winning 18 of 26 duels and recording seven clearances and nine recoveries while also completing 91 of 107 passes across 120 minutes of action.
M – Danny Barrera, Hartford Athletic: The veteran notched his second two-goal game in the USL Championship and added an assist in Hartford’s 4-3 victory against North Carolina FC while completing 22 of 29 passes and 2 of 4 crosses.
M – Amadou Dia, Louisville City FC: Dia proved instrumental in LouCity’s 2-1 comeback victory against the Tampa Bay Rowdies, winning a penalty kick that began the rally, while also putting in impressive work defensively, winning 6 of 7 tackles and 10 of 12 ground duels.
M – Marlon Hairston, Hartford Athletic: The veteran midfielder recorded a pair of assists and hit the woodwork with his lone shot of the game while also completing 35 of 38 passes and winning 3 of 3 tackles and 3 of 3 ground duels in Hartford’s 4-3 victory against North Carolina FC.
M – Coleman Gannon, Las Vegas Lights FC: The 21-year-old notched a goal and assist in the Lights’ 3-0 victory against Birmingham Legion FC and completed 14 of 18 passes while making one interception and four recoveries defensively.
F – Luis Solignac, San Antonio FC: The Argentine veteran recorded two goals and one assist across two appearances as SAFC claimed four points to keep its playoff bid alive, with Solignac notching a goal and assist in his side’s comeback victory against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Saturday night while recording seven shots and four shots on target for the week.
F – Evan Conway, North Carolina FC: Conway found the net in each of NCFC’s contests over the week as the side took victory in midweek against FC Tulsa, and overall notched 11 shots and six shots on target while going the full 90 minutes in both contests.
F – Ethan Zubak, Orange County SC: Zubak found the net as Orange County continued its recent undefeated streak with a 2-0 victory against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC last Wednesday night and was a physical presence in attack throughout the night, winning 4 of 5 aerial duels and 4 of 7 ground duels while completing 18 of 22 passes.
Coach – Diego Gomez, Phoenix Rising FC: Gomez’s side earned a six-point week with road victories against New Mexico United and Oakland Roots SC to move within reach of a return to the USL Championship Playoffs with two games to go in the regular season.
Bench: Hunter Sulte (IND), Shawn Smart (LV), Rece Buckmaster (SA), Mikey Maldonado (NC), Seth Casiple (OC), Joe Gyau (LV), Rodrigo Da Costa (NC)
