News

RECAP: Hartford Splits Points in Closely-Contested Match with Birmingham

Despite leading for two different spells at Birmingham Legion FC on Saturday night, Hartford Athletic were pegged back both times and had to settle for a hard-fought, 2-2 road draw. Athletic still occupies 17th place in the Eastern Conference standings and are now 9 points off playoff pace.

After trading blows in the opening 10 minutes, Hartford drew first blood in the 14th. Alex Dixon received the ball on the left wing and slid it into the path of a sprinting Harry Swartz; the Northeastern product poked the ball past Birmingham goalkeeper Matt Van Oekel.

Birmingham responded with an extended spell of complete dominance, forcing Frederik Due into multiple impressive saves and hitting the woodwork once. Eventually, the home side broke through in the 31st minute. Brian Wright fielded a teammate’s pass and laid it off to fellow forward Chandler Hoffman, who eventually curled his shot past a fully outstretched Frederik Due.

The boys in green would then reclaim the lead on the stroke of halftime, grabbing their second goal in the 43rd minute. Mads Jørgensen whipped in an enticing cross from a wing set piece, and Logan Gdula stood right in front of the Birmingham net, turning the Dane’s low ball into the left side netting.

Although Hartford opened the second half in a very lively manner, they found themselves back on a level playing field in the 52nd. Athletic failed to clear a dangerous Birmingham cross, and midfielder Mikey Lopez was the beneficiary, unleashing a low, driving, first-time effort from the top of the 18 that found its way into the bottom left corner of Due’s goal.

While it was a very open, end-to-end affair for the remainder of the match, Birmingham created the bulk of the chances, with Hartford occasionally threatening the home side on the counter. Athletic goalkeeper and eventual Cigna Man of the Match Frederik Due made a myriad of massive stops in the final 40 minutes and finished the night with 8 saves.

However, Hartford was undoubtedly closest to claiming victory, and it looked like the boys in green would sneak out of BBVA Field with a massive road victory in the 78th minute. Substitute Philip Rasmussen’s inswinging free kick delivery eventually found the feet of Logan Gdula, who tapped it across for Jose Angulo. Angulo tapped the ball into an empty Birmingham net, but the goal was eventually disallowed, as the fourth official ruled Gdula was in an offside position.

Both sides pushed aggressively for a winner, but both teams failed to finish off any of their remaining chances. The referee’s whistle sounded after just over 6 minutes of stoppage time, and the teams split the points in an evenly-contested match.

Hartford Athletic returns home for its final match at Pratt and Whitney Stadium this Friday, when it takes on Bethlehem Steel FC at 7:30 PM EST. The boys in green will then hit the road again, facing Memphis 901 FC on Saturday, July 6 at 8:30 PM EST.

STATS:

Shots: 21-10 BHM

Shots on Target: 10-3 BHM

Corner Kicks: 5-4 HFD

Fouls Committed: 13-11 HFD

Saves: 8-1 HFD

Offside: 3-3 BHM | HFD

Possession: 56-44 BHM

Passing Accuracy: 83-77 BHM

SCORING SUMMARY

HFD – Harry Swartz 14’

BHM – Chandler Hoffman 31’

HFD – Logan Gdula 43’

BHM – Mikey Lopez 52’

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY

26’ – Daigo Kobayashi (Yellow)

42’ – Kyle Fisher (Yellow)

62’ – Mads Jørgensen (Yellow)

77’ – Tyler Turner (Yellow)

89’ – Philip Rasmussen (Yellow)

90+6’ – Kyle Curinga (Yellow)

HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP

Frederik Due; Raymond Lee (c.), Logan Gdula, Sem De Wit, Kyle Curinga; Nicky Downs, Mads Jørgensen (Philip Rasmussen 76’), Sebastian Dalgaard (Jose Angulo 63’), Harry Swartz; Danny Barrera (Wojciech Wojcik 76’), Alex Dixon

BIRMINGHAM LEGION FC STARTING LINEUP

Matt Van Oekel (c.); Tyler Turner, Kyle Fisher, Mathieu Laurent (Razak Cromwell 51’); Daigo Kobayashi, Mikey Lopez, Prosper Kasim, Joseph Holland (Gael Mabiala 55’); Brian Wright (Edward Opoku 83’), Daniel Johnson, Chandler Hoffman

PREVIEW: Athletic Seek Bounce-Back Win at Birmingham

Hartford Athletic looks to rebound from last weekend’s heartbreaking home defeat as it travels to Birmingham Legion FC on Saturday evening. Here’s what you need to know:

HARTFORD ATHLETIC at BIRMINGHAM LEGION FC

Date: Saturday, June 22

Time: 8:00 PM ET

Location: BBVA Compass Field, Birmingham, AL

Streaming: ESPN+

Local TV: None

WHERE TO WATCH:

Thomas Hooker Brewery at Colt, 140 Huyshope Ave., Hartford

City Steam Brewery and Cafe, 942 Main St., Hartford

TK's American Cafe, 255 White St., Danbury

2nd Bridge Brewing Co., 642 Hilliard St., Manchester

Lakeview Restaurant & Bar, 50 Lake St., Coventry

V's Trattoria, 280 Trumbull St, Hartford, CT 06103

LAST TIME OUT:

Hartford Athletic fell against top-three side Nashville SC on Sunday afternoon, suffering a crushing, 3-2 defeat in the friendly confines of Pratt and Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field. Nashville broke the initial deadlock in the 31st minute; Ropapa Mensah scooped up an errant pass from Hartford goalkeeper Frederik Due and played it across for teammate Daniel Ríos, who calmly placed his shot in the back of the net. Hartford replied swiftly and decisively, taking control of the match in the following 30 minutes. Winger Sebastian Dalgaard produced the equalizer in the 32nd, poking his head at Raymond Lee’s diagonal cross and driving the ball past Nashville Goalkeeper Matt Pickens. Defender Sem de Wit got the better of Pickens 26 minutes later, as his looping header soared into the side netting. However, Nashville would not be denied in the final third of the match, grabbing two goals to sneak out of Hartford with a victory. Their equalizer came in the 62nd minute, when Lebo Moloto cleaned up a mess in the Hartford penalty area by slotting his rebound shot past Due. Then, substitute Cameron Lancaster broke Hartford hearts with an astonishing bar-down screamer from about 20 yards, giving Nashville a 3-2 lead it would not relinquish.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Hartford Athletic – Sem de Wit, D

de Wit is arguably Hartford’s most consistent defender, serving as a true leader in his center back role. The young Dutchman wards off opposition attacks in composed fashion, and his contributions have undoubtedly help Athletic ascend the Eastern Conference standings. The 23-year old is among the team leaders in interceptions (27, T-1st) and tackles won (15, 4th) and total duels won (80, 2nd), while also leading the squad in aerial duels won (47). If de Wit can log a solid performance on Saturday, Birmingham will struggle to hit the back of the net.

Birmingham Legion FC – Matt Van Oekel, GK

Birmingham has been struggling at the back recently, conceding 10 goals in its last 4 matches (all losses). Van Oekel has done his best to compensate for his side’s porous defensive line, but he has still conceded 19 goals in 9 appearances and currently posts a 61.2% save rate. The 32-year old is battling with Trevor Spangenberg for the starting job, and he will undoubtedly look to impress coach Tom Soehn if he gets the nod on Saturday night. If Hartford wants to bounce back this weekend, it must pepper the Birmingham goal and hope Van Oekel’s struggles persist.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT:

Birmingham Legion FC sits in 14th in the Eastern Conference standings, four points off playoff pace and three points ahead of Hartford Athletic. However, Coach Soehn’s side have struggled mightily of late, failing to win any of its last nine USL Championship matches, dropping its last five games (all competitions), and obtaining only two points in that span. After exploding for 6 goals in its first 4 league contests, the Legion attack has cooled off considerably, hitting the back of the net only 5 times since April 13th and tumbling down to the bottom of the USL Championship goal standings.

FOLLOW ONLINE:

Updates on the match will be provided via Twitter at @hfdathletic or by following #BHMvHFD

Hartford Athletic looks to rebound from last weekend’s heartbreaking home defeat as it travels to Birmingham Legion FC on Saturday evening. Here’s what you need to know:

HARTFORD ATHLETIC at BIRMINGHAM LEGION FC

Date: Saturday, June 22

Time: 8:00 PM ET

Location: BBVA Compass Field, Birmingham, AL

Streaming: ESPN+

Local TV: None

WHERE TO WATCH:

Thomas Hooker Brewery at Colt, 140 Huyshope Ave., Hartford

City Steam Brewery and Cafe, 942 Main St., Hartford

TK’s American Cafe, 255 White St., Danbury

2nd Bridge Brewing Co., 642 Hilliard St., Manchester

Lakeview Restaurant & Bar, 50 Lake St., Coventry

V’s Trattoria, 280 Trumbull St, Hartford, CT 06103

LAST TIME OUT:

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Hartford Athletic – Sem de Wit, D

Birmingham Legion FC – Matt Van Oekel, GK

ABOUT THE OPPONENT:

FOLLOW ONLINE:

Updates on the match will be provided via Twitter at @hfdathletic or by following #BHMvHFD

MAILBAG: The One Where You Meet Mike Peters

Welcome to another edition of the Mailbag! Thank you to everyone who submitted questions! If you want to submit a question to the mailbag, click here. Let's get right to it:

Nancy K. asks, "What will be the handicapped accessibility at Dillon Stadium?"

We are very conscious of all our customers, and the fan always comes first. We are well-equipped with handicapped accessibility at Dillon Stadium, and to purchase a handicap seating option please call 860-216-0816 and select option 2. One of our representatives will be happy to help you.

Cristobal R. asks, "Is there a Kitman?"

There is a Kitman, his name is Mike Peters, and he is a LEGEND! Mike does all the dirty work behind the scenes making sure our players have everything they need for matches and practices. Click here to read more about Mike.

Tom K. asks, "Why no watch parties in the New Haven area?"

While we may not have a bar in the New Haven area, you should connect with Elm City Casuals who often gathers at local New Haven bars to watch our away matches. Of course, you'll probably have to join them at Dillon Stadium for our home matches – the best watch party of them all.

@L33tsw33p3r asks, "If a woodchuck could chuck wood, how much wood would a woodchuck chuck?"

Woodchucks don't actually chuck wood, of course, but, since they are a burrowing rodent, they do know well how to toss around some dirt. So calculating a typical size of a woodchuck burrow, which consists of three rooms and a tunnel leading to it that is roughly six inches wide and extends 25 to 30 feet, 35 square feet of soil needs to be excavated to create such a burrow. Knowing that a cubic foot of soil weighs 20 pounds, a woodchuck can chuck 700 pounds of dirt. Should a woodchuck be so inclined, he could chuck about 700 pounds of wood as well.

Robert I. asks, "Where can I get an Athletic car magnet – I don’t see them on line and I am happy to see them on other cars – I need to get them for my cars too!"

Unfortunately we don't sell the magnets online – but we do give them away when we attend different events throughout CT. Come find us on Friday at the United Way Block Party in Hartford or on Saturday at Guilford's Soccerfest to get yours!

Neil M. asks, "How much will parking be at Dillon Stadium? Will there be different parking options?"

Great news – parking at Dillon Stadium will be just $10. There will be plenty of parking options around the stadium as well as other options that are short walks away like the Convention Center garage.

NEXT HOME MATCH:

The Boys in Green are on the road this weekend to take on Birmingham Legion FC, but will return home next Friday night, June 28th, at 7:30 PM! Gates at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field open at 6:30 PM, and we've got $5 Draft Beers. Get your tickets here, and get ready to #RockTheRent!

Welcome to another edition of the Mailbag! Thank you to everyone who submitted questions! If you want to submit a question to the mailbag, click here. Let’s get right to it:

Nancy K. asks, “What will be the handicapped accessibility at Dillon Stadium?”

Cristobal R. asks, “Is there a Kitman?”

Tom K. asks, “Why no watch parties in the New Haven area?”

While we may not have a bar in the New Haven area, you should connect with Elm City Casuals who often gathers at local New Haven bars to watch our away matches. Of course, you’ll probably have to join them at Dillon Stadium for our home matches – the best watch party of them all.

@L33tsw33p3r asks, “If a woodchuck could chuck wood, how much wood would a woodchuck chuck?”

Woodchucks don’t actually chuck wood, of course, but, since they are a burrowing rodent, they do know well how to toss around some dirt. So calculating a typical size of a woodchuck burrow, which consists of three rooms and a tunnel leading to it that is roughly six inches wide and extends 25 to 30 feet, 35 square feet of soil needs to be excavated to create such a burrow. Knowing that a cubic foot of soil weighs 20 pounds, a woodchuck can chuck 700 pounds of dirt. Should a woodchuck be so inclined, he could chuck about 700 pounds of wood as well.

Robert I. asks, “Where can I get an Athletic car magnet – I don’t see them on line and I am happy to see them on other cars – I need to get them for my cars too!”

Unfortunately we don’t sell the magnets online – but we do give them away when we attend different events throughout CT. Come find us on Friday at the United Way Block Party in Hartford or on Saturday at Guilford’s Soccerfest to get yours!

Neil M. asks, “How much will parking be at Dillon Stadium? Will there be different parking options?”

NEXT HOME MATCH:

The Boys in Green are on the road this weekend to take on Birmingham Legion FC, but will return home next Friday night, June 28th, at 7:30 PM! Gates at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field open at 6:30 PM, and we’ve got $5 Draft Beers. Get your tickets here, and get ready to #RockTheRent!

RECAP: Hartford Drops Back-and-Forth Battle with Nashville

Hartford Athletic suffered its second home defeat in club history on Sunday afternoon, falling 3-2 to Nashville SC in gut-wrenching fashion. The loss snapped Hartford’s four-match unbeaten run in USL Championship play and dropped the squad to 17th in the Eastern Conference standings.

Hartford and Nashville went back and forth in the opening 30 minutes, with both sides creating (but failing to finish) a series of notable chances. Athletic created the more dangerous opportunities, with its most glaring chance coming in the 27th minute. Mads Jorgensen’s knuckling effort from a long-range free kick sailed past Nashville keeper Matt Pickens, but it ricocheted off the crossbar and the score remained level.

However, it was Nashville that eventually opened the scoring in the 31st minute. Hartford goalkeeper Frederik Due attempted to roll the ball to Logan Gdula, but Nashville winger Ropapa Mensah intercepted the pass. As he saw Due closing in, Mensah laid the ball off to Daniel Ríos, who slotted it into the bottom-right corner of the Hartford net.

Hartford responded almost instantly, getting an equalizer just one minute after conceding. Raymond Lee whipped in a beautiful diagonal cross from left side of the Nashville penalty area, and Sebastian Dalgaard’s header bounced past Pickens’ outstretched arms.

Athletic then took control of the match early in the second half. After Pickens saved a Jose Angulo penalty, Hartford broke the deadlock in the 58th minute. Defender Sem De Wit floated his header past Pickens, giving Hartford its first lead of the match.

Nashville, with its back against the wall, responded like a true top-three side. The boys from the “Music City” leveled the scoreline four minutes later; although Frederik Due managed to save Ríos’ one-on-one effort, Lebo Moloto scooped up the rebound and curled it past the Hartford keeper. Then, substitute Cameron Lancaster gave Nashville a lead it would not relinquish, scoring with a stunning, bar-down rocket from just outside the Hartford penalty area.

Hartford Athletic will travel to Birmingham Legion FC next Saturday night for a crucial Eastern Conference clash at 8 PM. The boys in green will return home to Pratt and Whitney Stadium the following Friday evening, taking on Bethlehem Steel FC at 7:30 PM.

STATS:

Shots: 32-11 NSH

Shots on Target: 11-5 NSH

Corner Kicks: 12-4 NSH

Fouls Committed: 8-5 HFD

Saves: 8-3 HFD

Offside: 1-1 HFD | NSH

Possession: 56-44 NSH

Passing Accuracy: 80-76 NSH

SCORING SUMMARY

NSH – Daniel Rios 31'

HFD – Sebastian Dalgaard 32'

HFD – Sem de Wit 58'

NSH – Lebo Moloto 62'

NSH – Cameron Lancaster 85'

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY

88' – Daniel Rios (Yellow)

90 + 4' – Logan Gdula (Yellow)

HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP

Frederik Due; Raymond Lee (c.), Logan Gdula, Sem de Wit, Kyle Curinga; Nicky Downs, Mads Jørgensen, Harry Swartz (Danny Barrera 90'), Sebastian Dalgaard; Jose Angulo (Mac Steeves 74'), Wojciech Wojcik (Alex Dixon 75').

NASHVILLE SC STARTING LINEUP

Matt Pickens; Justin Davis, Darnell King, Liam Doyle; Kosuke Kimura (Kharlton Belmar 72'), Taylor Washington, Michael Reed (c.), Matt LaGrassa; Daniel Rios, Lebo Moloto (Boluwatife Akinyode 87'), Ropapa Mensah (Cameron Lancaster 68').

STATS:

Shots: 32-11 NSH

Shots on Target: 11-5 NSH

Corner Kicks: 12-4 NSH

Fouls Committed: 8-5 HFD

Saves: 8-3 HFD

Offside: 1-1 HFD | NSH

Possession: 56-44 NSH

Passing Accuracy: 80-76 NSH

SCORING SUMMARY

NSH – Daniel Rios 31′

HFD – Sebastian Dalgaard 32′

HFD – Sem de Wit 58′

NSH – Lebo Moloto 62′

NSH – Cameron Lancaster 85′

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY

88′ – Daniel Rios (Yellow)

90 + 4′ – Logan Gdula (Yellow)

HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP

Frederik Due; Raymond Lee (c.), Logan Gdula, Sem de Wit, Kyle Curinga; Nicky Downs, Mads Jørgensen, Harry Swartz (Danny Barrera 90′), Sebastian Dalgaard; Jose Angulo (Mac Steeves 74′), Wojciech Wojcik (Alex Dixon 75′).

NASHVILLE SC STARTING LINEUP

Matt Pickens; Justin Davis, Darnell King, Liam Doyle; Kosuke Kimura (Kharlton Belmar 72′), Taylor Washington, Michael Reed (c.), Matt LaGrassa; Daniel Rios, Lebo Moloto (Boluwatife Akinyode 87′), Ropapa Mensah (Cameron Lancaster 68′).

Athletic Rolling Ahead of Clash with Nashville

ATHLETIC LOOKS TO KEEP UNBEATEN STREAK ALIVE

Hartford Athletic, fresh off its first home win in club history last weekend, will host top-three side Nashville SC on Sunday afternoon. Hartford is currently riding a four-match unbeaten run, and it will hope to add more fuel to its playoff push with a positive result against one of the Eastern Conference’s top teams. Here’s what you need to know:

HARTFORD ATHLETIC vs NASHVILLE SC

Date: Sunday, June 16

Time: 3:00 PM ET

Location: Pratt and Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field

Tickets: https://bit.ly/2MQE6Rw Use the promo code HAFDAY for a special Buy One Get One offer!

Streaming: ESPN+

Local TV: WCTX MyTV9

WHERE TO WATCH:

Thomas Hooker Brewery at Colt, 140 Huyshope Ave., Hartford

City Steam Brewery and Cafe, 942 Main St., Hartford

TK's American Cafe, 255 White St., Danbury

2nd Bridge Brewing Co., 642 Hilliard St., Manchester

Lakeview Restaurant & Bar, 50 Lake St., Coventry

V's Trattoria, 280 Trumbull St, Hartford, CT 06103

LAST TIME OUT:

Hartford Athletic defeated Saint Louis FC at Rentschler Field last Saturday night, earning a come-from-behind, 2-1 victory. The visitors struck first in the 16th minute, when Saint Louis fullback Matt Bahner’s first-time, curling effort off a weak Hartford clearance hit the top left post and fell into the back of the net. Hartford equalized 11 minutes later, as Harry Swartz acrobatically dinked Wojciech Wojcik’s diagonal cross past the diving Jake Fenalson. Swartz, Sebastian Dalgaard, and company largely controlled the rest of the match and created numerous threatening chances, and their efforts were finally rewarded in the 84th minute. Dalgaard fielded an awkward cross and was clipped by Bahner as he cut inside, winning a penalty for Hartford. Substitute Philip Rasmussen calmly blasted the spot-kick into the top-left corner, powering the Athletic to its first-ever home win.

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Hartford Athletic – Sebastian Dalgaard, MF

Dalgaard, a winger, easily possesses one of the squad’s more dangerous skillsets. The 27-year old is a phenomenal distributor, whipping in the most crosses on the team this season (31) while also tying for the team lead in key passes (13). Additionally, Dalgaard is extremely skilled with the ball at his feet, skipping past defenders on the wing and making incisive runs toward goal. The Dane was arguably Hartford’s best attacking player on Saturday night, creating 3 chances and winning the eventual go-ahead penalty. He must maintain his confidence and assertiveness if Hartford hopes to create against Nashville’s rock-solid back line.

Nashville SC – Daniel Ríos, FW

Ríos is one of the USL Championship’s most prolific attackers. The Mexican forward, who earned 2018 All-League First Team honors, has picked up right where he left off this season, hitting the back of the net 8 times in 14 matches (T-4th in the league). He is a complete menace in the penalty area, getting on the end of teammates’ crosses and turning them goalward. Hartford must try to close down Nashville wingers and minimize Ríos’ service in order to stymie one of the league’s best attacking sides.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT:

Nashville SC currently occupies 3rd place in the Eastern Conference standings, trailing New York Red Bulls II and the league-best Tampa Bay Rowdies by 1 and 4 points, respectively. The “Music City” side is unbeaten in its last five league matches, winning three and drawing two over that span. The visitors are also one of the more well-rounded teams in the USL Championship, currently top ten in goals scored and goals conceded. While forward Daniel Ríos leads the team with 8 goals, South African midfielder Lebo Moloto is the side’s best assist man (4).

FOLLOW ONLINE:

Updates on the match will be provided via Twitter at @hfdathletic or by following #HFDvNSH.

ATHLETIC LOOKS TO KEEP UNBEATEN STREAK ALIVE

HARTFORD ATHLETIC vs NASHVILLE SC

Date: Sunday, June 16

Time: 3:00 PM ET

Location: Pratt and Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field

Tickets: https://bit.ly/2MQE6Rw Use the promo code HAFDAY for a special Buy One Get One offer!

Streaming: ESPN+

Local TV: WCTX MyTV9

WHERE TO WATCH:

Thomas Hooker Brewery at Colt, 140 Huyshope Ave., Hartford

City Steam Brewery and Cafe, 942 Main St., Hartford

TK’s American Cafe, 255 White St., Danbury

2nd Bridge Brewing Co., 642 Hilliard St., Manchester

Lakeview Restaurant & Bar, 50 Lake St., Coventry

V’s Trattoria, 280 Trumbull St, Hartford, CT 06103

LAST TIME OUT:

PLAYERS TO WATCH:

Hartford Athletic – Sebastian Dalgaard, MF

Nashville SC – Daniel Ríos, FW

ABOUT THE OPPONENT:

FOLLOW ONLINE:

Updates on the match will be provided via Twitter at @hfdathletic or by following #HFDvNSH.

MAILBAG: The One Where We Clearly Planted A Question About Dillon Stadium Tickets Going On Sale

Welcome back to the Mailbag! Thank you to everyone who submitted questions! If you want to submit a question to the mailbag, click here. Let's get right to it:

Joe C. asks, "When can I buy tickets for matches at Dillon Stadium?"

Joe, great news! You can do that right now! Click here!

AthleticGreenMonster asks Harry Swartz and Wojciech Wójcik, "What your favorite spot to get pizza in New Haven? Also how does it feel to get your first home win in franchise history this week?

Harry: Such a great feeling winning in front of our unbelievable fans! Now we just have to build off Saturday and keep moving forward. As for pizza, I actually tried Modern Pizza in New Haven last night and I think that takes home the trophy for me!

Woj: Feels amazing! We’re ready to put in work this weekend! As for the pizza, Frank Pepe is my choice.

@TheRazor51 asks, "Will the Club endorse playing high school championships at Dillon?"

Absolutely! We'd love to have any number of high school events at Dillon. State Championships, the Thanksgiving Day football game, you name it, we want it to be played at Dillon. The stadium is an important community asset and we want it to be utilized as much as possible.

@CTSoccerMike asks, "If you could ask your pets any question, what would it be?"

This is another question where we'll give you a sampling of answers from people in our front office:

"Do you actually like me?"

"What is the most annoying thing I've ever done in your presence?"

"Why do you keep barking?"

"Who is your favorite person in the family?"

"What is your birth name?"

John M asks, "Are you going to eventually have more/different HA gear for the public?"

For this year, you'll mostly see the gear we've had all year long. However, there may be some exclusive gear available for purchase at a particularly important game this year…

@WhaleCity_FC asks, "When's the next $2 beer night?"

Unfortunately we don't know when the next $2 beer night is. However, for BOTH of our final matches at Rentschler Field, we'll have $5 draft beers from when the gates open until the 19th minute. We know it's not $2, but a discount is a discount right?

NEXT HOME MATCH:

Speaking of, join us on Sunday for a special Father's Day edition of Hartford Athletic soccer. Click here and use the promo code HAFDAY for an exclusive buy-one-get-one free offer! That's right, two tickets for you and Dad for the price of one! Gates at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field open at 2 PM. Get ready to #RockTheRent!

Welcome back to the Mailbag! Thank you to everyone who submitted questions! If you want to submit a question to the mailbag, click here. Let’s get right to it:

Joe C. asks, “When can I buy tickets for matches at Dillon Stadium?”

Joe, great news! You can do that right now! Click here!

AthleticGreenMonster asks Harry Swartz and Wojciech Wójcik, “What your favorite spot to get pizza in New Haven? Also how does it feel to get your first home win in franchise history this week?

Woj: Feels amazing! We’re ready to put in work this weekend! As for the pizza, Frank Pepe is my choice.

@TheRazor51 asks, “Will the Club endorse playing high school championships at Dillon?”

Absolutely! We’d love to have any number of high school events at Dillon. State Championships, the Thanksgiving Day football game, you name it, we want it to be played at Dillon. The stadium is an important community asset and we want it to be utilized as much as possible.

@CTSoccerMike asks, “If you could ask your pets any question, what would it be?”

This is another question where we’ll give you a sampling of answers from people in our front office:

“Do you actually like me?”

“What is the most annoying thing I’ve ever done in your presence?”

“Why do you keep barking?”

“Who is your favorite person in the family?”

“What is your birth name?”

John M asks, “Are you going to eventually have more/different HA gear for the public?”

For this year, you’ll mostly see the gear we’ve had all year long. However, there may be some exclusive gear available for purchase at a particularly important game this year…

@WhaleCity_FC asks, “When’s the next $2 beer night?”

Unfortunately we don’t know when the next $2 beer night is. However, for BOTH of our final matches at Rentschler Field, we’ll have $5 draft beers from when the gates open until the 19th minute. We know it’s not $2, but a discount is a discount right?

NEXT HOME MATCH:

Speaking of, join us on Sunday for a special Father’s Day edition of Hartford Athletic soccer. Click here and use the promo code HAFDAY for an exclusive buy-one-get-one free offer! That’s right, two tickets for you and Dad for the price of one! Gates at Pratt & Whitney Stadium at Rentschler Field open at 2 PM. Get ready to #RockTheRent!

Hartford Athletic Adds Danny Barrera

Hartford Athletic announced the signing of Danny Barrera (Thousand Oaks, CA) for the rest of the season today, pending league and federation approval. Barrera, a 29 year-old midfielder who was born in Colombia, has totaled 97 career USL Championship appearances. Barrera played for Sacramento Republic FC from 2015-2017 and continued his career in the Championship with Fresno FC in 2018.

He made 62 appearances scoring 6 goals during his time with Sacramento. Barrera, who is the Sacramento Republic all-time leader in assists, was also named Captain of the Club.

Prior to his professional career, Barrera made multiple appearances with the United States U17 and U18 teams. Barrera attended UC-Santa Barbara for 3 seasons where he scored 10 goals and notched 22 assists in 66 matches.

Barrera will be available for selection on Sunday at 3 PM when Hartford Athletic hosts Nashville SC. For tickets click here and use the promo code HAFDAY for a Buy One Get One Free ticket offer!

He made 62 appearances scoring 6 goals during his time with Sacramento. Barrera, who is the Sacramento Republic all-time leader in assists, was also named Captain of the Club.

Barrera will be available for selection on Sunday at 3 PM when Hartford Athletic hosts Nashville SC. For tickets click here and use the promo code HAFDAY for a Buy One Get One Free ticket offer!

Sebastian Dalgaard Named to USL Championship Team of the Week

Sebastian Dalgaard has been named to the USL Championship's Team of the Week for Week 14. Dalgaard drew a critical foul in the 84th minute that led to Phil Rasmussen's go-ahead penalty kick in Saturday's 2-1 win over Saint Louis FC. Dalgaard is the second Athletic player to be named to the Team of the Week after Jose Angulo in Week 11.

USL Championship Team of the Week:

GK – Brandon Miller, Charlotte Independence: Miller recorded a six-save shutout against the Swope Park Rangers that included a penalty-kick save to help his side earn a point on the road.

D – Kosuke Kimura, Nashville SC: Kimura scored a second-half goal and won 8 of 9 duels while making five recoveries in NSC’s 4-1 road victory against Bethlehem Steel FC.

D – Ish Jome, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC: Jome completed 4 of 4 dribbles, won 6 of 7 duels and recorded three key passes in addition to his late goal in the Switchbacks’ 3-0 win against Tacoma Defiance.

D – James Kiffe, El Paso Locomotive FC: Kiffe recorded a pair of assists, completed 76 of 87 passes overall and made 10 recoveries in Locomotive FC’s 3-0 win against the LA Galaxy II.

M – Sebastian Dalgaard, Hartford Athletic: Dalgaard notched three key passes, completed six dribbles won 14 of 20 duels and won a penalty kick that produced the game-winning goal in the Athletic’s 2-1 win against Saint Louis FC.

M – Dre Fortune, North Carolina FC: Fortune struck twice, made four interceptions and completed 21 of 27 passes as North Carolina handed the Tampa Bay Rowdies their first loss of the season.

M – Jose Gallegos, San Antonio FC: The 17-year-old recorded four key passes and 9 of 10 passes overall, completed three dribbles and scored the game-winning goal after coming on as a halftime substitute in SAFC’s 3-2 win against Reno 1868 FC.

M – Chris Lema, New York Red Bulls II: Lema notched a pair of assists, recorded seven key passes overall and made 10 recoveries as the Red Bulls II cruised to a 3-1 victory against ATL UTD 2.

F – Junior Flemmings, Phoenix Rising FC: Flemmings scored twice, won a penalty kick and completed 16 of 19 passes to lead Rising FC’s romp to a 5-0 victory against Tulsa Roughnecks FC at Casino Arizona Field.

F – Cameron Iwasa, Sacramento Republic FC: Iwasa recorded the opening and closing goal in Republic FC’s 3-0 road victory against Western Conference-leader New Mexico United on Saturday night.

F – Douglas Martinez, Real Monarchs SLC: Martinez notched two goals, one assist and three key passes as the Monarchs took a 5-3 victory against Rio Grande Valley FC at Zions Bank Stadium.

Bench: Callum Irving (OTT), Solomon Asante (PHX), Kenney Walker (IND), Griffin Yow (LDN), Maikel Chang (SLC), Jerome Kiesewetter (ELP), Deshorn Brown (OKC)

Sebastian Dalgaard has been named to the USL Championship’s Team of the Week for Week 14. Dalgaard drew a critical foul in the 84th minute that led to Phil Rasmussen’s go-ahead penalty kick in Saturday’s 2-1 win over Saint Louis FC. Dalgaard is the second Athletic player to be named to the Team of the Week after Jose Angulo in Week 11.