The Hartford Athletic soccer team has gone from disappointment to one of the most compelling stories in the United Soccer League Championship this year, the second tier of professional soccer in the United States.
The season began in March with frustration. Hartford was knocked out of the U.S. Open Cup by Portland Hearts of Pine, a third-tier club in USL League One. In league play, they fell to the bottom of the table by July, sitting 12th in the Eastern Conference and appearing out of playoff contention.
Since then, the Athletic have flipped their season. Their 3-0 win over Rhode Island FC Aug. 23 marked its first victory in a young rivalry and signaled a shift in momentum. That result sparked a climb up the table. Hartford now sits fifth and is fighting for a top-four spot that would bring a home playoff match to Hartford’s Trinity Health Stadium.
Albert Kim, who teaches Communication at CT State Manchester, explained the importance of the club to the area.
“Any level of professional sports is important to Greater Hartford and Connecticut overall. It builds community pride and gives people a reason to go out and enjoy an evening together,” Kim said. “For Hartford Athletic specifically, it’s encouraging to see this team doing so well this season. You can clearly track the momentum of fans growing all season long.”
The club has also made history in cup play. Hartford advanced to its first-ever cup final, the USL Jägermeister Cup, where the team will face the Sacramento Republic on Oct. 4. A win would deliver the first trophy in club history.
Head coach Brendan Burke said the turnaround has been fueled by leadership within the locker room.
“The mentality of our veteran players is elite,” said Burke after Hartford’s semifinal win against Greenville Triumph USL 3-1 on Sept. 10. “Joe Farrell was massive tonight. He wrapped up Ropapa [Mensah] and then scored the first goal. He’s got leadership quality that is so valuable, but Jordan [Scarlett] has that too. And [Adrian] Diz shows it through the way he plays and wins his duels. Marlon [Hairston] also led with his voice and really lifted the team.”
Burke, who became the team coach at the end of 2023, said that elite mentality is now carrying into the finals.
“It’s all coming true and the players feel it. We know how good Sacramento is, but we feel like we can get at any team. We’re going there to win the game, no matter what.”
Hartford has struggled for consistent success since its inaugural season in 2019, yet the second half has unfolded differently, with the regular season winding down in late October and the playoffs set to arrive in November.
For more information on Hartford Athletics’ final matches of the season, including its last league home game on Oct. 11 against Sacramento Republic, visit http://www.hartfordathletic.com.
Hartford Athletic plays next in the USL Jägermeister Cup final on Oct. 4 at 10 p.m. versus Sacramento Republic FC at Heart Health Park in Sacramento. The game can be viewed on MyTV9, WTNH.com, or ESPN+.
Additionally, the Green & Blue are back at home for “Match for a Cause” in support of the American Cancer Society on Oct. 11 at 7 p.m. in its last at home appearance. More information can be found here and tickets are available here.
