Athletic Travels to Texas for Huge Jägermeister Cup Quarterfinal
USL Hartford Athletic

Athletic Travels to Texas for Huge Jägermeister Cup Quarterfinal

Published on August 20, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Hartford Athletic News Release


On a six game undefeated streak, Hartford Athletic heads south to face off against San Antonio FC in the quarterfinals of the USL Jägermeister Cup. After fighting hard to make it to the Knockout Rounds, the Boys in Green will be fired up to continue their run in the tournament.

HARTFORD ATHLETIC v. SAN ANTONIO FC

WHEN: Wednesday, August 20th, 8:30PM

WHERE: Toyota Field, San Antonio, TX

HOW TO WATCH: WTNH.com, ESPN+, Watch Party at J Under the Dome

How We Got Here: Pure Grit

Hartford's road to the Knockout Rounds was one of hard work and grit. After winning their first two games of the Group Stage, the Boys in Green fought Detroit City FC to a tough 2-2 draw. Athletic's final game, against regional rival Rhode Island FC, was one for all the marbles as Hartford battled to clinch a Wildcard Spot into the next round. The match was so hotly contested that the USL named it the best game of the Jägermeister Cup Group Stage. After going down a man in the 28th minute, Hartford faced a tough road to bring home the draw. And the road was certainly full of ups and downs, with a stunning TJ Prethus Olimpico, a Rhode Island penalty kick and a late-game equalizer from Adrían Diz Pe. The Boys in Green were victorious in the resulting penalty kicks, earning enough points to make it out of the group. Hartford comes into Wednesday's quarterfinal game ready to continue fighting to advance further into the tournament.

Edwards' Instant Impact

With a goal less than one minute after coming off the bench against FC Tulsa, Kyle Edwards cemented his place as a super-substitute for the Green & Blue. His effort was a crucial game-tying goal in the 46th minute. The play began when captain Jordan Scarlett dumped a long ball into Tulsa's defensive third. A defender's attempt to clear the ball landed at the feet of Emmanuel Samadia, who immediately put a perfectly-weighted cross into the box. Edwards cut in front of his defender for a well-directed header that put the ball in the back of the net. With this goal, Edwards leads the league with four goals scored off the bench and nine since joining Athletic in 2023. This is also the second time he has scored within three minutes of coming off the bench, accomplishing the same feat in Hartford's 4-0 defeat of New Mexico United. With eight goals overall this season, Edwards sits in ninth place in the league.

Crosses Delivered, Chances Created

Emmanuel Samadia continues to impress with his fancy footwork and well-placed crosses. Against FC Tulsa, the Sierra Leone native led the team with 11 crosses and four chances created. One of these led to Kyle Edwards' equalizer in the 46th minute. In the 8th minute, another dangerous goal-scoring opportunity came from a Samadia cross. The 5'6" midfielder received the ball outside the box and beat his defender with a quick shimmy before floating the ball into the danger zone. TJ Presthus attacked it with his head for a good look on goal but GK Johan Peñaranda came up big with the save. With 146 crosses this year, Samadia leads the league by a margin of more than 20. Proving how dangerous his passes are, he also sits in seventh place in the league with 34 chances created.

About the Opponent

In the USL Jägermeister Cup, San Antonio FC won their group with four points on three wins and a draw - in which they did not win the ensuing penalty kicks. This first place finish gave them an automatic bid to the Knockout Rounds. In the USL Championship Regular Season, SAFC sits in third place in the Western Conference with 28 points. The Texas-side has a record of 8-7-4, with one game in hand over conference leader FC Tulsa. San Antonio has only faced off against Hartford Athletic two times, coming away with the win on both occasions.

Players to Watch

Hartford - TJ Presthus, DF, 22

Former Yale Captain TJ Prethus has become a key part of Hartford backline - and offensive efforts. Against FC Tulsa, the 22-year old had one of the most dangerous opportunities of the match with a powerful header off an Emmanuel Samadia cross. He also had 11 final third entries, showing that the outside back isn't afraid to get forward and contribute to the attack. Defensively, Presthus led the team with 20 duels - winning 11 of them - and 10 aerial duels, of which he won five. The New Albany, Ohio native also led the team in tackles (4) and was tied for first in tackles won (2). As the season continues, Head Coach Brendan Burke can look to Presthus for a consistent performance in Hartford's defense, along with some crucial offensive contributions.

San Antonio - Jorge Hernández, MF, 10

Jorge Hernández has powered San Antonio's offense on many fronts this season. He leads the team with seven goals and is tied for first with two assists, over 16 appearances. The 24-year-old's goal-count puts him in 12th place in the league. Hernández also sits in sixth place for total crosses with 109 and in fifth place for chances created with 35 - just one more than Hartford's Samadia. The Sahuayo de Morelos, Mexico native is known for his playmaking ability, earning the Golden Playmaker Award in his first year with SAFC (2023) and leading the league in chances created (83) last year. Also in 2024, Hernández was named a USL Championship Player of the Year Finalist.

Inside the Huddle

Join the Conversation

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

Check out the Hartford Athletic Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



United Soccer League Championship Stories from August 20, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central