Burke's In-Form Hartford Squad Heads to Seaside for Key Out-Of-Conference Clash
USL Hartford Athletic

Burke's In-Form Hartford Squad Heads to Seaside for Key Out-Of-Conference Clash

Published on September 12, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Hartford Athletic News Release


The Green & Blue travel to the West Coast to face off against Monterey Bay FC just three days after defeating Greenville Triumph at home to earn a spot in the USL Jägermeister Cup final. Led by USL Championship Coach of the Month for August, Hartford will be looking to secure another three points in regular season play. Depending on the results of other games, a win could put Hartford into fourth place in the Eastern Conference.

HARTFORD ATHLETIC vs. MONTEREY BAY FC

WHEN: Saturday, September 13th, 10:00 PM

WHERE: Cardinale Stadium, Seaside, CA

HOW TO WATCH: MyTV9, WTNH.com, ESPN+

Burke Leads, Hartford Believes

Hartford Athletic's head coach Brendan Burke was named USL Championship Coach of the Month, the first manager in club history to earn this recognition. This comes after the Hopedale, Massachusetts native also became the first Hartford Athletic coach to earn a Coach of the Week distinction. Throughout July and August, Burke led the Boys in Green on a nine-game undefeated streak - another best in club history - across all competitions. In the month of August alone, Athletic was undefeated in USL Championship play with four wins out of five contests under his leadership. Additionally, the Green & Blue were ranked third in the league with a 9.8 expected goals mark and first in the league with a +5.64 expected goal differential mark over the past month. Burke has also led Hartford to their first USL Jägermeister Cup final, with the chance to earn some silverware for the trophy case.

Samadia's Back and Ready to Roll

While the Hartford faithful have dearly missed Emmanuel Samadia's presence at the left wingback position, the Sierra Leone native has been a mainstay in his nation's starting XI as they fight to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The West African country earned four points over two matches to maintain their third place spot in the qualification group, putting them well in the running for a second place finish that would give them the chance to compete in inter-confederation play-in matches for a spot in the world's biggest soccer tournament. Hartford's #19 played over 90 minutes in both Sierra Leone's 1-1 draw against Guinea-Bissau and the nation's 2-1 win over Ethiopia.

Enough Goals to Go Around

With Hartford's leading goalscorer now in the MLS, the rest of the team has had to step up to fill the void. And step up they have. In the five games since Mamadou Dieng's departure, eight different members of the Green & Blue have netted a goal, with only Samuel Careaga scoring more than one in that time frame. In Hartford's 3-0 trouncing of regional rival Rhode Island FC, Careaga, Kyle Edwards and recent Columbus Crew loanee Owen Presthus all found the back of the net. One week later, in Athletic's 3-2 win over North Carolina, Careaga scored his second, along with one from Adrían Diz Pe and an own goal forced by Michee Ngalina. The Boys in Green then defeated Miami on the road off a Jack Panayotou goal, before besting Greenville Triumph with goals from Joe Farrell, Marlon Hairston and Michee Ngalina. This variety of goalscorers proves that Hartford has dangerous players sprinkled all throughout the lineup - from centerbacks to center forwards.

About the Opponent

Monterey Bay currently sits in 12th place in the Western Conference, with 24 points on a 6-12-6 record. The last three teams in the division all sit on 24 points, so a win against Hartford could really boost the side's position in the table - depending on results of other games. Prior to Week 27, the USL gave Monterey Bay a 38% chance of making the playoffs, so they will be fighting hard to take three points from this weekend's game. As an out of conference matchup, and with Monterey Bay being a relatively new team to the league, Hartford has only faced off against the California side twice in club history. The two teams have split the matches, with a win at home for both clubs. Last year's contest was played at Trinity Health Stadium, and the Boys in Green came away with a 2-1 win on goals from Michee Ngalina and Deshane Beckford.

Players to Watch

Hartford - Michee Ngalina, FW, 11

After resting a game against Miami FC, Michee Ngalina came into Wednesday's Jägermeister Cup semifinal against Greenville Triumph full of energy and motivation. From the get-go, the Kinshasha, Democratic Republic of the Congo native wreaked havoc on the opponent's backline. Combining with Baboucarr Njie at left wing back and Samuel Careaga in the midfield, Ngalina made sure Greenville's defenders were forced to keep an eye on him as he slipped in behind for through balls or took them on at the dribble. As the match came to a close, the 5'11" forward added an insurance goal for the Green & Blue, and fans got to see his famous back flip celebration. For the goal, Ngalina picked off a stray pass in the midfield and took off towards the 18-yard-box at a blistering pace. Virtually unchallenged, he powered the ball into the back of the net to put Hartford up 3-1 with just minutes to play. Ngalina also added four crosses and three final third entries to power his team into the final of the tournament. No matter the opponent or the stakes, Hartford's #11 can be counted on to step up and create scoring opportunities for his teammates, or himself, making him a player to keep an eye on throughout the match.

Monterey Bay - Nico Campuzano, GK, 1

The 6'2" goalkeeper has been crucial in keeping Monterey Bay's post-season hopes alive, working hard to keep opponents off the scoreboard with a league-leading 69 saves over 24 games. Nico Campuzano joined Monterey Bay for this season after stints with UD Las Palmas in Spain, MLS NEXT Pro squads FC Cincinnati 2 and New England Revolution 2, along with fellow USL Championship side Lexington SC. The Los Corrales de Buelna, Spain native was nominated for Save of the Week after Week 27. The block that earned him the recognition came in the Seasiders' match against Colorado Springs Switchbacks when a forward got free on a breakaway and charged towards goal unchallenged. Campuzano made a flying kick save outside the penalty area to stifle a sure-fire Colorado goal. The Boys in Green will need to create very dangerous opportunities to get past the talented Monterey Bay goalkeeper.

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from September 12, 2025


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