Green and Blue Go for Glory in Jägermeister Cup Final against Sacramento
USL Hartford Athletic

Green and Blue Go for Glory in Jägermeister Cup Final against Sacramento

Published on October 2, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Hartford Athletic News Release


After battling defending champions Colorado Springs Switchbacks to a 2-0 win at over 6,000 feet of elevation, the Boys in Green travel to California for the USL Jägermeister Cup final, a first in club history. Facing off against Western Conference foe Sacramento Republic FC, Head Coach Brendan Burke's side will be fighting hard to secure the first hardware for Hartford Athletic's trophy case.

HARTFORD ATHLETIC vs. SACRAMENTO REPUBLIC FC

WHEN: Saturday, October 4th, 10:00 PM

WHERE: Heart Health Park, Sacramento, CA

HOW TO WATCH: MyTV9, WTNH.com, CBS Sports Golazo Network

WATCH PARTIES: Dave & Busters in Manchester, Gio's Pizzeria presented by Brignole Vineyards in East Granby and Vaughn's Public House in Hartford, RSVP here.

How We Got Here

To make it to this historic USL Jägermeister Cup Final match, the Green & Blue battled through penalty shootouts, long road trips and rivalry matchups. In the group stage, Hartford started off with a bang, defeating Portland Hearts of Pine 2-0 on a Jack Panayotou brace. The team then traveled to USL League One side Westchester SC's home turf where they secured three more points with an exciting 3-2 win. The final two group stage matches came in a tough stretch of the schedule which saw the Boys in Green face off against Detroit City FC twice in a row - one Cup game and one regular season contest - before matching up against regional rival Rhode Island FC two times in a row as well. Both Jägermeister Cup games ended in a 2-2 draw, which then proceeded to penalty kicks to determine who would earn an extra point in the standings. Hartford prevailed against Rhode Island but fell to Detroit, earning Athletic enough points to secure one of two Wildcard Spots into the Knockout Round. Travelling to Texas to play San Antonio FC, the Green & Blue stepped up to the challenge and came away with a 2-0 win. With only one game left before the final, Hartford hosted USL League One side Greenville Triumph for the Semifinal. A late game goal surge was enough to give Hartford a 3-1 win and book their first ever trip to the USL Jägermeister Cup Final.

All Hands (and Feet) on Deck

Over six USL Jägermeister Cup games and 14 goals, Hartford has seen nine different players put the ball in the back of the net, with goal scorers coming from almost every position on the field. From the backline, Joe Farrell, Adrían Diz Pe, TJ Presthus and Sebastian Anderson each netted one. The midfield had an impressive showing over the course of the tournament, with Marlon Hairston scoring twice - the opener against San Antonio and the crucial go-ahead goal against Greenville Triumph. Additionally, Jack Panayotou bagged a brace against Portland Hearts of Pine and Samuel Careaga equaled it with two goals of his own against Westchester SC. Michee Ngalina and Hartord All-Time Leading Goal Scorer Mamadou Dieng each contributed two goals to represent the offensive line. With this extraordinary variety of goalscorers, Hartford has proven that an attacking threat can come from any player and any position on the field, making the Green & Blue a dangerous team to play against.

When 90 Minutes Aren't Enough

As this game is a Cup Final, there must be a winner at the end of it all. Interestingly enough, the Jägermeister Cup does not utilize overtime, so all games that end in a draw automatically go to a penalty kick shootout. Between the 12 games that Sacramento Republic FC and Hartford Athletic have played, four have gone into PKs at the end of regulation. With one third of matches so far having ended in penalties, there is definitely a chance it happens again in the final. The two sides will be very evenly matched if it does come down to the final tiebreaker, as Sacramento has scored seven goals over their two shootouts and the Boys in Green have converted six. Additionally, the Republic goalkeeper has made three saves while Hartford's Antony Siaha is right behind him with two (although he was saved the trouble several times as his intimidating 6'5" frame forced players to hit the ball wide or off the woodwork). Both clubs have also rotated their penalty kick takers significantly, with seven different players stepping up for Sacramento and six different members of the Green & Blue taking a penalty kick. While everyone hopes that the game will be settled in regulation time, it is always best for players, staff and fans alike to be prepared for a possible penalty kick shootout.

About the Opponent

Hartford Athletic and Sacramento Republic FC do not have a long history of facing off against each other, with only two previous contests between the two sides. Sacramento has come away with the win in both matchups, although last year's 1-0 game was a tight one that could have gone either way. In the USL Jägermeister Cup, the California side has gone 6-1-0 over the course of the tournament. In the group stage, Sacramento defeated USL League One sides AV Alta FC and Spokane Velocity, as well as besting fellow USL-C squad Las Vegas Lights FC. The team's one loss came at the hands of neighboring California club Orange County SC. Although Sacramento and Las Vegas both finished the group stage with nine points, Head Coach Neill Collins' group advanced on the head-to-head tie breaker. In the Knockout Rounds, Sacramento faced Eastern Conference foe Loudoun United who they played to a 0-0 draw before defeating the Virginia side in penalty kicks 4-2. The team's Semifinal game against Rhode Island FC also ended in a nil-nil draw before Sacramento Republic FC won 3-0 on penalty kicks.

Players to Watch

Hartford - Samuel Careaga, MF, 10

With two goals and an assist throughout the Jägermeister Cup, Samuel Careaga has been crucial in helping Hartford's offense produce goals and create goal-scoring opportunities. The Avellaneda, Buenos Aires, Argentina native started off the tournament with an assist to Jack Panayotou's first goal against Portland Hearts of Pine. In the next match against Westchester SC, Careaga kept Hartford in the game by netting two clutch goals to level the score every time the New York side went ahead by one. The first was a stunning long range left-footed shot that buried itself in the side netting, leaving goalkeeper Andrew Hammersley no chance. With 15 minutes left to play, Careaga hit another banger, powering a Jonathan Jiménez pass into the back of the net with a one-touch shot. Over five games played and 412 minutes, the 5'10" forward has added 10 shots, five chances created and eight crosses. In this huge final match, Careaga will be a player to keep an eye on, whether he finds the back of the net himself or works to set his teammates up for success.

Sacramento - Michelle Benítez, DF,

Defender Michelle Benítez is Sacramento's leading goalscorer over the course of the USL Jägermeister Cup, providing two of the club's six goals. With two 0-0 games in the Knockout Rounds, all of Sacramento's goals so far came in the group stage. Benítez's first goal of the tournament came in his team's 4-0 defeat of Las Vegas Lights. He then scored the winner in Sacramento's 1-0 win over Spokane Velocity. The Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico native has played 533 of the possible 540 minutes at left wingback for the California side. Even as a defender, Benítez is tied for first on the team in shots taken, with seven. He has also added 10 crosses, 11 clearances and won blocks, while winning six of 10 tackles, 26 of 43 duels and nine of 14 aerial duels. On both sides of the ball, offensively and defensively, Benítez promises to be a player that Head Coach Brendan Burke will mention in the scouting report.

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from October 2, 2025


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