Hartford Athletic Makes History Winning Their First-Ever USL Jägermeister Cup Championship
USL Hartford Athletic

Hartford Athletic Makes History Winning Their First-Ever USL Jägermeister Cup Championship

Published on October 5, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Hartford Athletic News Release


The 2025 USL Jägermeister Cup Final delivered the kind of tense, physical, and high-energy soccer that fans were hoping for. In the end, Hartford Athletic came out on top, earning a hard-fought 1-0 win over Sacramento Republic FC to lift their first major trophy. Both teams threw everything into this one, but it was Hartford's relentless pressing, organized defense, and one clinical moment that made the difference.

From the opening whistle, Hartford made their game plan clear by pressing every ball, challenging every pass, and forcing Sacramento to make quick decisions.

That intensity nearly paid off early in the first half when TJ Presthus spun past a defender in the box and fired a shot toward the far post, only for it to be deflected just wide.

Michee Ngalina also looked dangerous, using his speed and footwork to draw fouls and stretch the defense. Despite all the pressure, Sacramento stayed composed and created some chances of their own.

The match was physical throughout, with players going to ground on both sides and emotions running high. Just before the break, Hartford had another golden chance when Samuel Careaga slipped a perfectly weighted ball behind the defense for Ngalina, who crossed it into the box but the finishing touch wasn't there, and Sacramento's keeper, Jared Mazzola cleaned it up. At halftime, the score was still 0-0, but it felt like a goal was coming.

That breakthrough finally came in the 51st minute. Samuel Careaga found the back of the net with a beautiful finish following a well-placed corner kick from Sebastian Anderson. Anderson delivered the assist, with a short pass outside the box to where Careaga met it perfectly to score.

The crowd erupted, and Hartford had the lead they'd been chasing all night.

Sacramento turned up the heat in the final 15 minutes, throwing on attacking subs and piling numbers forward. They came close, forcing Antony Siaha into two smart saves but they couldn't find the equalizer. Hartford's defense held strong under pressure, winning crucial headers and clearing their lines with purpose.

When the final whistle blew, it was pure celebration for Hartford. After a gritty, all-out performance, they were crowned champions of the first-ever USL Jägermeister Cup.

Hartford will look to continue their playoff push as Jägermeister Cup champions in their next match against Oakland Roots SC on Tuesday, October 7th. 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 October 11th at 7 PM. More information can be found here and tickets are available here.

FAST STATS

HARTFORD SACRAMENTO

Shots 14 13

Shots On Target 4 2

Corners 6 7

Fouls 13 7

Offsides 3 1

Possession 36% 64%

Passing Accuracy 67% 81%

Saves 1 3

SCORING SUMMARY

HARTFORD SACRAMENTO

51 ‚¬Â² - Samuel Careaga (Sebastian Anderson)

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY

HARTFORD SACRAMENTO

43 ‚¬Â² - Adrian Diz Pe (Yellow) 76 ‚¬Â² - Sebastián Herrera (Yellow)

81 ‚¬Â² - Sebastian Anderson (Yellow) 90+4 ‚¬Â² - Sebastián Herrera (Red)

90+3 ‚¬Â² - Kyle Edwards (Yellow) 90+6 ‚¬Â² - Rayan Djédjé (Yellow)

90+4 ‚¬Â² - Antony Siaha (Yellow)

LINEUPS

HARTFORD SACRAMENTO

77 (GK) Antony Siaha 99 (GK) Jared Mazzola

22 (DF) TJ Presthus 4 (DF) Lee Desmond

4 (DF) Jordan Scarlett (C) 6 (DF) Freddy Kleemann (Lewis Jamieson, 84 ‚¬Â²)

30 (DF) Adrian Diz Pe 21 (DF) Rayan Djédjé

2 (MF) Sebastian Anderson 22 (MF) Michelle Benítez (Ryan Spaulding, 74 ‚¬Â²)

19 (MF) Emmanuel Samadia 8 (MF) Rodrigo López (C) (Blake Willey, 74 ‚¬Â²)

94 (MF) Marlon Hairston 19 (MF) Nick Ross

10 (MF) Samuel Careaga (Beverly Makangila, 79 ‚¬Â²) 2 (MF) Jack Gurr

11 (FW) Michee Ngalina (Joseph Farrell, 90 ‚¬Â²) 11 (FW) Russell Cicerone

81 (FW) Adewale Obalola (Kyle Edwards, 45 ‚¬Â²) (Baboucarr Njie, 90+3 ‚¬Â²) 90 (FW) Khori Bennett (Cristian Parano, 58 ‚¬Â²)

8 (FW) Junior Moreira 96 (FW) Luis Rodrigues

Check out the Hartford Athletic Statistics

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from October 5, 2025


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