Hartford Close Two-Match Week in Birmingham

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Hartford Athletic

Hartford Close Two-Match Week in Birmingham

August 2, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Hartford Athletic News Release


Hartford Athletic carry Wednesday's home win over Detroit City down south to Birmingham to face Legion FC on Saturday, looking to complete the season sweep after besting the familiar Eastern Conference side 1-0 at Trinity Health Stadium in March.

LAST TIME OUT

Hartford Athletic are coming off a 1-0 victory over Detroit City FC at home this past Wednesday. The Green and Blue were on the front foot for the majority of the match, creating the bigger chances throughout and scoring the would-be game winner in the 23rd minute on Deshane Beckford's third goal of the season. Going into the second half with the lead, Hartford stayed determined for a second goal and continuously challenged Nate Steinwascher. Michee Ngalina, Mamadou Dieng, and Beckford got loose multiple times and challenged Detroit's keeper, combining to put four shots on target in the half. Dieng put the ball in the net in the 70th minute after a feed from Beckford on a two-on-two breakout chance in transition, but was called offside. Athletic's attacking play was just one half of the story, as the back line picked up its second straight clean sheet. Renan Ribeiro made five saves, and the defense blocked six shots and swiped 16 interceptions in total to make things difficult for Detroit in the attacking third.

MATCHUP HISTORY

Hartford Athletic are 2-4-1 against Birmingham Legion all-time, picking up the second-ever victory against them earlier this year. The Green and Blue have never beaten Legion FC on the road, and they've been defeated by stoppage time goals the last two times they've played at Protective Stadium. It was Enzo Martinez netting the game winner in 2023, and Anderson Asiedu, who now plays for Hartford, heading in a corner kick in 2022 to give Birmingham the 2-1 lead in the third minute of stoppage time.

THE FIRST MEETING

Hartford and Birmingham met at Trinity Health Stadium back on March 23rd in Athletic's home opener. Fighting through a consistent downpour of freezing rain, it was a first half goal from Michee Ngalina (assisted by Anderson Asiedu) that ended up being the game-winner for the home side. Hartford were all over Birmingham in the first half, taking 21 shots, putting seven on target, and owning 58% of the possession through the opening 45 minutes. Deshane Beckford had an active game, creating four first half chances and totaling nine touches in Legion FC's box. Hartford's defense earned a clean sheet highlighted by 15 total clearances, and at-the-time goalkeeper Paul Walters (he was recalled by FC Cincinnati in May) made three saves. Matt Van Oekel did well to allow just one goal from a flying Hartford attack, making seven saves.

BETWEEN THE POSTS

Saturday brings a quality goalkeeper matchup between two veteran shot stoppers. The 34 year old Renan Ribeiro has put together an impressive campaign for Hartford, proving to be a top keeper in the Championship. He came up with a diving stop in the 55th minute on Wednesday against Detroit, and followed it with a victory-sealing save at the near post to deny Elvis Amoh in stoppage time from inside the six-yard box. The former Liga Portugal keeper boasts a 1.12 GAA in, and recently moved up to sixth in the Championship in saves (54). Protecting the opposing goal, Matt Van Oekel is in his 17th season as a professional and sixth with Birmingham. Consistently at the top of the Championship's goalkeeping statistical ranks, the 37 year old is third all-time in saves (437) and clean sheets (46), and his most recent shutout made him third among the eldest goalkeepers to post a shutout in league history. Across 12 appearances this season, Van Oekel has made 44 saves and owns a 1.08 GAA.

FAMILIAR FACES

Thomas Vancaeyezeele made 29 appearances for Birmingham in 2021 and 2022 before being dealt to Tampa Bay in May of 2022, and Anderson Asiedu spent five outstanding seasons with Birmingham Legion FC. A stalwart of the club, he totaled 112 appearances over 9,000 minutes of standout play as a box to box midfielder. Birmingham's Preston Tabort Etaka had a strong 2021 campaign with Hartford, scoring five goals and dishing out five assists as well.

QUICK TURNAROUND

Saturday's match will mark the third that Hartford Athletic will play in the span of eight days, the busiest span for the club since they played NYCFC II (Open Cup), San Antonio FC, then Louisville City back in April over a 10-day span.

ABOUT THE OPPONENT

Birmingham Legion FC currently sit in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with 31 points. They've maintained steady form throughout the season, losing no more than two matches in a row and are 2-2-1 in their last five contests. The Three Sparks are coming off a 3-0 win over Orange County at home last week, a result filled with quality individual performances (Stéfano Pinho earned Player of the Week honors, and Tyler Pasher and Matt Van Oekel took spots on the Team of the Week). Their roster is filled with attacking creativity, as both Tyler Pasher and Kobe Hernández-Foster sit in the Championship's top ten in chances created, and Enzo Martinez is one of the league's all-time best distributors (fifth all-time in career assists with 48). Birmingham have proven to be beatable at home this season, posting a 4-5-1 record at Protective Stadium.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Hartford Athletic: Danny Barrera, MF #10

Veteran midfielder Danny Barrera made his second start of the season on Wednesday and immediately made an impact, picking up the assist on Beckford's game-winning goal. "...That's exactly why we played Danny tonight - we said, 'We need that final pass,' and he gave it to us," said Brendan Burke postgame. "I think [Barrera in the lineup] is something we'll see more of... If he can give us one or two of those moments every game, we have to attack the game, and he's part of that." When Hartford defeated Birmingham back in March, it was a clever pass from midfielder Anderson Asiedu in the attacking third that created the look on goal for Michee Ngalina. With Barrera distributing the ball well right now, he could play a big factor to put balls in goal scoring areas for a team on short rest tomorrow night. The 34 year old is third all-time in the Championship in assists (51).

Birmingham Legion: Stéfano Pinho, FW #29

Stéfano Pinho is in excellent form this season and is coming off a brace in Birmingham's recent win over Orange County. He's proven to be more than just a goal scorer, as he also led Birmingham in total duels last week, winning nine of the 20 he was involved in and had a team-high in tackles with four. His final tackle of the night forced the turnover that sprung the attack, eventually leading to Tyler Pasher's stoppage time goal to solidify the final 3-0 victory. The Brazilian striker can score in bunches, putting on a four-goal performance in the U.S. Open Cup against the Chattanooga Red Wolves earlier this year.

JOIN THE CONVERSATION

For live updates, follow along on twitter using the hashtag #BHMvHFD

Date: Saturday, August 3rd, 2024

Time: 7:30 PM ET

Location: Protective Stadium, Birmingham, Alabama

Watch: MyTV9, wtnh.com, ESPN+

HARTFORD ATHLETIC (6-11-3) at BIRMINGHAM LEGION FC (9-8-4)

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