Hartford Takes on Defending Champs in Colorado Springs Matchup
USL Hartford Athletic

Hartford Takes on Defending Champs in Colorado Springs Matchup

Published on September 26, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Hartford Athletic News Release


The Boys in Green begin an almost two-week-long road trip with a visit to Weidner Field where they will face the 2024 USL Champions Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. During this stretch of away games, Hartford will also play Sacramento Republic FC in the USL Jägermeister Cup Final before facing Oakland Roots in a regular season match. With just five games left this year, the race is on to qualify for the post season and have a chance at lifting the USL Championship trophy.

HARTFORD ATHLETIC vs. COLORADO SPRINGS SWITCHBACKS FC

WHEN: Saturday, September 27th, 8:00 PM

WHERE: Weidner Field, Colorado Springs, CO

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

Farrell Joins the 250 Club

With his name in the starting XI last Saturday, Joe Farrell earned his 250th career appearance in the USL Championship, accumulated over 10 years in the league. The 6'2" defender began his professional career with the Rochester Rhinos, a former USL club, where he earned All-League Second Team in his rookie season. Farrell then spent five seasons with Western Conference foe Phoenix Rising before joining Pittsburgh Riverhounds FC for one year, then coming to Hartford at the end of 2023. In his first season with the Boys in Green, Farrell made 29 appearances, with 27 starts, and led the team in clearances (124), blocks (36), and interceptions (31). So far this season, the Blue Bell, PA native has 21 appearances, with 18 starts. He once again leads the team across several defensive stat categories including clearances (123), blocks (19) and aerial duels won (65). Farrell also added a crucial goal in Hartford's 3-1 win over Greenville Triumph in the semifinals of the USL Jägermeister Cup.

Rocky Mountain Reunion

When the Green & Blue take the pitch at Weidner Field, it will feel like familiar territory to many, as five members of the team and two of the technical staff once called Colorado Springs home. Beverly Makangila, Michee Ngalina, Hadji Barry, Sebastian Anderson and Adrían Diz Pe all wore the Switchback colors at one point in their careers. Additionally, Hartford Athletic Head Coach Brendan Burke led the Switchbacks for two seasons, taking over a two-win club in 2020 and fostering a resurgence that saw the club earn two trips to the USL Championship playoffs, a first ever trip to the Western Conference Finals, and a 30-23-13 overall record. Makangila, Ngalina and Anderson were all a part of this historic run, while Assistant Coach Aaron Wheeler came out of retirement to join Burke and the Switchbacks in making history, scoring two goals off the bench in the side's 3-0 win over RGV in the Quarterfinals. Interestingly, no current Colorado Springs player has ever worn the Hartford Green & Blue.

Young Guns Deliver

Head Coach Brendan Burke has shown confidence in young players throughout his career and this year is no different. Hartford Athletic is ranked second in the entire league, including both Eastern and Western Conference clubs, in the amount of regular season playing time given to U-22 eligible players. Split between six different players, the youngsters on the team have played a total of 5,411 minutes, equaling 22.9% of the side's total game time. Leading the pack is TJ Presthus with 1,626 minutes so far this season. Adewale Obalola, Jack Panayotou, Junior Moreira and TJ's brother Owen Presthus have also seen significant minutes so far this year. Before his transfer to Minnesota United in the MLS, Mamadou Dieng was one of the most successful young players in club history, becoming Hartdord's All-Time Leading Goalscorer in just one and a half seasons. Combined, these six players have contributed 15 goals and three assists, proving that their age is no barrier to making a difference on the pitch.

About the Opponent

Coming off a 2024 USL Championship title, the Switchbacks currently sit in eighth place in the Western Conference, just one spot above the playoff line, with 31 points on a 8-10-7 record. Over the past five games, Colorado Springs is 2-2-1. Prior to Week 29 matches, the USL gave the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC a 61% chance of making the post season, with a projected finish of eighth place. The Boys in Green are 1-2-1 all time against the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. At home, Hartford holds a 1-1-0 record against the Colorado side, while going 0-1-1 when visiting Weidner Field.

Players to watch

Hartford - Adrían Diz Pe, DF, 30

Scoring Hartford's only goal of the last match, Adrían Diz Pe leveled the score at one just nine minutes after Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC found the back of the net. Emmanuel Samadia - back from international duty with his native Sierra Leone - served a perfect inswinging corner into the box, and Diz Pe powered his 6'3" frame above everyone to get his head on the end of it, redirecting the ball into the back of the net. This marked his second goal of the USL Championship regular season, the other of which also came off his head. About 25 minutes later, the Havana, Cuba native once again leveraged his height to divert a Sebastian Edwards long ball right to the feet of Kyle Edwards. His attempt found the back of the net, but it was ruled offside and the goal did not count. Over 18 games and 14 starts, Diz Pe has contributed 13 interceptions, 10 blocks, 89 clearances, 17 tackles (winning 12 of them), 150 duels (winning 89) and 72 aerial duels (winning 53). As the season goes on, Diz Pe has proven himself to be both a solid and dependable defender, as well as an attacking threat on set pieces and corner kicks.

Colorado Springs - Juan Tejada, FW, 27

Juan Tejada had a big showing in Week 27, making the USL Championship Team of the Week, alongside Hartford's Kyle Edwards, Sebastian Anderson and Head Coach Brendan Burke, and earning a nomination for Goal of the Week, up against Athletic's Jack Panayotou. In Colorado's matchup against the Tampa Bay Rowdies - Tejada's former team - the Panama City native scored a brace within just 16 minutes, while also completing 85% of his passes, registering four recoveries and winning two duels. The goal that earned him the nomination for Goal of the Week was the second of the two and came in the 32nd minute. Tejada received a ball from Duke Lacroix with his back to goal at the top of the 18-yard-box. He took a touch to make a tight turn before firing off a beautifully curving ball that snuck past goalkeeper Bill Hamid. Tejada has two goals and two assists in 23 regular season appearances so far this year.

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from September 26, 2025


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