Preview: With Trophy Secured and Playoffs in Sight, Hartford Athletic Turns to Oakland
USL Hartford Athletic

Preview: With Trophy Secured and Playoffs in Sight, Hartford Athletic Turns to Oakland

Published on October 6, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Hartford Athletic News Release


As the regular season moves into its final three weeks, every game - and the associated available points - is more crucial than ever. With some teams still fighting to secure a spot in the playoffs and others looking to improve their positioning in the standings, every match promises to be a heated one. Hartford Athletic comes into this matchup against Oakland Roots riding a wave of momentum, boasting a recently-acquired USL Jägermeister Cup trophy and a 12 game unbeaten streak on the road. Despite little rest after playing one of the most important games of the season, the Boys in Green will be fired up to keep the run of good form rolling.

HARTFORD ATHLETIC vs. OAKLAND ROOTS SC

WHEN: Tuesday, October 7th, 10:00 PM

WHERE: Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, CA

HOW TO WATCH: ESPN+

A Night to Remember

The Boys in Green come into this Tuesday night contest as recently crowned USL Jägermeister Cup Champions! A gritty 1-0 road win in nearby Sacramento on Saturday night was all it took for Head Coach Brendan Burke's squad to secure the club's first-ever piece of hardware for the trophy case. The game was a close one from the get-go, with both Hartford and Sacramento firing off shot after shot as they fought for the first goal. The two sides went into the locker room at halftime scoreless. Minutes after retaking the field, Samuel Careaga gave Hartford their first and only goal of the match. The chance was created when Kyle Edward fired off a close-range shot that was saved by Jared Mazzola, who pushed it wide for a corner. Sebastian Anderson took the set piece, playing it low and hard to Careaga who was waiting at the top of the 18-yard-box. The Buenos Aires, Argentina native fired off a one-touch left-footed shot that snuck through all the bodies in the box and found its way into the back of the net. Athletic defended with everything they had for the rest of the game, and when the whistle blew, Hartford was crowned Champions of the USL Jägermeister Cup.

Berner Brings the Brick Wall

With a seven save performance in his first start with the Green & Blue, John Berner earned himself on the USL Championship Team of the Week for Week 30. The veteran goalkeeper also secured his first clean sheet with Hartford Athletic, successfully keeping defending champs Colorado Springs Switchbacks off the scoreboard for 90 minutes. One of his best saves came early in the game, at a time when a Colorado Springs goal could have turned the tide of the game. In the 10th minute, a mis-pass was intercepted by Yosuke Hanya, who took off towards goal. Two-on-one with just Adrían Diz Pe left in front of Berner, Hanya played the ball to Kyle Vassell who was streaking towards goal alongside him. Wide open, Vassell hit a powerful right footed shot that was headed straight for the bottom right corner. Berner came up huge with a kick save to keep the sure-fire chance out of the back of the net. The St. Louis, Missouri native also completed 60% of his passes, connected nine long balls and logged seven recoveries.

Unbeaten and Unbothered on the Road

With Saturday's 1-0 win, the Boys in Green achieved 12 straight games unbeaten on the road, across all competitions. For a team that has previously struggled away from home, this is a huge turnaround and a signal of how the team has continued to develop and improve with every match. Over these 12 games, Hartford has won nine contests and tied just three. The streak began back in May with a goal-filled 4-4 draw against Indy Eleven at their Michael A. Carroll Stadium. Hartford followed that up with a 3-2 win over Westchester SC in the Group Stage of the Jägermeister Cup. Other crucial road matches include a 2-2 draw versus Rhode Island FC, with a win in penalty kicks, that secured the side's spot in the Knockout Rounds of the tournament, a 2-0 defeat of San Antonio FC in the Quarterfinals, a 4-0 trouncing of Monterey Bay in regular season play and a 2-0 win over defending champions Colorado Springs Switchbacks. As the Green & Blue finish out the season with three away games and just one home match, the ability to find results on the road will be crucial in the side's playoff push.

About the Opponent

The California side currently sits in 11th place in the Western Conference, with 27 points on a 7-13-6 record. Heading into Week 31, the USL gave Oakland Roots a 38% chance of making the playoffs, while projecting Head Coach Benny Feilhaber's squad to finish in 10th place. Hartford Athletic has faced off against Oakland Roots SC just three times in club history, winning two of the contests and losing one. The two teams have only met once before at the Oakland Coliseum, and the Boys in Green came home with three points on a 2-1 win. Last year, goals by Marlon Hairston and Kyle Edwards powered the Green & Blue to a 2-0 win against Oakland Roots at home.

Players to Watch

Hartford - Adewale Obalola, FW, 81

Hartford's goalscoring has been well-distributed among several players, and Adewale Obalola has certainly done his part, adding two goals and one assist to his stat sheet. His most recent goal came in Athletic's 2-0 defeat of reigning champs Colorado Springs Switchbacks. In the 41st minute, Michee Ngalina received the ball out wide and took on his defenders on the dribble. After beating four Switchbacks, Ngalina lost control of the ball but Obalola was there to claim the loose bouncing ball and put it in the back of the net amid the chaos. This goal was crucial in giving the Boys in Green the momentum going into the locker rooms for halftime. The 20-year-old forward has also added six shots, three shots on target, 10 key passes and 14 crosses over 20 performances and eight starts. Defensively, Obalola has logged five interceptions, while winning 13 of 17 tackles, 61 of 142 duels and 16 of 43 aerial duels. Whether Obalola gets the start or comes in as a sub, he can be counted on to make a difference on both sides of the ball.

Oakland - Peter Wilson, FW, 9

Peter Wilson has scored more than a third of Oakland Roots 33 goals and currently sits in second place in the league with 13 goals over 24 appearances and 22 starts. The Monrovia, Liberia native has had an outstanding month of September, recording a league-high five goals in three appearances, including two braces (one of which he accomplished in just three minutes after coming on as a substitute). He netted a goal every 44.8 minutes throughout the month. Wilson's back-to-back stellar performances earned him Player of the Week for Week 28, a spot on Team of the Week for Week 30 and a nomination for Player of the Month for September. The 5'11" forward leads his team in shots (37), shots on target (22), duels (249), and aerial duels (119), while ranking third in key passes with 14. Additionally, Wilson is known for relentlessly pressing defenders and forcing dangerous errors, so he will definitely be a player to keep an eye on in this weekday matchup.

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from October 6, 2025


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