Hartford Defeat Miami FC 3-2 at Home

April 6, 2024 – United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Hartford Athletic News Release

Hartford Athletic defeated Miami FC at home this afternoon behind a season-high three goals, a stellar performance from Deshane Beckford, and five saves from Paul Walters.

Beckford was Hartford’s offensive engine in the first half of today’s match. He created two shots for himself in the opening 15 minutes, one of which led to a rebound chance for Anderson Asiedu in the box that whistled just wide left of the goal.

In the 30th minute, Beckford’s beautiful foot skill led to a penalty kick for Hartford. He made a quick move from right to left in the box and was tripped by Samuel Biek, drawing the penalty. Romario Williams took the PK for Hartford, but Daniel Gagliardi made a diving save at the bottom left corner of the goal to keep the score 0-0.

Beckford continued to wreak havoc in the Miami attacking third after the missed opportunity, as the Jamaican speedster capped off an excellent individual half by giving his team the lead in the final minutes. On the counter attack after a Miami corner kick, Beckford started the breakout by feeding the ball up ahead to Anderson Asiedu at midfield. Asiedu tapped the ball forward and Beckford made a dazzling run to chase it down, beating a charging Gagliardi to the ball. Now in a foot race towards the open goal with Gagliardi out of the box, Beckford took a few more touches to create space and bounced his shot into the net from just outside the box. The goal was scored in the 45th minute and after three minutes of stoppage time, Hartford took a 1-0 into half time.

The home side doubled their lead early in the second half when Romario Williams scored off a corner kick in the 54th minute. Joe Farrell elevated to head Jay Chapman’s ball to the right post, where Williams played it off one bounce and into the net. After missing a PK in the first half, Williams made no mistake on his second scoring opportunity of the afternoon.

Down 2-0, Miami began to claw their way back into the game with a goal from Gabriel Cabral. After Nicolas Cardona’s cross deflected off of Thomas Vancaeyezeele, Cabral fired a bouncing shot through traffic and past the diving Paul Walters to the bottom left corner of the net to cut Hartford’s lead in half.

Protecting a one-goal lead in stoppage time, second half sub Enoch Mushagalusa gave Athletic breathing room with his first goal of the season. Off of a turnover in the Miami third, Marcus Epps led the ball into the…