May 10, 2024 – United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Hartford Athletic News Release
Date: Saturday, May 11th, 2024
Time: 7:00 PM ET
Location: Trinity Health Stadium, Hartford, CT
Tickets: HERE
Watch: MyTV9, wtnh.com, ESPN+
HARTFORD ATHLETIC (3-4-0) vs COLORADO SPRINGS SWITCHBACKS FC (2-5-1)
After a demanding road trip, Hartford Athletic have a chance to get back in the win column on home turf against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC tomorrow night.
LAST TIME OUT
Hartford Athletic are coming off a 1-0 loss to the Charleston Battery last Saturday on the road. Athletic hung with the Eastern Conference’s top team after conceding a Nick Markanich goal in the 12th minute, but they couldn’t find an equalizer. Their best chance of the night came in the 43rd minute, when Romario Williams touched a Michee Ngalina cross off the right crossbar from inside the six yard box. The Green and Blue had much more control over the match in the second half, recording eight touches in Charleston’s box and putting four shots on goal.
ABOUT THE OPPONENT
Colorado Springs started the year slow with five straight losses, but have earned seven straight points through their last three matches. Their schedule was difficult to start the season, playing top of the table teams: Sacramento, Detroit, Phoenix, and San Antonio consecutively. They did catch their stride, adding a draw against Indy Eleven, but their wins came against El Paso and Oakland, two teams at the bottom of the table. The club is second to last in goals scored (6), but is near the bottom of the league in goals conceded (10).
MATCHUP HISTORY
Hartford and Colorado Springs have competed merely three times in their respective histories, and share a 1-1-1 record. Their match history, alongside their score differential (0), remains perfectly impartial as each team has a chance to get ahead this upcoming weekend. Colorado Springs earned their sole win against Hartford in their first-ever matchup in 2021 (4-2). Hartford would even the playing field in 2022, adding a decisive 2-0 win of their own. Last year’s matchup garnered a 1-1 draw, keeping their record at .500.
THE COLORADO CONNECTION
The connection between Hartford Athletic and Switchbacks FC is headlined by Head Coach and General Manager Brendan Burke, who came to Hartford after two successful seasons in Colorado Springs. In 2021, Burke took over a Switchbacks team that won two matches the year prior and led them to their first ever playoff berth, earning a Coach of the…