USL Championship side Hartford Athletics’ U.S Open Cup run came to an end on Wednesday night, as New York Red Bulls defeated the Connecticut-based squad 2-1 at Trinity Health Stadium in Hartford, Conn.
New York Red Bulls dominated the attack in the first half, and first found the net in the 18th minute, when Lewis Morgan snuck a ball inside the post from just outside the box after receiving a pass from Brazilian Midfielder Luquinhas. Aaron Long added a second goal eight minutes later, when he tapped in an initial save from Hartford goalkeeper Jimmy Slayton.
El Capitan. Right place. Right time. https://t.co/v0jcmosHes pic.twitter.com/1tnaAvTGmE
— New York Red Bulls (@NewYorkRedBulls) April 21, 2022
Hartford made a number of tactical adjustments and three substitutions in the second half that allowed them to finally get on the offensive. Those adjustments paid off in the 51st minute, when Sierra College product and substitute Conor McGlynn finished a low freekick from 32 year old Colombian (and former TheCup.us Player of the Tournament winner) Danny Barrera. However, Hartford Athletic could not capture this momentum; they ended the game with just four shots compared to New York’s 30. Hartford’s goal marked their only shot on target.
Red Bulls faced a setback in the final minutes of the game when Cristian Cásseres Jr. received a red card for putting his hands to the face of an opponent. He will therefore be unavailable to play in the next round.
This was Hartford’s second appearance in the tournament; they previously made it to the Third Round in 2019 where they were defeated 4-0 by Memphis 901 FC.
With Hartford Athletic’s elimination, New England Revolution will be the sole representative of the New England region when they enter the competition in the Fourth Round.
The Red Bulls will move on to the Fourth Round, where they will travel south to take on fellow MLS side D.C. United, a rival they haven’t played against in Open Cup play since 2006. The game is scheduled to take place on May 10 at Audi Field in Washington D.C.
