Despite a severely shorthanded roster, Hartford Athletic’s opening match of the 2025 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup couldn’t have gone any smoother. Visiting NPSL amateur side New York Shockers left Trinity Health Stadium with just one shot on net Tuesday as the hosts cruised to a 3-0 First Round victory in front of more than 2,000 fans.
The Shockers held their own, but had virtually nothing to offer in the attack, finishing the night with an expected goal count of just 0.08 and taking just five total touches in the Hartford box. The Green and Blue bossed New York in nearly every offensive category, dominating the scoresheet in shots (15-1), final third entries (87-35), possession (80%), corners (9-0), and passes (759-197).
“ had all three of our front three score,” said Hartford head coach Brendan Burke. “ generated enough chances to have a few more goals and dominated the ball, but I thought it was just a clean professional performance. They didn’t have a look at our goal until maybe very late…We took it seriously. We played at a decent tempo.”
Red card suspensions, international call-ups and injuries piled up for the hosts ahead of the fixture, who entered the game with just four substitutes. However, any lingering concern that the lack of men caused quickly dissipated as Hartford dominated the game from the outset.
“We weren’t close to having an 18 tonight, so it was really good to see the starters start well, be fit enough, be in good enough form to play 90 minutes and to be ball dominant,” Burke said.
After suffering a 2-0 shutout at the hands of USL Championship newcomers Lexington SC in the season opener on March 8, it didn’t take long for Burke’s side to find the back of the net on Tuesday. The home side struck just 11 minutes in when a pair of Hartford newcomers registered its first goal involvements for the club. Getting on the end of a pass down the right side of the penalty area, Jonathan Jimenez fed Adewale Obalola with a low cross inside the six-yard box, who calmly deposited a left-footed finnish into the back of the net to give Hartford the lead.
“I think getting the ball to hit the net definitely builds confidence for our front three,” said Hartford defender Jordan Scarlett. “But just for the team as a general, and to come up with a clean sheet, that was big for us. definitely came at the right time.”
The Shockers continued to struggle offensively as the match went on, getting only as far as the occasional hopeful long ball that an organized Hartford defense dealt with every time with ease. Just before halftime, Hartford doubled the advantage – this time through a pair of returners – when Michee Ngalina played a well-weighted ball in behind for Mamdou Dieng, who took the ball down the left flank before sending a low across the face of goal and in off the far post.
“We’re taking it serious now,” Scarlett said. “Normally we would have put up a second team, but we’re going for the first team. In everything this year, we’re going for it…Coaches gave us a speech all week. We’re coming here to three goals or more. We got three.”
The third goal eventually came for Hartford with just three minutes to play in regulation, when an active Nglaina got involved once again. This time profiting off of an dangerous cross from Obalola, the forward picked it out of the air from close range to put the game away in the late stages.
Defensively, Hartford goalkeeper Anthony Siaha didn’t get his hands on the ball until the 80th minute, corralling a loose cross that was just about the most dangerous chance the visitors got all night to wrap up a convincing win for the Green and Blue – its first of the young season.
For Burke, who won the Open Cup as an assistant coach with Major League Soccer side Houston Dynamo in 2023, the win was a necessary step in the club’s growth in his second year at the helm.
“That’s something that you don’t forget,” Burke said. “For these guys, I think every step we get closer, you start to dream a little bit more…I think it’s important to chase every competition at this point. The club is growing and we did build a ton of momentum last year and fell just short.
This year is about building even more momentum.”
Hartford will be back in action on Saturday when they return to USL Championship play with a trip to Highmark Stadium to take on the Pittsburgh Riverhounds in search of its first league win. As for the Shockers – its NPSL campaign will kick off with a return to Trinity Health Stadium on May 4 with a visit to Hartford City FC.