Hartford Athletic used the power of set-pieces to defeat FC Motown STA, 2-0, on Wednesday night in Newark, New Jersey. The defending USL Cup champions battled the defending USL League Two Metropolitan Division champs on a chilly night in Newark. But even a rotated roster with four players making their professional debut was enough for the Second Division side to secure victory thanks to a goal in each half.
With the win, Hartford stays perfect against amateur teams in the US Open Cup. In six tournaments the team has a record of 5-0-0 against Open Division sides.
“We gave four guys their pro debut tonight, which was awesome. Two academy players and two players that had just signed on 25-day (contracts), and actually our goalkeeper (Enzo Carvalho), that was his first pro game out of college as well,” said head coach Brendan Burke. “That says a lot about the system.The guys have learned the system through preseason and we just said stick to the structure and keep it simple and just grind through them because eventually our fitness level should take over the game and I think it did.”
The first half was a struggle as both teams looked for an early foothold at Lubetkin Field on the campus of the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT). Winger Galen Flynn, one of the players making his pro debut on the night, tore up the right side, finding space and trying to line the ball into the box on multiple attempts.
That threat persisted all match, while Motown struggled to get offense going. The side’s momentum was constantly stuttered by an aggressive Hartford side that wasn’t afraid to give up free kicks in their own end. Motown kickers consistently struggled to get air under their attempts and multiple kicks into the box were scuttled away easily.
The visitors jumped ahead in the 32nd minute when El Salvador international Andrés Hernández sent a corner kick into the box that found the head of defender TJ Presthus. The flicked header sailed past Motown keeper Dominic Ridge and gave Hartford a 1-0 lead.
Motown had two chances to tie the game before halftime. A long shot by Niklas Thanhofer was bobbled by the rookie Carvalho, and nearly pounced on by an attacking Noah Levy in the 38th. A minute later, Thanhofer struck again when a series of attempts by him in the box ended with Carvalho out of position and an attempt needed to be headed off the line by a Hartford defender.
The half ended with a final push by Motown, with former Richmond Kicker Rivendi Pierre-Louis being unable to get under a long ball in the box while under pressure.
“We knew they had a back line of four and it was important for us to get the second ball and starting from there, try to do the 2 v 1s on the outsides and that’s what we try to do,” Hernández explained. “We did pretty good set pieces. We’ve been practicing them so it’s good.”
The second half saw both teams begin to make subs. Motown introduced names like regular defender Joseph Fala and younger players like defender Peter Tolkin, brother of US Men’s National Team and 2. Bundesliga club Holstein Kiel defender, John Tolkin. Hartford, on the other hand, began taking out more regulars. Defender Adrián Diz, midfielder Beverly Makangila, and a late sub on for the team’s biggest offseason addition in forward Augustine “Augi” Williams.
It didn’t take long for Hartford to essentially seal the result. A free kick early in the second half set up Hernández deep in Motown territory on the left side of the box. His curving shot got past the head of his own teammate but hit inside the far post to make it 2-0.
“Just quality, individual quality from Andres in those two moments, that changes games,” Burke said about his goal scorers. “TJ hunts the ball so well in set piece situations. He did it all year last year, and scored some really big goals for us from that.”
Motown pushed up trying to find any sort of momentum but struggled to get dangerous chances. Pierre-Louis and striker Luciano Sanchez especially had moments against the Hartford backline but couldn’t get that final touch.
Motown ended the match with 11 shots to Hartford’s six, and five shots on target to their opponent’s two. The difference was those two went in. The amateurs did mitigate their professional opponents to only goals scored on set-pieces. But for the fourth straight tournament Motown exited the Open Cup in the Round 1.
Of the 206 fans in attendance at NJIT, a loud and passionate portion belonged to the Bonanza supporter’s group from Hartford. A group that Burke knows stands behind his boys no matter where they play.
“Those guys showed up when we won the (USL Cup) last year, out in Sacramento. All those same guys, I think were there, so it’s awesome to have support. That means a lot to the players. It means a lot to the staff,” Burke said. “It gives you a little extra energy in a setting where, honestly, it’s pretty flat. There’s only 100 people here. So when they’re banging the drum and singing the whole time and they’re out here in the freezing cold, that gives you a little extra. I think the guys rewarded them for coming down tonight.”
When asked what team he might want to face next, whether it be rivals Rhode Island FC or the cupset ready Vermont Green FC, Hernández kept it cool.
“Any team that comes, we’re gonna have to do the same thing, win those games, and we’re gonna be focused on that,” he said.
