Hartford Athletic battles to 0-0 tie with Rio Grande

Hartford’s Joel Johnson (30) tries to control the ball during Wednesday’s USL Championship game in Texas. The teams battled to a 0-0 tie. (Photo courtesy USL)

Goalie Yannik Oetti made eight saves and his Hartford Athletic teammates blocked nine shots as Hartford battled to a 0-0 tie with the Rio Grande FC Toros on Wednesday night to earn a point in USL Championship play in Edeinboro, Texas.

Hartford (4-12-5) is 0-3-2 in their last five matches.

Rio Grande (7-11-4) had 32 shots and eight that were on goal. The Toros had a 12-2 advantage in corner kicks but the Hartford defense withstood the pressure.

The Athletic return home on Saturday at 7 p.m. when they host Birmingham, looking for their first win since beating Colorado Springs on June 28 by a 2-0 score.

International Soccer in Hartford

Trinity Health Stadium will welcome 2022 Jamaica Premier League Champions Harbour View FC to play a friendly match against Guatemalan club Antigua G.F.C on Friday, August 26, at 7:30 PM. Tickets are on sale now at www.hartfordathletic.com/friendly.

Harbour View FC are the defending champions of the Jamaica Premier League, defeating Dunbeholden FC in PKs to win their fifth title since 2000. The “Stars of the East” have also won four JFF Island Wide Champions Cups and two CONCACAF Caribbean Club Championships.

This will be the third international soccer match played at the stadium in the past three years. Hartford Athletic hosted the Puerto Rico Men’s National Team in August 2019 and Jamaica Premier League side Portmore United FC visited for a friendly match two months later.