Hartford’s Prince Saydee (7) puts pressure on the ball during Saturday night’s USL Championship match with Indianapolis in Hartford. (Photo courtesy Hartford Athletic)
HARTFORD, June 24 2023 – The Hartford Athletic had their chances. And so did the visiting Indianapolis Eleven.
The visitors converted on their chances to hand Hartford Athletic their third straight loss, 2-0 on Saturday night at Trinity Health Stadium in a USL Championship match.
“I think tonight was probably the best game we’ve played all year,” Hartford head coach Tab Ramos said. “Tonight was a game we should have won. We likely should have won 4-0 and we end up with a loss.
“We have to finish our chances. We had one v one with the (Indianapolis) goalie and we couldn’t put them away,” Ramos said. “The other team has two chances they put them away and that’s the difference in the game.”
Indy Eleven’s first goal from Cam Lindley, who fired a powerful shot from outside the penalty box that hit the left post and bounced into the net for a 1-0 lead with about 17 minutes left in the second half. Indy Eleven (5-6-4) added a second goal in extra time with the Athletic pressing for the equalizer.
Indy Eleven has flourished on the road with a 4-3-1 record, compared to a 1-3-3 mark at home.
Hartford (2-10-4), which is last in the Eastern Conference, has several opportunities to get on the scoreboard, especially in the first half.
They took six shots, four of them from inside Indy’s box, doing well to force the visitors to defend deep in their third early on. Elvis Amoh had Hartford’s first chance, taking a shot that went just wide to the left of the net in the 10th minute.
Luke Merrill and Edgardo Rito connected in the midfield to get Hartford going forward in the 15th minute, leading to a shot from Andre Lewis.
Amoh was involved again in the 38th minute on Hartford’s best chance of the half. The Ghanaian striker was left alone with just Yannik Oettl to beat after a turnover in their third, but the Indy keeper sprawled off his line to make a quality save and kept Hartford off the scoreboard.
Oettl played a major factor for Indy, totaling three saves and rejecting several Hartford crosses out of the box. Hartford totaled eight chances created and put three shots on target.
Hartford returns to action on Monday, July 3 with a match against Loudoun on Monday, July 3. The Athletic return home to Hartford on July 8 when they host San Diego at 7 p.m.
Indianapolis 2, Hartford 0
At Hartford
Indianapolis (5-6-4) 0 2 — 2
Hartford (2-10-4) 0 0 — 0
Goals: Indy Eleven — 73’ – Lindley (Boudadi); 90+8’ – Martinez (Molina); Shots: 3-3 (on target), 13-6 (total), Hartford; Saves: Richard Sanchez (H) 1, Yannik Oetti (I) 3; Corners: Hartford 9-3
Starting lineups
Hartford — 1 (GK) Richard Sanchez, 16 (DF) Matt Sheldon, 19 (DF) Luke Merrill, 22 (DF) Robin Lapert, 50 (DF) Niall Logue, 72 (DF) Edguardo Rito, 8 (MF) Juan Pablo Torres, 28 (MF) Conor McGlynn (Edwards, 79’); 77 (MF) Andre Lewis, 7 (FW) Prince Saydee, 9 (FW) Elvis Amoh
Indy Eleven — 28 (GK) Yannik Oettl, 2 (DF) Jesús Vázquez, 15 (DF) Adrián Diz, 44 (DF) Macauley King (Molina, 82’); 77 (DF) Gustavo Rissi, 14 (MF) Aodhan Quinn, 6 (MF) Cam Lindley, 23 (DF) Younes Boudadi, 10 (MF) Harrison Robledo (Terome, 68’); 13 (FW) Sebastián Guenzatti, 20 (MF) Solomon Asante (Martinez, 82’)
