Late goal lifts Hartford past Sacramento, clinches playoff berth

Hartford celebrates after beating Sacramenton on Saturday night to earn a 3-2 win in the regular season home finale. (Photo courtesy Hartford Athletic)

Jonathan Jiménez scored a goal in extra time to help the Hartford Athletic beat the Sacramento Republic for the second time in a week and clinch a spot in the upcoming United Soccer League (USL) Championship playoffs with a 3-2 victory on Saturday night at Trinity Health Stadium in Hartford.

Tied at 2-2 in extra time, Hartford’s Sebastian Anderson put a cross into the box and Adewale Obalola got on the end of it. His touch fell to Hadji Barry, whose back was to goal. The former USL Championship Player of the Year took a touch to turn and played the ball to Jiménez.

The Norwalk, Connecticut native took a touch behind his leg and fired off an off-balance shot that nestled itself perfectly in the bottom right corner of the goal for the game-winning score.

Hartford (19-11-7, 13-10-5 USL Championship) secured a spot in the eight-team Eastern Conference playoffs beginning on November 1. Hartford is currently third in the Eastern Conference and has two games left in the regular season – both on the road.

It is the second playoff bid in team history. Hartford’s first playoff appearance came during the abbreviated 2020 season when the side topped their five-team group with 35 points on a 11-3-2 record. Athletic faced St. Louis FC at home in the quarterfinal but fell 1-0 on a stoppage time goal.

A week earlier, Hartford beat Sacramento in California, 1-0, to win the first tournament trophy in team history by winning the USL Jägermeister Cup.

Hartford celebrated their USL Jägermeister Cup victory before the game with a trophy presentation in front of the home crowd. Fans had opportunities to get photos with the trophy before the contest.

Hartford got on the scoreboard first in this roller-coaster game with a goal in the 18th minute. The ball fell to the feet of Marlon Hairston who picked his head up and found Anderson making a run into the box.

The veteran midfielder placed the ball perfectly at Anderson’s feet, and the 23-year-old took one touch to control before carefully slipping the ball past Sacramento goalkeeper Danny Vitiello.

The Green & Blue struck again in the 38th minute off a Michee Ngalina strike and a Kyle Edwards assist.

Despite pressure from Sacramento, Joe Farrell hit a long ball up to Ngalina on the wing to start the play. Ngalina’s first touch went a little far but Edwards was there to bring it under control.

Inside the box, Edwards played it back to Ngalina who brought it under control and powered the ball into the back of the net to make the score 2-0.

Two goals in about five minutes of playing time tied the game for Sacramento (12-7-8). Sacramento cut the Hartford lead to one with a goal just seconds before the referee blew the whistle for halftime. Dominick Wanner assisted Jack Gurr with a perfect cross to a clinical one-time finish.

Sacramento tied the game just after the teams took the field for the second stanza, the visiting California side bagged their second goal of the game. In the 50th minute, Cristian Parano played a through ball to Wanner who found the back of the net with a close-range left-footed shot.

Sacramento is one of two teams who have clinched playoff berths in the Western Conference.

Hartford played the game with specially designed red and blue uniforms in celebration of the season’s Match for a Cause in support of the American Cancer Society.

Hartford can move a step closer to a home playoff game in the first round of the tournament with victory at Tampa Bay on Saturday night in Florida. The Athletic close out the regular season with a game at Louisville on October 25.