Joe Farrell and his Hartford Athletic teammates celebrate after their 3-1 semifinal win over Greenville on Wednesday night. (Photo courtesy Hartford Athletic)
Two goals in the final seven minutes lifted the Hartford Athletic into their first tournament championship game on Wednesday night at Trinity Health Stadium in Hartford.
Marlon Hairston scored with five minutes left in regulation and Michee Ngalina added a goal in extra time as Hartford beat Greenville Triumph FC, 3-1 in the semifinals of the United Soccer League’s (USL) Jägermeister Cup.
The win puts Hartford (14-6-11, 4-0-2 Jägermeister Cup) into the Cup final on Saturday, Oct. 4 against the Sacramento Republic FC, who beat Rhode Island FC on penalty kicks after a scoreless game. A draw will be held on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m. to determine who will host the match.
Thirty-six USL Championship and USL League One teams began the Jägermeister Cup earlier this year.
Tied at 1-1, there was a stoppage in play due to a potential head injury for a Greenville defender when Hartford had the ball in attacking position.
When play resumed, Hartford was given a drop ball in the left corner where they had possession when play was stopped. Sebastian Anderson played it to Jonathan Jiménez who served the ball into the box. It was cleared but Ngalina was there to pick up the loose ball.
Ngalina controlled the ball and took off towards the endline, taking on three defenders before getting a cross off. Kyle Edwards received the ball at the far post and fired off a shot. Rankenburg made a good close-range save but the ball deflected to Marlon Hairston, who finished the job, giving Hartford the 2-1 lead.
In stoppage time, Ngalina added an insurance goal for the Green & Blue. He intercepted a stray Greenville pass around halfway and at a blistering pace, charged towards goal. With only one defender to challenge him, Ngalina blasted the ball away and secured win for Hartford.
The Athletic are now 8-1-3 in their last 12 games including the Jägermeister Cup and USL Championship play.
Hartford took a 1-0 lead in the 70th minute off a Joe Farrell head ball.
Jiménz, subbed in just three minutes earlier, was fouled near midfield. Anderson served a perfect ball over the Greenville defense to the back post for Farrell to attack. The veteran center back redirected the ball back towards the front post and out of goalkeeper Gunther Rankenburg’s reach, giving Hartford the lead.
Just four minutes later, though, Greenville responded with a set piece goal of their own. Taken from a similar distance, Pascal Corvino also sent the ball to the back post, where Zane Bubb sailed above his defender to get a head on it. His attempt was going wide but Evan Lee was there to bury the ball in the back of the net.
Hartford 3, Greenville 1
At Hartford
Greenville 0 1 — 1
Hartford 0 3 — 3
Goals: Hartford — Joe Farrell (Sebastian Anderson) 70, Marlon Hairson (Jordan Scarlett) 85, Michee Ngalina 90+3; Greenville – Evan Lee (Zane Bubb) 74; Shots: Hartford 11-6; Shots on target: Hartford, 5-3; Saves: Gunther Rankenburg (G) 2, Hartford 2
