Saturday will mark a historic day for CT United FC as the club takes the field at the University of Connecticut’s Morrone Stadium for its inaugural home match. Catch up on everything you need to know ahead of the momentous day.
Opponent: Columbus Crew 2
Date: Saturday, April 11th
Time: 5:00 PM ET
Venue: Morrone Stadium, Storrs, CT
Broadcast: OneFootball TV & MLS YouTube Channel
Tickets: Fans looking to attend Saturday’s home opener can find information on the club’s website.
Weather: Saturday looks to be a good day for soccer at UConn as temperatures hover in the upper-50s throughout the afternoon. On top of good temps, Saturday looks to be a dry one in Storrs.
CT United FC
After years of anticipation and build-up, CT United FC will play its inaugural home match on the campus of the University of Connecticut as the Coywolves welcome Crew 2 to The Constitution State!
Saturday’s match will be an emotional homecoming for first-year Head Coach Shavar Thomas. Before Thomas went on to have spells with Dallas, Kansas City, LA Galaxy, Chivas USA, Philadelphia, and Montreal, the Kingston, Jamaica native honed his craft at the University of Connecticut, playing in the 2001 and 2002 seasons, where he took home National Soccer Coaches Association of America (now United Soccer Coaches) second-team honors in the latter year.
While incredibly excited to be home, Thomas isn’t letting the emotions get to him as he emphasizes how Saturday’s home opener is another chance for his side to exemplify the spirit of Connecticut.
“More importantly, it’s about what we’re building," he told The Blazing Musket. "This club represents Connecticut’s work ethic and resilience, and our focus is on setting that standard from the very first match.”
Team Captain Alex Monis and the squad feel a great sense of excitement and pride ahead of Saturday’s home opener.
“There’s a real sense of pride going into this game," he said. "We’re not just playing for ourselves. We’re representing an entire state and helping build something from the ground up. This group understands the responsibility that comes with that, and we’re ready to set the tone with the kind of energy, commitment, and identity fans can believe in from day one.”
CT United’s opening four-game road trip was a mixed bag of results for the expansion side. March 1 saw them start off on a good foot as goals from Robbie Mora, Alex Monis, and Ibrahim Kasule propelled the club to its first-ever win following a 3-1 victory over FC Cincinnati 2.
Things weren’t so sweet on March 8 as Chattanooga FC put four balls into the back of Connecticut’s net as the home side secured a 4-2 victory. March 15 saw CT walk away with all three points, thanks to a strike from Laurie Goddard and another from Barnabás Tanyi in the 86th minute, leading to a 2-1 come-from-behind victory.
Despite a hard-fought effort, things did not go Connecticut’s way on March 22 when the club suffered its first shutout loss at the hands of regional rival New England Revolution II.
A big attribute to CT’s early-season success has been its effort in the attack. The club ranks seventh in average possession (54.7%), tied for fifth in shots on target per match (5.3), fourth in accurate crosses per match (5.5), ninth in touches in their opposition's box (111), and tied for sixth in corners (25).
While CT United’s attack has been strong at times, there’s still room for improvement. While CT is tied for the second-most big chances created, it leads MLS NEXT Pro in big chances missed with 14.
Columbus Crew 2:
After a rough 2025 that saw Crew 2 finish at the bottom of the Eastern Conference, 2026 has gotten off to a decent start for Federico Higuain and his Crew 2 side. They sit in sixth place with eight points after starting the season with a 2-2-1 record with one shootout victory.
Following their loss on opening day, Crew 2 went on to secure a draw and two consecutive victories before having their unbeaten run snapped on March 28 following a 2-0 loss to Chattanooga FC on the road.
One name will be unavailable for Columbus as goalkeeper Luke Pruter was issued a straight red card two minutes into their previous meeting against Chattanooga following an unfortunate handball infringement outside the box. CT will have to be wary of Columbus’ strong offense. Crew 2 enters Saturday’s match tied for ninth in shots on target per match (5.4), 12th in accurate passes per match (371), and eighth in accurate long balls per match (25.8).
