Brendan Burke Criticizes Unprofessional Performance as Hartford Athletic Fall on Penalties in USL Jägermeister Cup
The Latics can still advance in the competition with a win in their final group game, but Saturday was another setback for a team seeking consistency
Hartford Athletic twice let a lead slip away against Detroit City on Saturday night, ultimately falling on penalties after neither side was able to earn the advantage in regulation. Former Latic Matt Sheldon scored twice for the visitors — including once in second-half stoppage time — as they claimed the bonus point for winning on penalties in USL Jägermeister Cup play.
Manager Brendan Burke described himself as “disappointed” in his side’s performance, saying that, while there were some positives in the game, it was ultimately an “unprofessional” showing. Individual errors undid a positive first half, with Burke highlighting those mistakes.
“Well, we have to look at individuals,” he said. “We have to look at where those mistakes are happening. Ultimately, you know, our job is to make sure that a group performs at a certain standard and when there's individuals that aren't performing at that standard, they have to be picked out.”
The Latics actually got off to the perfect start on Saturday night when Sebastian Anderson scored in the third minute to give his side lead. The ball bounced around in the box and Detroit failed to clear, allowing Anderson to finish into the bottom corner for his first goal of the season.
There were opportunities for both sides in the ensuing 10 minutes, with Michee Ngalina going there closest for Hartford, firing over after dribbling into the middle. There we also warning signs for Hartford, as the visitors found space in the attacking third. After Antony Siaha had made a save, slack defending from the resulting corner left former Latic Matt Sheldon with a free header and he converted to equalize for his side.
Siaha did well to keep the scores level in the 22nd minute when a fast break opportunity for Detroit gave them an excellent look inside the box, but the Hartford keeper was equal to the task. Hartford also continue to manufacture chances, with an Emmanuel Samadia cross just eluding the head of Mamadou Dieng.
Harford did restore its lead in the 28th minute through Ngalina. Jonathan Jimenez played the ball out wide, and Ngalina fired the ball across the face of goal and into the far corner. Mamadou Dieng may have got a touch on it, but in any event, Hartford were back in front, and very nearly added to its lead just a few minutes later, when Samuel Careaga put his effort just wide from a free kick in a promising position.
The remainder of the first half played out in somewhat confusing and desultory fashion — there was some entertainment, but it also seemed that every opportunity for either team was ultimately squandered before it could develop — until stoppage time, when a flurry of clearer chances nearly tilted the balance before half time. Both teams had good opportunities from promising positions, but could only put the ball over the bar, and Hartford maintained its lead into the break.
Though Hartford had the lead, there had been plenty of warning signs for the Latics in the first half, as the visitors had not only outshot them 12-8, but nine of those shots had come from inside the box, suggesting that Le Rouge were very much in the game.
As the second half unfolded, it tilted even more towards the visitors. Following an opening 15 minutes in which neither team really was able to get on top, Detroit slowly got a stranglehold on the game, with the hosts unable to manufacture much of anything in the attacking third. An untimely foul in stoppage time proved to be Hartford’s undoing, as Sheldon was once again the beneficiary, claiming his second goal of the night to level the scores.
There were additional chances for both teams to find a winner in regulation, with Hartford’s best opportunity being undone by an untimely whistle from the official, when it seemed that the hosts had the advantage and should have been allowed to play on.
Once penalties began, neither team was particularly locked in, with the first four attempts either missing or being saved. The next four attempts were good, and then Hartford failed on its fifth attempt, allowing Detroit to claim the bonus point when it converted the final penalty. It’s a second loss on penalties on the season for the Latics, who have never won in a shootout.
Despite the result, Hartford still have an opportunity to win the group and advance in the Cup, needing to beat Rhode Island FC in regulation on July 26th to do so. Nonetheless, Hartford’s performances, which Burke branded “erratic” need to improve, and the manager suggested that, given the continued sloppiness, changes might be in order.
“[It] leads to personnel changes,” he said. Quite frankly, that's what it leads to.”