Hartford Athletic Aim To Continue Good Home Form Against Tampa Bay Rowdies
Hartford Athletic Aim To Continue Good Home Form Against Tampa Bay Rowdies
Roster moves continue as Brendan Burke reshapes his squad ahead of a tough stretch of games
Hartford Athletic welcome Tampa Bay Rowdies to Trinity Health Stadium on Friday night, looking to maintain their recent home form which has seen them secure seven points from their last three games as hosts. The Rowdies are coming off a dramatic win over Louisville City last weekend, where Damian Rivera scored an injury-time winner
The Latics have seen more changes this week, with forward Enoch Mushagalusa departing for Pittsburgh on a season-long loan, and defender Michael DeShields coming the other way. Mushagalusa had been lightly used, but with the additional departure of Romario Williams - and the still-rumored potential move of Kyle Edwards to Monterey Bay - the Hartford attack looks substantially different than it did at the beginning of the season.
Last week’s win over Pittsburgh demonstrated some important growth for the Latics, - scoring their earliest goal of the season and grabbing two in the first half for the first time in 2024 - but also had a hint of fortune about it despite the clean sheet as the Hounds hit the post twice. The tactical shift of Michee Ngalina in the middle - rather than the wings where he spent the early games of the season - bore fruit as the forward grabbed two goals and could have had a third. Ngalina looks to be the main source of goals for this team in the foreseeable future, so his Team of the Week performance was a welcome development.
Tampa Bay has shown that they do have considerable firepower scoring at least three goals in seven of their 16 games in all competitions so far this season. However, before last weekend’s 3-2 win over Louisville, they had gone four games since they scored more than one goal. That firepower also hasn’t always shown up on the road: the Rowdies have scored more than one goal in a game only once in six games away from Al Lang all season; a 5-2 win over Miami back at the beginning of April.
That inconsistent attack comes up against a Hartford defense that is equally inconsistent. The Latics have only given up one goal in the last two games - and only three in the last four games - but have also suffered 6-0 and 4-1 losses so far this season. A slightly revamped defense that has added Younes Boudadi and Michael DeShields over the last week will be looking to build on that recent trend and limit a Rowdies attack that will be trying to get into a road groove.
Trinity Health Stadium hasn’t quite been a fortress this season, but the Latics have had better form there, winning four and drawing one of their seven home games. Supporters braving the heat and possible thunderstorms will be hoping to see the attack continue to click, and the defense put in another good shift to obtain a result against one of the Eastern Conference’s perennial contenders.