Hartford Athletic Kick Off 2025 Season On the Road
The Latics make a first-ever trip to Lexington to take on USL Championship newcomers Lexington Sc
Hartford Athletic kick the 2025 season off on the road against USL Championship newcomers Lexington SC on Saturday night. It’s the seventh time in seven seasons that the Latics have begun the season on the road, and they will aim to improve a 2024 campaign that saw them return only three wins away from Trinity Health Stadium.
The Latics enter the season with a strong group of returning players, including four of their top five goalscorers from 2024. Mamadou Dieng — who set Hartford’s single-season scoring record last season — will look to build on a strong performance in the second half of the season, with manager Brendan Burke labeling him a ‘potential MVP candidate,’ provided he starts 2025 off on the right foot.
In addition to Dieng, Hartford return two other key players in attack: Michee Ngalina and Deshane Beckford. Ngalina — who was the USL Championship Young Player of the Year in 2022 — will look to improve on his eight goal, five assist campaign from 2024, aiming for something more like his twelve goal, eight assist game from that scintillating ‘22 season in Colorado Springs. Beckford — who had a serious injury last season — will aim to remain healthy and deliver at a consistent level. A return to the form he showed in 2021, when he had five goals and seven assists for a Brendan Burke-managed Colorado Springs team would be the ideal outcome.
Among the new additions for Hartford, one player who figures to play a key role over the 2025 season might not be on the pitch on Saturday night. Samuel Careaga — a loanee from Lanús of the Argentine Primera División — only arrived in Hartford this past week. While he is expected to travel with the team, it seems unlikely that he will start, and it’s unclear if he will make the 18 or not. If he doesn’t see the pitch, the Latics will be without one of the players who is expected to provide a creative spark this season.
Hartford also have key additions in defense that they will expect to play a role this season. Adrián Diz Pe brings strength, physicality and an aerial presence that the Latics were often lacking in 2024. Fullback Sebastian Anderson brings an attacking presence to complement returnee Emmanuel Samadia on the other flank. This combination of steel and skill will be crucial to Hartford’s ambitions this season, as they look to absorb pressure and strike on the counter.
On the other side of the pitch, Lexington made the jump to the USL Championship after back-to-back seasons in which they finished 9th in League One. The bring with them 80 Championship goals worth of Cameron Lancaster — a two time league champion with Lousville City — and new additions led by Speedy Williams, one of the most decorated players in league history, with four league championships to his name, as well as one first team all-league selection. Other significant additions include Marcus Epps, Danny Barbir, and Lucas Stauffer, who form the core of a team that many pundits project as a playoff team in the Western Conference.
The temperature is forecast to be in the low-to-mid 40’s for Saturday night’s contest, as both clubs look to get their 2025 seasons off on the right foot. Lexington fans will be looking for indications that their rebuilt side is ready to compete in the Championship. Hartford Athletic fans will be looking for indications that the team has improved enough from 2024 that the playoffs are a reasonable goal.