Hartford Athletic Roll into North Carolina, Looking to Extend Their Unbeaten Run Against NCFC
The Latics will aim to build on their good road form in 2025 and solidify their playoff position against 3rd-place North Carolina FC
Hartford Athletic head to Cary, NC to take on North Carolina FC on Saturday night, looking to extend a club-record eight-game unbeaten streak. It’s the sixth meeting all-time between the two clubs, with Hartford’s only victory so far coming in a 4-3 classic at the tail end of the 2024 season.
The Latics are also on the best streak of road form in club history as well, having not lost away from Trinity Health Stadium since a 4-2 defeat by Charleston Battery on May 3. That’s seven games in a row unbeaten on the road, with the last two away performances — a 4-1 demolishing of Birmingham Legion and a comprehensive 2-0 triumph over San Antonio FC in the USL Jägermeister Cup quarterfinals — highlighting the year-over-year improvement for a club that struggled mightily when traveling in 2024.
Brendan Burke has been working to reinforce his squad in recent weeks, adding defenders Baboucarr Njie and Owen Presthus, as well as backup keeper John Berner. The former two players have already shown their value. Njie played an effective hour against RIFC, showing that the squad has the depth to rotate their wing-backs, while Presthus was simply electric, topping a scintillating debut with a goal and a Player of the Week award.
Berner is unlikely to get significant minutes, as Antony Siaha has so far played every minute of every game, but a capable backup is a necessity for a team with this much to play for, and Hartford have shown no signs that it is ready to hand a debut to Justin DiCarlo. Additionally, Siaha only needs slightly less than eight games worth of minutes to pass Sem de Wit for the most minutes logged in a single season in club history, and while the minutes aren’t as hard on keepers as outfield players, Berner does provide an option for keeping Hartford’s first-choice netminder a bit fresher.
It still seems likely that Burke will add another player or two, with former Golden Boot winner and League MVP Hadji Barry all but certain to be brought in to help replace the departed Mamadou Dieng. Another defender also seems likely, as Hartford’s center backs are collectively the oldest unit on the team, and with the exception of TJ Presthus, have struggled to maintain full fitness over the course of the season.
With the changes already in effect — as well as the departure of Deshane Beckford on loan to Westchester in League One — Hartford is a rather different team than the one that stumbled to a 1-0 defeat when NCFC came calling in June. Burke was left frustrated with his side’s erratic performance that night, but things have subsequently taken a turn for the better.
Since that game, Hartford have been in excellent form, winning seven, drawing two and losing two of its league games, while outscoring opponents 20-6 in the process. Across the same stretch, NCFC have played only nine league games with a more mixed record, winning four, losing four, and drawing one. Their attack has been efficient, scoring 15 goals in those games, but their defense has been leaky, conceding 16 goals in the same span.
That leaky defense will be the focus for a Hartford attack that has shown they can generate and convert opportunities, even without Mamadou Dieng. Kyle Edwards and a resurgent Michee Ngalina will lead the line for the Latics and believe that they can find goals against a middling NCFC defense.
Points to start this difficult stretch — which will see Hartford play five games in 15 days — will be crucial as a more pragmatic approach might be required by the end of next week. The Latics have everything to play for in two competitions, and three points in Cary will take them one step closer.