Michee Makes His Mark As Hartford Athletic Triumph Over Pittsburgh
A first-half brace for Ngalina is enough as the Latics secure all three points against the Hounds
A first-half brace from Michee Ngalina was enough for Hartford Athletic to secure only their second victory over Pittsburgh Riverhounds in club history. The other came in 2020 when an Ever Guzman goal gave the Latics a key three points en route to the only playoff appearance in club history.
Tonight, a team that has been struggling to get out of the gate quickly made their mark early in the first half, as Ngalina gave the hosts the lead in just the sixth minute. Triston Hodge played a dangerous long ball that Ngalina was able to control and, after fighting off a Pittsburgh defender, the forward finished well for the earliest goal that Hartford has scored this season.
The Latics had an excellent chance to double their lead just six minutes later, when the ball was turned over in midfield, and Jay Chapman played an excellent ball to put Ngalina in on goal for the second time. His shot was saved by Pittsburgh keeper Jacob Randolph, and though the ball landed in the path of Deshane Beckford, his shot just whistled by the post.
Ngalina atoned for the miss in the 16th minute with a close-range finish to double the lead. Chapman was again the architect, setting Beckford loose on the left-hand side, and his cross was inch-perfect, evading Randolph and finding the feet of Ngalina, who bundled the ball into the back of the net to put the Latics well on top.
Pittsburgh couldn’t complain that they were without chances in the first half, as Edward Kizza had flashed a shot just past the post from a promising position in just the fifth minute, Kazaiah Sterling hit the post in the 33rd minute after a bad turnover had created a transitional opportunity for the Hounds. Despite the chances, there was no further scoring, and the Latics retained a two-goal lead heading into half-time.
The first good chance of the second half also fell to Hartford, as Ngalina was again able to control a long ball, this time putting into the path of an onrushing Beckford, only for Randolph to make a good save of the resulting shot.
The Hounds again hit the post in the 62nd minute, and Sterling had a shot well saved by Renan Ribeiro in the 79th minute as the visitors searched for a way back into the game. Ribeiro also made two good saves from free kicks in the late stages of the game to preserve his first clean sheet of the season and secure all three points for the Latics.
Hartford will welcome the early goals, the clean sheet and the three points, as the result puts them at least temporarily above the playoff line in the Eastern Conference. A Friday night visit from Tampa Bay Rowdies - who just knocked off conference leaders Louisville City - will be a sterner test, but the Latics will take the positive things from this game, and look to build on them in the future.