Super-Sub Edwards Earns Hartford Athletic Point Against Tulsa FC
The Latics came from behind to share the points and run their unbeaten streak to six games in all competitions.
Hartford Athletic and Tulsa FC shared the points at Trinity Health Stadium on Saturday night, with a Joe Farrell own goal and a Kyle Edwards equalizer the only action on the scoresheet in a game that had Brendan Burke once again aiming criticism at the officiating. The point was enough to keep the Latics in the playoff places and unbeaten in the second half of their USL Championship season, with 10 points from four games.
Coming into the game, both sides had a knack for scoring goals off the bench. It was a subplot to watch as the game unfolded, with both teams having confidence in their ability to recover a goal —or more — if need be.
The opening half hour or so seemed like two teams really feeling each other out and searching for a weakness, but none was really to be found. Although Hartford did have a few good looks, including a penalty appeal for a foul on Jonathan Jimenez. There were other moments for the hosts too, including one where they did actually have the ball in the back of the net, but the goal was waved off for a foul in the buildup.
Things did seem to open up for Tulsa over the last quarter of an hour or so, with one of their best chances coming when Antony Siaha spilled a long-range effort into the path of Eliot Goldthorp, but the winger was unable to connect and was adjudged to have been offside regardless.
The visitors did finally did take the lead after winning a free kick out on their left hand side. The resulting free-kick was a dangerous one, and Farrell was only able to turn it into the back of his own net for an own goal. It was probably no more than Tulsa deserved for their intent over the last 15 minutes of the first half but it was a return to unfortunate concessions for Hartford, who were left with it all to do in the second half.
Brendan Burke felt that his team needed a change, and brought on Samuel Careaga and Kyle Edwards to start the second half and the changes paid off immediately with Hartford drawing first blood in the battle of the supersubs. The announcer had barely finished announcing the half-time changes when Edwards had the goal in the back of the net. Hartford had the ball forward right from the restart and Emmanuel Samadia whipped in an excellent cross, with Edwards beating a defender in the air and redirecting the ball past Johan Peñaranda to level the scores.
The goal was Edwards’ eighth of the season, and fourth of the bench, edging him ahead as the player with the most goals as a substitute this season. Edwards also now has nine goals off the bench over the last three seasons, more than any other player in the league over that span.
Following the goal, there was not a great deal of activity for either team in attack, with the two sides combining for only a further two attempts on goal over the next half hour of play.
The last quarter of an hour did bring more chances for both sides, but neither was able to find a breakthrough and they headed to stoppage time with the score still all square. Samuel Careaga had two good looks from outside the box in stoppage time, with one spinning wide, and one blocked by Abdoulaye Sissoko. It seemed that Sissoko had blocked the ball with an outstretched arm inside the penalty area.
Burke said it “would have been a good save for a keeper” but the official declined to point to the spot, and instead blew his whistle for full-time leaving the teams to share the points.
Burke has been critical of the officiating in the USL Championship throughout his managerial career, and Saturday was no exception, with the Hartford manager singling out three occasions on which his side were not awarded a penalty.
“[W]hen the referee misses 3 penalties in one game, it's hard to overcome that, but I'm really proud of my guys for continuing to fight through what was honestly astonishingly bad refereeing tonight,” he said.
He want on to class this as the “worst” refereeing performance he’s seen this season.
Nonetheless, Hartford have to be satisfied with a point and turn its attention to its USL Jägermeister Cup game in San Antonio on Wednesday. It’s another huge game for the team as it continues one of the biggest weeks in club history and then round things off with a visit from local rivals RIFC on Saturday.