Brooklyn FC Men Rally to Beat Hartford Athletic 3-2
Ten-man Brooklyn FC Men rallied twice from one-goal deficits to defeat Hartford Athletic 3-2 in a USL Championship match on Saturday night, at Hartford, Connecticut.
Midfielder CJ Olney scored the game-winner in the 79th minute. Jaden Servania, making his first appearance after returning from international duty, delivered a deep cross from the right wing to find Olney making a run behind the defense from the left, allowing the midfielder to finish clinically with his first touch.
Hartford Takes Early Lead After Lee Saves
Hartford Athletic controlled large stretches of the opening half. Brooklyn goalkeeper Jackson Lee turned away four shots during this initial phase to keep the visitors within reach. In the sixth minute, Lee stood his ground to deny a Hartford forward attempting to round him, with the home side unable to convert the subsequent rebound. Lee later produced a double save in the 18th minute, blocking the second attempt while lying on the ground.
The home side broke through in the 21st minute following a Brooklyn turnover in midfield. A through ball released forward Michael Adedokun, who drove a powerful shot into the bottom corner of the net to put Hartford ahead 1-0.
Brooklyn and Hartford Trade Goals in Second Half
Brooklyn found its first equalizer in the 55th minute. Anthony Fontana lifted a free kick into the penalty area, where a defensive scramble allowed forward Abdoulaye Kanté to toe-poke the loose ball off the crossbar and across the line.
The parity lasted only two minutes. Hartford reclaimed the lead in the 57th minute when a cross from the left wing found forward Sadat Anaku, who headed past Lee.
Brooklyn responded again in the 63rd minute. CJ Olney Jr. dribbled down the left flank and sent a delivery toward Johnny Klein, who surged into the box for a late run. Klein controlled with his first touch and volleyed home with his second to tie the score at 2-2.
The visiting side faced a numerical disadvantage in the 73rd minute when Fontana received his second yellow card of the match, following an initial warning issued in the 43rd minute.
Despite playing a man down, Brooklyn secured the victory six minutes later through Olney’s 79th-minute strike. Hartford mounted heavy pressure in the closing stages, generating a late chance in the 97th minute, but Brooklyn preserved the advantage to become just the second team to defeat Hartford at home in the USL Championship this season.
Standings and Final Matches of the Season
With the result, Brooklyn improved its record to 5-17-6, accumulating 21 points to sit 12th in the Eastern Conference. Hartford, already holding a secured playoff spot, dropped to 9-7-13 with 40 points.
Brooklyn returns to Maimonides Park for its final home fixture of the season against Birmingham Legion on October 21 at 6:30 PM Eastern Time. The club will then travel to conclude the 2026 campaign against Loudoun United on October 24.