Hartford Athletic vs Brooklyn FC: USL Championship Preview & Prediction
Hartford Athletic will continue their early-season road trip Saturday night, facing Brooklyn FC at Maimonides Park in Coney Island in the first-ever meeting between the two USL Championship clubs. The match, scheduled for 7:00 PM EDT, comes just three days after Hartford defeated FC Motown 2-0 in the U.S. Open Cup.
Hartford Head Coach Brendan Burke indicated that his team will be without six key players for the contest, but expressed confidence in his squad’s ability to secure a result. “We’ll be missing six key players,” Burke said, “but I still feel like we’re going into the game with enough to get something out of it. I would never have been able to say that last season.” Burke added that players who featured in the Open Cup win had “earned a degree of trust” and may see further action.
Burke anticipates a direct style of play from Brooklyn FC, characterizing them as a team that prioritizes quick transitions and pressing. “Exceptionally direct play, transition heavy. They press hard,” Burke explained. “I wouldn’t be surprised to see them be very direct, be very combative. In the Indy game, the ball was barely ever in the run of play, it was set pieces, it was throw ins, it was corners.” He noted that Brooklyn’s approach mirrors that of Sporting Club Jacksonville, a team Hartford defeated 3-0 earlier this month.
Despite Brooklyn’s offensive tendencies, Burke believes Hartford’s strong defensive form – having yet to concede a goal in any competition this season – could prove decisive. Through two weeks of the season, Brooklyn has been one of the weakest defenses in the league.
The match will be played at Maimonides Park, a venue that Burke criticized for its suitability for professional soccer. “We trained on their field today, it’s horrible,” Burke said. “It’s a really bad venue for a professional soccer team. If you go in there thinking you’re going to roll the ball around, it’s not conducive to that.” He emphasized the need for quick ball movement and physical play, anticipating a “choppy” game with frequent duels.
Burke stressed the importance of playing forward quickly and avoiding intricate passing sequences on the challenging pitch. “You have to be playing forward first, the ball has to come off your feet faster and you can’t be afraid for the game to be ugly,” he said. “You’re in for a lot of dueling, you have to try hard not to foul. Both teams are going to press, it’s going to lead to a choppy game.”
Following Saturday’s match, Hartford Athletic will return home to prepare for their home opener against Indy Eleven on March 28.