HARTFORD CITY FC HOST VALEO FC IN REGULAR SEASON HOME FINALE

Hartford, Conn. – Entering this weekend’s action on a three-match winning streak, Hartford City FC (5-2-1, 16 points) will play their final home match of the 2024 NPSL Regular Season on Saturday, June 29^th at Trinity Health Stadium when they take on Valeo FC (2-5-1, 7 points), with kickoff scheduled for 7pm.

MATCH INFORMATION

Fans looking to purchase tickets for Saturday’s match can in person at Trinity Health Stadium (250 Huyshope Ave, Hartford, CT, 06106) when gates open approximately one hour before kickoff, or online by searching Hartford City FC on Soccerstub.com. Tickets cost $10 for Adults and all children under 12 get in for free.

The match will be live streamed via Hartford City FC’s Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/HartfordCityFC) with JJ Duke handling Play-by-Play duties. Highlights on the match will be available on the teams’ social media channels in the days following.

LAST TIME OUT

Hartford City FC extended their winning streak, and by extension, their shutout streak to three straight matches last Saturday with a 1-0 road victory over Kingston Stockade FC at Marist College. Evan Jones netted the winning goal in the 35^th minute when he capitalized on a mistake by Kingston’s defense when they failed to guide the ball back to their keeper after a booming clearance from Nate DiLoreto. The Colts had multiple chances to add a second goal on the night, with Mark Grant getting denied twice from long distance and Michael Suski and Matt Cence each getting stymied by Kingston’s goalie James Lowell in the final few minutes, with Cence seeing his penalty kick attempt in the 88^th minute smothered.

PLAYOFF PICTURE

Earlier in the week, the NPSL league office announced the structure for all conference playoff tournaments and for the second consecutive year, the North Atlantic Conference will use a three-team, single-elimination format to determine the Conference Champion. The Semifinal Round will have the Third-placed team in the Regular Season standings travel to the Second-place team on Wednesday, July 10^th with the winner of that match turning around to face off against the First-place team, who get a bye straight to the Final, on Saturday, July 13^th with the First-Place team hosting the match. The format for the Regional Playoffs as well as National Semifinals and Championship will be unveiled in due course.

By virtue of the results last weekend, the New York Shockers (19 points), Hartford City FC (16 points) and New Jersey United AC (15 points) are the three teams that have qualified for the postseason. The Colts have now qualified for the postseason for the sixth time in their seven seasons competing in the league, winning the conference tournament in 2021 and 2023, while the Shockers have made the postseason for the fourth straight year, winning the conference title in 2022. New Jersey United becomes the first expansion team in the North Atlantic conference to make the postseason since Cedar Stars FC qualified in 2022.

There are scenarios that could see all three teams finish anywhere between first through third place but there are a few things for fans to keep in mind as we head into the final two weeks of the Regular Season:

–       Hartford City FC own the tiebreakers over both New York and New Jersey, as the league’s first tiebreaker is head-to-head results.

–       If Hartford City and New York win their matches this weekend, as the Shockers play New Jersey at 5pm on Saturday, then both teams will guarantee themselves the top-two spots in the league and New Jersey wouldn’t finish any higher than third place.

–       If Hartford City and New Jersey win this weekend, that means a Colts win at Syracuse FC in the Regular Season finale on July 6th will give them the top-seed in the playoffs.

–       A New York win and a Colts loss or draw this weekend will secure the top-seed for the Shockers.

DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS

 With Hartford City FC holding their opponents to eight goals through eight matches so far in the regular season, the Colts are tied for first in the North Atlantic Conference for fewest goals allowed alongside New Jersey. That total also is tied for 17^th fewest goals allowed amongst the entirety of the NPSL. HCFC have also registered four clean sheets this season, all of which with Nate DiLoreto playing in goal, which is the second most shutouts amongst all teams in the conference this season with New Jersey United and their starting goalie Max Pfaffman keeping a clean sheet five times.

In terms of where this year’s Colts stand in club history for their defensive work so far, the club record for goals allowed in a single regular season is 8 set in 2022, along with setting the club record of 0.8 goals allowed per game mark that year as well. The next best mark was 10 goals allowed (1.0 goals allowed/game) in 2023 and 12 goals allowed (1.2 goals allowed/game) in 2021. Prior to the cancellation of the 2020 season due to COVID-19, the previous best mark for the club was 15 goals allowed (1.5 goals allowed/game) in 2018.

ABOUT OUR OPPONENT

 Since Valeo FC knocked off HCFC 2-1 over Memorial Day Weekend on Michael Echavarria’s second half stoppage time volley, Valeo have won one of their last four matches and have scored just two goals. Their sole victory came on June 15 at home over Syracuse with Jason Hrkach scoring the winner early in the second half and after Alex Miller gave Valeo the lead in the third minute last weekend at New York, Valeo conceded four unanswered to see their push for a playoff spot come to an end. The team will also be without Pieter Bultman who got sent off against the Shockers in second half stoppage time and after this weekend’s match, they will host New Jersey United on July 6th to finish the season.

June 27 at 2:24 pm