Two Ever Guzmán goals, two Danny Barrera assists and a Connecticut homegrown goal saw Hartford take down Loudoun United four goals to one at Dillon Stadium!  

Hartford got off to an early lead in the 8th minute, Barrera played a trademark outside the boot pass that found the feet of Guzmán who found himself in on goal. The experienced striker needed no touches as he slotted in a first time sliding finish past the helpless keeper. 

Not long after in the 10th minute, Alex Dixon was taken out by a sliding keeper challenge and the referee pointed to the spot. The keeper then redeemed himself by saving Guzmán's ensuing penalty kick.. 

The Barrera and Guzmán duo combined again 10 minutes later in the 18th minute. Another beautiful outside the boot pass from Barrera found Guzmán, Ever deliciously dinked a chip over the Loudoun keeper to make it two! In the 21st minute Loudoun were awarded a penalty after Matheus Silva brought down the Loudoun attacker. Elvis Amoh then dispatched a confident penalty to the opposite side of Mandanda’s dive to cut the score in half.  

In the second half it was that man Barrera again involved in the attacking third. As Mads Jørgensen unselfishly passed up an opportunity to shoot and layed it off the Barrera who slotted far post past the outstretched keeper to put Hartford three one up!  

Loudoun had no answers in the second half and couldn't penetrate the Hartford defense. With time running out, the game and both sides seemingly done, an unexpected substitute popped up. 18 year old, Connecticut born and bred Alfonso Vasquez saw an opportunity. Dre Deas played a ball onto his chest and when the ball came down Vasquez smashed a half volley off the crossbar and in!! "I saw the goal right there in front of me and I thought very fast in my head, 'smash it' and it just went in," Vazquez said after the match. Nobody enjoyed Vasquez’s first professional goal more than his family members in the supporters section!  

With the win Hartford remains top of group F. The Boys in Green head to Philadelphia to take on Union II next Sunday. They'll be back home on August 15th against New York Red Bulls II. You can catch both matches on WCTX MyTV9 or streaming at hartfordathletic.com/watch. Tickets for the match against Red Bulls II are available here.   

FAST STATS:

Shots (On-Target): Hartford Athletic 13 (7) - 12 (3) Loudoun United

Corners: Hartford Athletic 2-3 Loudoun United

Fouls: Hartford Athletic 15-14 Loudoun United

Offsides: Hartford Athletic 6-5 Loudoun United

Possession: Hartford Athletic 46.6%-53.4% Loudoun United

Passing Accuracy: Hartford Athletic 71.4%-78.3% Loudoun United

Saves: Hartford Athletic 2-3 Loudoun United

SCORING SUMMARY:

8' - HFD Ever Guzmán (Danny Barrera) 1-0

18' - HFD Ever Guzmán (Danny Barrera) 2-0

21' - LDN Elvis Amoh 2-1

66' - HFD Danny Barrera (Mads Jørgensen) 3-1

90+7' - HFD Alfonso Vazquez (Dre Deas) 4-1

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY:

45' - Alex Lara (Yellow)

56' - Elvis Amoh (Yellow)

84' - Alex Dixon (Yellow)

90+4' - Gabriel Torres (Yellow)

HARTFORD ATHLETIC STARTING LINEUP:

35 (GK) Parfait Mandanda; 2 (D) Alex Lara (Aiden Mesias 90+7'), 4 (D) Kevin Politz, 3 (D) Matheus Silva; 33 (MF) Harry Swartz (Tyreke Johnson 61'), 8 (MF) Mads Jørgensen, 10 (MF) Danny Barrera, 28 (MF) Conor McGlynn (Nicky Downs 61'), 16 (MF) Gabriel Torres; 99 (F) Ever Guzmán (Alfonso Vazquez 86'), 11 (F) Alex Dixon (Dre Deas 86')

LOUDOUN UNITED FC STARTING LINEUP:

0 (GK) Colin Miller; 33 (D) Jacob Greene, 36 (D) Adam Lundegard (Timothy Mehl 45'), 5 (D) Shane Wiedt, 3 (D) Pabo Doue (Allexon Saravia 77'); 24 (MF) Jeremy Garay (Christian Sorto 77'), 12 (MF) Kairou Amoustapha, 16 (MF) Massimo Ferrin (Alouine Ndour 57'), 17 (MF) Ted Ku-DiPietro, 10 (MF) Michael Gamble; 7 (F) Elvis Amoh (Brandon Williamson 68')