Playoff Bound
HARTFORD, CT — Hartford Athletic officially secured their place in the 2026 USL Championship playoffs on Wednesday night, holding out for a hard-fought 1–1 draw against the visiting Charleston Battery in front of a home crowd at Trinity Health Stadium.
The result moves Hartford to an overall record of 9-6-13 (W-L-D) on the season, providing the critical point needed to seal their postseason berth.
First Half: Williams Makes History
Hartford got off to a quick start, matching the intensity of a high-flying Charleston side. The deadlock was broken in the 42nd minute when forward Acheford Williams capitalized on a setup from Babacar Njie, turning the ball past Charleston's goalkeeper to give the hosts a 1–0 lead going into halftime.
The opening goal marked a massive personal milestone for Williams: it was his 90th career goal in USL Championship regular-season competition, making him only the second player in league history to reach that mark.
Second Half: Charleston Answers Back
Charleston struck back quickly after the break. In the 46th minute, halftime substitute MD Myers found the back of the net to level the score at 1–1.
Despite Charleston leading the shot tally 11–8 across the 90 minutes, Hartford's defense held firm down the stretch.Goalkeeper Antony Siaha recorded two crucial saves to keep the match tied and deny Charleston a game-winner.
Match Statistics
| Category | Hartford Athletic | Charleston Battery |
| Score | 1 | 1 |
| Possession | 38% | 62% |
| Total Shots | 8 | 11 |
| Shots on Target | 2 | 2 |
| Corner Kicks | 5 | 4 |
| Saves | 2 | 1 |
What's Next
Hartford Athletic will look to build on their momentum at Trinity Health Stadium this Saturday, October 17, when they host Brooklyn FC at 7:00 PM EDT.
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