Detroit City Wire

Detroit City FC and Hartford Athletic ended their match in a 0-0 draw at Trinity Health Stadium on Saturday night. Despite Detroit City's efforts, they were unable to capitalize on their opportunities against Hartford Athletic, who failed to register any shots on target.

Danny Dichio, the head coach of Detroit City FC, opted for a significantly altered lineup following their recent US Open Cup defeat to the Chicago Fire. This included first starts of the USL Championship season for forward Sebastián Guenzatti and midfielder Dominic Gasso. Defender Shane Wiedt also replaced Stephen Carroll, with Devon Amoo-Mensah taking over as captain.

The game began slowly, with much of the play occurring between the 18-yard boxes. The pace picked up slightly after Alex Villanueva received a yellow card in the 19th minute for a tackle near the touchline. The match was characterized by frequent stoppages, resulting in a total of 35 fouls—18 committed by Detroit City FC and 17 by Hartford Athletic.

After halftime, Detroit City FC intensified their efforts to score, relying heavily on top-scorer Darren Smith. His attempts from distance were thwarted by Hartford's Antony Siaha, who earned FotMob’s Player of the Match with an 8.0 rating after making six saves.

In an effort to boost their attacking play, Danny Dichio substituted Haruki Yamazaki and Connor Rutz for Alex Villanueva and Sebastián Guenzatti in the 68th minute. Jeciel Cedeño later replaced Ben Morris in the 79th minute. However, these changes did not alter the outcome as both teams remained goalless.

This result marks Detroit City FC’s fourth draw of the early 2025 USL Championship season. Their next match is scheduled against Birmingham Legion at Protective Stadium on Sunday, May 18.