HARTFORD, Conn. — A historic season for Hartford Athletic has a chance to grow more memorable after the team clinched a playoff berth on Saturday with a late 3-2 win over Sacramento Republic FC.

It was the second time in less than a week that Hartford defeated Sacramento. On Oct. 5, the club emerged victorious 1-0 in the 2025 USL Jägermeister Cup Final. It is the first USL cup Hartford Athletic has ever earned.

Now, with two games remaining in the regular season, Hartford Athletic is 13-5-10 and sits at third in the USL’s Eastern Conference standings. The club holds a slight lead over Loudoun United FC and North Carolina FC in a tight race.

This is a position few expected Hartford to be in several months ago. Since joining the USL in 2019, the team has only made the playoffs once, in

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