The Hall boys soccer team hosted East Hartford Monday afternoon in West Hartford.

Sports reporting is sponsored by Keating Agency Insurance

By Ryan Leef

The Hall boys soccer team needed just one minute to secure its fourth win of the season on Monday, defeating East Hartford 1-0 in West Hartford.

Senior Liam Deloreto capitalized on a defensive error in the opening 60 seconds, lofting a chip from nearly 30 yards out that sailed over the keeper and into the net. The early strike gave Hall a lead it never relinquished.

Hall (4-1-2) entered the match fresh off a victory over crosstown rival Conard, and the Titans carried that momentum into the opening stretch. For the first 10 minutes, Hall pinned East Hartford in its own defensive third, peppering the back line with relentless pressure.

The Hornets attempted to respond with counterattacks, but offsides calls, a lack of pace, and Hall’s strong defensive shape kept them without a shot on goal for the entire first half. Even after East Hartford drew a free kick just outside the box, the Warriors’ back line held firm.

Hall nearly doubled its lead late in the half, when a deflected shot rattled off the crossbar with four minutes remaining.

The second half followed a similar script, with Hall maintaining control in the attacking third but struggling to finish. A string of weak shots and misplaced crosses kept the margin at one. East Hartford finally tested Hall’s keeper with its first shot on goal midway through the half, but the attempt was calmly saved.

From there, Hall pressed until the final whistle but could not add insurance. Still, the Warriors left with a hard-earned victory and another clean sheet.

Hall’s upcoming schedule lightens, with matches at Bloomfield (Sept. 26) and against Bristol Eastern (Sept. 30), leading up to the  rematch with Farmington, the Titans’ lone loss so far, on Oct. 3.

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