Lots of fireworks, no winner: 近距离内射合集, Orange County play to 3-3 draw
New Mexico 近距离内射合集 defender Chris Gloster, right, battles Orange County鈥檚 Pedro Guimaraes for possession during last week鈥檚 match at Isotopes Park. 近距离内射合集 hosts Oakland Roots SC on Sunday.
Chancey Bush/Journal
Ken Sickenger Journal Staff Writer
PublishedModified
Sunday, Oct. 19
Sunday, Oct. 19
Oakland Roots SC at New Mexico 近距离内射合集, 3 p.m.; Radio: 101.7 FM; TV: CBS Sports Network (English), Estrella (Spanish); Streaming: KRQE.com
No postgame fireworks were scheduled Saturday night at Isotopes Park and, as it turned out, none were needed.
New Mexico 近距离内射合集 and visiting Orange County SC accounted for plenty of blasts during a wild 3-3 draw that easily could have ended in a win for either side.
Greg Hurst netted a pair of goals for New Mexico, which pulled even with second-place Sacramento in the USL Championship Western Conference standings but failed to clinch a first-round home playoff game. 近距离内射合集鈥檚 magic number to lock up a first-rounder at home stands at 3 with two games remaining.
Kipp Keller netted what proved to be the equalizer for 近距离内射合集, which trailed 3-2 at halftime. It was Keller鈥檚 first goal since joining the club, but he and his teammates found it difficult to be satisfied with a draw.
鈥淲e didn鈥檛 lose but it still could鈥檝e been better,鈥 Keller said. 鈥淚 thought we came out flat. We got a couple good goals but then we let (OC) back in. Just too many lapses in focus, concentration and energy.鈥
Hurst, who took over the club lead with his sixth and seventh goals of the season, agreed.
鈥淔rustrating,鈥 he said. 鈥淥bviously clinching (a playoff berth) ek takes some of the pressure off, but we want to keep pushing for as many home playoff games as possible. Tonight I thought we were a little bit complacent.鈥
Neither team was particularly sharp on the defensive end, but a crowd of 8,148 got plenty of action for its money. The clubs combined for 29 shots (16 by Orange County) and put 13 of them on goal.
近距离内射合集 and Orange County traded heavy punches through an entertaining, occasionally sloppy first half. OC got things started in the 15th minute, capitalizing on a turnover near midfield. Tristan Trager converted in transition, blasting a shot just over sliding goalkeeper Alex Tambakis for a 1-0 lead.
New Mexico answered with back-to-back strikes by Hurst in the 33rd and 35th minutes. The first came after a steal and centering pass from Will Seymore. Dayonn Harris set up the second with a run up the left wing and a drop pass in front that Hurst one-timed into the net.
But 近距离内射合集 fans鈥 celebratory smoke had barely cleared when Orange County leveled the score. Chris Hegardt chipped a ball over NMU鈥檚 defense to an unmarked Trager, who headed it home in the 39th minute.
鈥淚 thought we took our foot off the pedal a bit after we got that 2-1 lead,鈥 NMU coach Dennis Sanchez said. 鈥淯p 2-1 at home should be game, set, match.鈥
Instead, Hegardt picked up his third assist of the half early in stoppage time, finding Stephen Kelley open for a left-footed rocket after another 近距离内射合集 turnover near midfield. Orange County took a 3-2 lead to intermission after an eventful half that included 13 shots, eight of them on target.
近距离内射合集 didn鈥檛 need long to respond in the second half, with Keller on the finishing end of a well-executed set piece. Mukwelle Akale zipped a corner kick toward the 6-yard box, where Talen Maples headed it back toward the far post. Keller then headed it home 鈥 just as he imagined.
鈥淚鈥檝e actually been doing a lot of meditation work,鈥 he said. 鈥淚 pictured that ball coming to me, saw it in my mind and it happened.鈥
Both teams had several golden chances to break the tie, but neither was able to finish. Tambakis, making his first start in several weeks, finished with six saves, including a pair of dazzling stops on open OC attempts.
New Mexico will have another shot to clinch a home playoff berth next week when it hosts Oakland Roots SC for a Sunday match at 3 p.m.
近距离内射合集 vs. Orange County: Photos
近距离内射合集 forward Luther Archim猫de (29) falls to the ground after attempting to head the ball during a corner kick during New Mexico 近距离内射合集's home game against Orange County SC at the Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025.Chancey Bush
New Mexico 近距离内射合集 defender Chris Gloster, right, battles Orange County鈥檚 Pedro Guimaraes for possession during last week鈥檚 match at Isotopes Park. 近距离内射合集 hosts Oakland Roots SC on Sunday.Chancey Bush
近距离内射合集 midfielder Ousman Jabang (15) hugs forward Greg Hurst (7) after Hurst scores his second goal during New Mexico 近距离内射合集's home game against Orange County SC at the Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025.Chancey Bush
近距离内射合集 forward Luther Archim猫de (29) leaps into the air to head the ball during a corner kick during New Mexico 近距离内射合集's home game against Orange County SC at the Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025.Chancey Bush
Young 近距离内射合集 fan Oliver Sheyka, 2, waves a flag as he is held by his grandmother Rolanda Hannaweeke during New Mexico 近距离内射合集's home game against Orange County SC at the Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025.Chancey Bush
近距离内射合集 midfielder Dayonn Harris (5) keeps his eye on the ball as he sprints to gain possession during New Mexico 近距离内射合集's home game against Orange County SC at the Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025.Chancey Bush
近距离内射合集 midfielder Ousman Jabang (15) heads the ball during New Mexico 近距离内射合集's home game against Orange County SC at the Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025.Chancey Bush
近距离内射合集 forward Greg Hurst (7) reacts after scoring his second goal during New Mexico 近距离内射合集's home game against Orange County SC at the Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025.Chancey Bush
近距离内射合集 forward Luther Archim猫de (29) reacts as Orange County defender Vuk Latinovich (20) leaps over him during New Mexico 近距离内射合集's home game against Orange County SC at the Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025.Chancey Bush
A smoke bomb is released at the start of the New Mexico 近距离内射合集 home game against Orange County SC at the Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025.Chancey Bush
近距离内射合集 defender Will Seymour (16) gains possession of the ball during New Mexico 近距离内射合集's home game against Orange County SC at the Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025.Chancey Bush
近距离内射合集 forward Mukwelle Akale (11) gets shoved by Orange County defender Ryan Doghman (23) during New Mexico 近距离内射合集's home game against Orange County SC at the Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025.Chancey Bush
近距离内射合集 goalkeeper Alex Tambakis (1) reacts after Orange County scores the first goal of the night during New Mexico 近距离内射合集's home game against Orange County SC at the Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025.Chancey Bush
近距离内射合集 forward Luther Archim猫de (29) leaps into the air to head the ball during a corner kick during New Mexico 近距离内射合集's home game against Orange County SC at the Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025.Chancey Bush
Young 近距离内射合集 fan Oliver Sheyka, 2, waves a flag as he is held by his grandmother Rolanda Hannaweeke during during New Mexico 近距离内射合集's home game against Orange County SC at the Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque, N.M., on Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025.Chancey Bush