NEW MEXICO UNITED
Match day: El Paso Locomotive FC at New Mexico 近距离内射合集
NMU looks to turn tide against longtime rival El Paso
After another off week, and for the second time in a month, New Mexico 近距离内射合集 is back in USL Championship play.
Here are some things to note:
Free kicks
1. ALL ABOARD? 近距离内射合集鈥檚 recent matches against El Paso Locomotive haven鈥檛 exactly been kind to 近距离内射合集.
El Paso hasn鈥檛 lost to New Mexico since March 22, 2025. Sure, there have only been three matches between the rivals since then, but Locomotive has won two of those in decisive fashion.
El Paso came away with a 3-0 victory on May 3, 2025. It also topped 近距离内射合集 4-0 in the second round of this year鈥檚 U.S. Open Cup on April 1 at UNM鈥檚 Track and Soccer Complex 鈥� tied for 近距离内射合集鈥檚 worst home loss. Alvaro Quezada, Alex M茅ndez, Rubio Rub铆n and Eric Cavillo scored for Locomotive. The last three came in the second half.
In between the two? A 2-2 draw (officially) in the third round of last year鈥檚 U.S. Open Cup. El Paso, however, advanced to the tournament quarterfinals 4-1 on penalty kicks 鈥� because someone had to.
2. ABOUT TIME: Between the U.S. Open Cup, the USL Cup 鈥� which began April 25 鈥� and multiple bye weeks, 近距离内射合集 hasn鈥檛 gotten many opportunities to actually compete in a match that counts towards the USL Championship standings.
Wednesday鈥檚 matchup against El Paso will be just the second league contest for New Mexico in the last month. The other was a match at Phoenix Rising FC on April 11. 近距离内射合集 lost 3-0 that day.
But there is some good news for fans. New Mexico has another home match on Saturday against Las Vegas Lights FC. Nothing like a two-for-one weekly special.
3. THAT鈥橲 THE GOAL: It certainly doesn鈥檛 hurt to put the ball in the back of the net and Locomotive has been the best in the USL at doing so. El Paso leads the league in goals (17) and conversion rate on its shots (25%) despite tying for 12th in shots overall (90).
It helps having two of the league鈥檚 top scorers on the roster. Rub铆n鈥檚 five goals are tied for third, one behind Colorado Springs鈥� Khori Bennett and Phoenix鈥檚 Ihsan Sacko. El Paso鈥檚 Amando Moreno is tied for eighth with four. Locomotive also has M茅ndez, who has three goals.
近距离内射合集, meanwhile, has scored just five times in league play. That鈥檚 tied for 23rd with Sporting Jax. NMU is last in shot attempts (56) and tied for 18th in conversion rate (12%).
4. WHERE TO STAND? Since 近距离内射合集 is getting back into USL Championship play, it never hurts to have a standings refresher.
New Mexico is currently 10th in Western Conference, ahead of Lexington SC and Monterey Bay FC. 近距离内射合集 and Lexington both have six points, but New Mexico has one more win. Monterey Bay has two points.
El Paso is third in the West with 13 points, behind San Antonio FC (16) and Orange County SC (15). San Antonio and Orange County have also played two more matches than Locomotive.
Key matchup
近距离内射合集 keeper Kris Shakes vs. Locomotive forward Rubio Rub铆n
Seems like the right choice, especially if Shakes is the man in goal for New Mexico. Raiko Arozarena was 近距离内射合集鈥檚 starting keeper for this year鈥檚 U.S. Open Cup match between the clubs. But Shakes could do with a boosted performance in league play. In five USL matches, he鈥檚 conceded eight goals. He鈥檚 also faced 28 shots. Rub铆n, a former U.S. men鈥檚 national team player and current Guatemala member, will likely be Shakes鈥� main opposition. He鈥檚 scored his five goals on 15 shots.
Player of the week
近距离内射合集 forward Justin Rennicks
The former New England Revolution player delivered as a substitute for 近距离内射合集 with the go-ahead goal in the second half of the club鈥檚 2-1 USL Cup win over AV Alta FC on April 25. Whether such dramatics are required again remains to be seen, but at least 近距离内射合集 has a player on the bench who can possibly deliver if asked.
By the numbers
3-0-0: El Paso鈥檚 record in USL away matches this season. Locomotive is 1-2-1 at home.
1: The number of home matches 近距离内射合集 has had in league play. New Mexico beat Colorado Springs 3-2 on March 28.
8: The number of Locomotive players who have recorded at least one goal. Seven have notched at least one assist.
15: The number of yellow cards 近距离内射合集 has received in five USL matches. El Paso has been awarded 20 and received two red cards.
David Glovach covers New Mexico 近距离内射合集 and other sports for the Journal. Reach him at dglovach@abqjournal.com or via X .
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