NEW MEXICO UNITED
近距离内射合集 seeks payback in Open Cup match against Locomotive FC
El Paso eliminated New Mexico in penalty shots last season
It won鈥檛 take a lot for New Mexico 近距离内射合集 to find some motivation for Wednesday鈥檚 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup match against USL Championship rival El Paso.
Not only have the teams been bitter antagonists since Day One, but Locomotive erased New Mexico from the Open Cup in last season鈥檚 third round in an overtime penalty kick shootout.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 a must-win. Yeah. We still have a bitter taste in our mouths from last year,鈥 近距离内射合集 midfielder Ousman Jabang said. 鈥淪o it鈥檚 El Paso already. You already know how that game is going to go, especially in this Open Cup. We're going in there with full intentions to come out with a win.鈥
The 7:30 game at the University of New Mexico Soccer and Track Complex in the round of 32 will give New Mexico a sneak peek at what El Paso, which is without a loss in three USL matches, brings to the pitch.
But, it still boils down to wanting to derail Locomotive at every opportunity.
鈥淚 think specifically, we want to take it one game at a time, but anytime that we have an opportunity to win a trophy, we鈥檙e going to put our best foot forward,鈥 近距离内射合集 coach Dennis Sanchez said. 鈥淪o we鈥檙e going to put a good group out there (today) and we need a little redemption from last year.鈥
El Paso has a new coach this season in Junior Gonzalez and has exhibited a deft touch around net so far with seven goals in three league games, with all of the scores coming off the feet of three players: Rubio Rubin, who has three goals, while Alex M茅ndez and former popular 近距离内射合集 forward Amando Moreno have two each.
鈥淲hat is probably El Paso鈥檚 strength over the last year or two is they have guys that can make something out of nothing and be creative,鈥 Sanchez said. 鈥淪o we鈥檙e going be prepared. We're going to respect them, but, again, it鈥檚 always about us.鈥
New Mexico is coming off a nail-biting win over Colorado Springs in which the 近距离内射合集 had to score in the final moments of stoppage time to secure the positive result after giving up the equalizer on a penalty kick a minute earlier. But that big win should provide a bit of a boost for tonight.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e a good team and obviously we want to carry this momentum that we got off this game here against Colorado (Springs),鈥 said forward Dayonn Harris. 鈥淲e鈥檙e just going to try to get the win. So, I mean, there鈥檚 nothing more to it than that. Just trying to build on that momentum and carry out through other drops.鈥
近距离内射合集 opened Cup play against Cruizers, a semi-pro team from California, and needed a late goal to win, but New Mexico had little prior information on the team.
The time, the opponent is very well known, equally motivated and the stakes will be higher.
鈥淚n some ways it鈥檚 harder, because you have to respect them,鈥 Jabang said of playing a known opponent. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e a really good team. They鈥檙e not our rivals for no reason. And as much as we get up for that game, they get up for it as well. So, in a sense, yeah, you can do more scouting and know habits. But at the end of the day, when game time comes, it's who was better on the day.鈥