New Mexico United has never been fond of the trip to H-E-B Park. In their history, the Black & Yellow have never won at the expansive park. They have another chance to break that trend on Friday night when they square off against Rio Grande Valley FC.
RGV strangely hasn’t had much success on their home pitch this season. With three draws in four matches at their, H-E-B may be losing some of its mystique. That or RGV isn’t quite the team that they have been in the past. The Toros have hit a goalless skid that has now stretched to 337 minutes. The Toros issues have largely been in the offensive third, primarily finishing. Service is being given to them in droves, but with a conversion rate under 7%, they can’t find the net.
Tyler Deric has been the lone man between the sticks for the Toros this season and he’s been the main reason that they have been competitive in each one. Sporting an impressive 73.3% save rate, Deric is showing why he’s been on the radar of a number of top-division clubs. A veteran presence, Deric has the ability to read the game and put his defenders where he needs them in order to shut down the crossing game of United.
Player to Watch
Wilmer Cabrera Jr. – After a stellar collegiate career at Butler, Cabrera signed for Colombian side Real Cartagena. Since then, the young forward was loaned to RGV to play for his father. A natural talent, Cabrera has yet to find his groove, but could prove to be dangerous against United.
United should be feeling good about their chances to steal three points at H-E-B for the first time. After seemingly working through their confidence issues, United has scored five goals in the last two matches. Powered by Daniel Bruce on Wednesday and Josh Dolling on Saturday, United may have found their creators in the absence of Bruce and Cristian Nava. The pair have been able to get the ball into dangerous areas several times and it’s paid dividends. Since a formation ‘switch’, Head Coach and Technical Director Zach Prince has allowed his side to look like it plays with two strikers up top. This is causing opposition to make poor reads and open up opportunities for Greg Hurst.
One area of concern for United had been their transition defense and the ability to maintain their shape. Saturday night’s match against Orange County was reminiscent of the way the club played in 2019. The use of wingbacks proved to be pivotal both for their overlapping runs in the attacking third and the ability to help cover the wider areas defensively. The three centerbacks maintained their positioning and time their movements well enough to easily preserve a 3-1 win against a dangerous OCSC. Against a club like RGV, maintaining the center will be key to keeping the forwards from turning toward goal.
Player to Watch
Austin Yearwood – With the departure of Timothie Zali and the shift to using wingbacks more, there’s a chance for Yearwood to play a big role on Friday night. Yearwood’s pace and crossing ability should be a threat in the final third, while his ability to stand up opponents will be a necessity defensively.
Friday night’s match is scheduled to kick off at 6 p.m. (MT) from H-E-B Park. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+ domestically and on YouTube for international viewers. The match will also be broadcast live with commentary from Adam Diehl and Andy Hageman on ESPN Radio 101.7 The TEAM, via The TEAM app, and The TEAM website.