It was a bittersweet night for New Mexico United. They had to close out the season in front of their home fans, while also simultaneously saying farewell to one of their own. Daniel Bruce announced his retirement on Wednesday, and the club, along with Rhode Island FC were willing to celebrate him. Rhode Island FC also had other ideas on their minds as they were still seeking to secure the 7 seed in the East and avoid a trip to Louisville. United dominated the first half, while Rhode Island showed a determination in the second that nearly earned them a point. In the end, United’s two first half goals gave them the win, 2-1.
Before the match started, everyone in the stands knew that it was Daniel Bruce’s final start for New Mexico United. One of the original signings for the club, he joined in February of 2019 and was the longest tenured player for the club, playing for seven seasons before an ACL injury led to his retirement being announced earlier this week.
Career Stats
- Appearances: 171
- Minutes Played: 7,815
- Goals: 17
- Assists: 21
Subbed off for the final time in the seventh minute, Bruce made way for Greg Hurst, and the match truly got underway.
United was sharp in the early minutes once the match actually started. Just four minutes of play had gone by when the hosts had their first shot of the match. In the 11th minute, Zico Bailey played a beautiful through ball, picking out Greg Hurst as he broke through the defensive line of Rhode Island. Hurst would get on top of the ball and force a save out of Koke Vegas, a sign of things to come for United.
Unlike previous matches, United’s confidence shone through, and they kept the pressure on the Rhode Island defense and Vegas. Mukwelle Akale was able to break through in the 21st minute, after an assist from Valentin Noel put him in a position to shoot with a clear sight. Playing from the left, Noel picked out a pass to Akale on the right side of the area. With just a touch, Akale put the ball past Vegas into the right side of the net, giving United the lead, 1-0.
That lead would hold until the 38th minute, when Rhode Island grabbed an equalizer against the run of play. After Hurst committed a foul deep in the defensive third when he caught the ankle of Hamady Diop near the left field corner. With essentially a corner kick in front of them, the ball was sent right into the middle of the area. Amie Mabika was able to get a touch to the ball and after it appeared to take a deflection, it ended up in the left side of United’s net, past Kris Shakes, 1-1.
Undeterred, United stayed on the front foot and rode their strong possession play and pushing the limits of what Rhode Island was comfortable with at the back. In the 43rd, Chris Gloster was played forward, and he worked his way into the goal area. A small flick and an attempt to cut back caused Hugo Bacharach to foul Gloster, giving United a penalty. While it looked like Bailey was going to take it momentarily, Talen Maples stepped up and replaced him at the mark. Once again going to the right side of goal, Maples was able to beat Vegas, retaking the lead, 2-1.
Even with their confident start, United would cede some of the possession in the second half, with Rhode Island trying to find an answer and keep their spot at the 7 seed in the East. Their press started to cause some issues for the hosts, and they would create some turnover in dangerous positions. In the 64th, a turnover gave Rhode Island a chance in front of the United bench. As the ball was sent in, it would fall to Jojea Kwizera at the near post, and he forced a defensive block out of United to stop the attack.
The ever-dangerous Maxi Rodriguez would sub on for Rhode Island in the 60th minute and nearly found a goal in the 70th. Playing centrally, Rodrigues would receive a cross near the penalty mark from Aldair Sanchez on the left. Rodriguez was able to get a quality header on the ball, but left it in a spot that Shakes was able to easily save and maintain the lead.
Rhode Island gave United a run for their money in the second half. They had chances to pull level, but the play of Shakes kept the visitors from finding the goal and a point.
Attendance – 10,125
Player of the Match – Kris Shakes
While he didn’t get a clean sheet, Shakes added another five saves to his season tally. He made key stops for United in the second half, denying Rhode Island in the closing seconds to secure the win.
Up Next
United secured the third seed in the West with their run of form and Sacramento’s win on Wednesday. For United, they know that they’ll host a home playoff match on Saturday, November 1 at 7 p.m. What they don’t yet know is who they will face. The 5th through 8th seeds in the West have not yet been determined and won’t be until Saturday night, the 25th. As it stands, United could host any one of five teams depending on the results from within the conference. No matter what, United will be back at The Lab on Saturday, November 1 to open the 2025 USL Championship Western Conference playoffs.