There’s a stark contrast between the seasons for New Mexico United and their counterparts to the south, El Paso Locomotive FC. Both were thought to finish mid-table by many outlets and as they cross the halfway mark, the clubs are headed in different directions. United sits atop the West, while El Paso is in the basement.
El Paso came into the season with a lot of hope; new coach, new faces, and a chance to build on last year. The coach is gone, the home record is abysmal, and the signings haven’t panned out. Only Miami FC has a worse points total in the league. All of this the Locomotive squarely in the race for the Wooden Spoon. (The Wooden Spoon is a fan-created trophy that is ‘awarded’ to the club with the fewest number of points in the league.)
One of those signings, Amando Moreno, has been spending more time on his Twitch channel lately. (Twitch is a live streaming service where individuals can play video games while others watch.) But, that’s not exactly the biggest issue for this Locomotive club. They just aren’t good. They’ve struggled in every aspect of the game this year and neither coach has been able to fix the issue. It’s been almost two calendar months since they last won and nearly as long since they last scored. It’s been 355 minutes that they’ve been held without a goal.
Player to Watch
Amando Moreno – He’s been the highlight of the season for the Locomotive. He’s been forced to be ‘the guy’ due to a lack of production from Justin Dhillon and the rest of the attackers. Moreno, in the past, has not excelled in that role. With the right service, he can be dangerous, but it’s been a pain point for El Paso all season long.
United is in an interesting position. Not only have they never been in first place this late in the season, but they have matches in hand despite an inconsistent record on the road. They’re facing an El Paso side that is winless at home but shouldn’t be discounted. If United can come out fast and put up a goal early, they have a very good chance of walking away with three points.
In order to do that though, they’ll need to work through the midfield and do it without Zico Bailey. Bailey will miss the match due to yellow card accumulation (8) per league rules. Even without Bailey, United has Marco Micaletto and Sergio Rivas who can both play deep and turn the field. Controlling the midfield will allow United to limit the chances for El Paso and draw defenders centrally to create space on the wings for Dayonn Harris and Mukwelle Akale.
Player to Watch
Chris Gloster – If he’s healthy after the heavy tackle that sent him off against Legion, Gloster could be instrumental in chance creation from the wings. At times he’s played a style similar to what Daniel Bruce used to, a fullback that pushes high on the outside. This gives United another outlet to get the ball forward and Gloster’s crosses have been consistent into the area.
Coverage of tonight’s match starts with Adam Diehl and Andy Hageman on the pregame show at 6 p.m. (MT). Kickoff will follow at 7 p.m. (MT). Catch coverage of New Mexico United all season long on ESPN Radio 101.7 FM The TEAM, The TEAM website, and The TEAM apps.