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New Mexico United

2026 US Open Cup Round 2: El Paso Locomotive eliminates 10-man New Mexico United again

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Rubio Rubin of El Paso Locomotive FC celebrates after scoring a goal against New Mexico United in the Second Round of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: New Mexico United
Rubio Rubin of El Paso Locomotive FC celebrates after scoring a goal against New Mexico United in the Second Round of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: New Mexico United

In a renewal of the regional rivalry within the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, El Paso Locomotive FC defeated New Mexico United 4-0 at the UNM Soccer Complex on Wednesday night. The result marks the second consecutive year New Mexico has been eliminated from the tournament by El Paso, as the hosts played the final 31 minutes with ten men.

The match began with El Paso controlling the tempo and creating the more clinical chances. New Mexico struggled to establish consistent possession early, though the defensive unit remained compact for the opening half-hour.

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The disciplinary narrative began in the 22nd minute when United midfielder Ousman Jabang received a yellow card following a sliding challenge on Robert Coronado. Despite the pressure, the score remained level until the 37th minute. Following a deep throw-in by the visitors, Omar Mora recovered the ball on the endline and centered it into the box. United’s defense was unable to clear the service, allowing the ball to fall to Alvaro Quezada, who struck a right-footed shot past goalkeeper Raiko Arozarena to give El Paso a 1-0 lead.

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The momentum shifted decisively in the 59th minute. Jabang, already on a caution, committed a foul on Ricky Ruiz during a midfield transition. The referee issued a second yellow card, resulting in a red card and reducing New Mexico to ten players.

El Paso capitalised on the man advantage almost immediately, with three goals following the advantage being given their way.

In the 63rd minute, while United was in the process of making tactical substitutions following a foul on Mora, El Paso executed a quick restart. Alex Mendez took a direct free kick from approximately 27 yards out, catching Arozarena off-guard at the left post to make it 2-0.

Minutes later in the 69th, a turnover in the United defensive half allowed Rubio Rubin to break free on a one-on-one. Rubin lifted his shot over the charging Arozarena to extend the lead to 3-0.

The visitors added a final goal in the 85th after a long ball over the top forced Arozarena off his line. While the initial danger was slowed, United failed to decisively clear the area. After a blocked shot by Diego Abitia, Eric Calvillo hit a first-time lob over the keeper to finalize the 4-0 scoreline.

2026 US Open Cup Round 1: Cristian Nava returns with late winner as New Mexico United survives Cruizers

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Players from New Mexico United (left) and Cruizers FC battle for the ball in the First Round of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: New Mexico United
Players from New Mexico United (left) and Cruizers FC battle for the ball in the First Round of the 2026 US Open Cup. Photo: New Mexico United

This match highlighted the nature of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, as New Mexico United hosted Cruizers FC of the NPSL on Wednesday night at the UNM Soccer Complex. Despite an unexpected performance from Cruizers, United secured a 3-2 victory to advance to Round 2. Goals from Grady Gilchrist and Cristian Nava contributed to the result.

New Mexico United made 10 changes to the starting lineup from its season opener against Oakland Roots, with Will Seymore as the only returning starter. Arturo Astorga was a late scratch and replaced by Zico Bailey, while Greg Hurst was included on the bench and later entered the match during the first half.

United created an early opportunity within the first four minutes when Justin Rennicks took a shot that went wide. The team maintained attacking pressure, and in the 12th minute, a low cross from Rennicks led to a misplay between Angel Ruiz-Hernandez and Ignacio Flores. The ball deflected off Flores and into the net for an own goal, giving United a 1-0 lead.

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Cruizers responded in the 16th minute. After working the ball into the penalty area, Ariel Mbumba capitalized on a loose ball and scored from close range to equalize at 1-1.

Both teams made substitutions in the 31st minute due to injuries. Alex Kryazhev and Justin Rennicks were both forced to leave the match, with Greg Hurst replacing Rennicks.

Following a stoppage, United regained the lead in the 38th minute. Gilchrist advanced down the left side and attempted a cross, but the ball instead traveled directly into the net, marking his first professional goal and giving United a 2-1 advantage.

Cruizers equalized again during first-half stoppage time. In the 48th minute, a turnover in United’s defensive half allowed Mbumba to score his second goal of the match, tying the score at 2-2.

In the second half, United controlled possession but faced difficulty breaking down Cruizers’ defensive setup. Several chances were created, including headers by Luther Archimede and attempts by Valentin Noel, but none resulted in a goal.

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The decisive moment came near the end of regulation. In the 90th minute, Nava received a pass inside the penalty area and scored with a right-footed shot to give United a 3-2 lead.

The closing minutes included multiple disciplinary actions. Cam Wilkerson received a second yellow card and was sent off in the 96th minute. Jorge Medina of Cruizers was also sent off after receiving a second yellow card in the 100th minute. Additionally, a member of United’s coaching staff was shown a red card.

Nava was named Player of the Match. In his first start in nearly three years, he played the full match and scored the game-winning goal.

With the win, New Mexico United advances to Round 2 of the US Open Cup. The opponent will be determined following the upcoming draw. Round 2 is scheduled to take place between March 31 and April 1.

2025 US Open Cup Round 3: El Paso Locomotive earns first MLS date after PK win over New Mexico United

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Players from El Paso Locomotive FC celebrate after scoring a goal against New Mexico United in the Third Round of the 2025 US Open Cup. Photo: Angel Ramos - El Paso Locomotive FC
Players from El Paso Locomotive FC celebrate after scoring a goal against New Mexico United in the Third Round of the 2025 US Open Cup. Photo: Angel Ramos – El Paso Locomotive FC

El Paso Locomotive FC delivered a dramatic and determined performance on the road Wednesday night, defeating New Mexico United in a US Open Cup clash that showcased both teams’ grit and intensity. After 120 minutes of play and a deadlock at 2-2, El Paso triumphed in a penalty shootout, advancing to the Round of 32 for the first time in club history.

The match began with a noticeable shift in demeanor from the visitors compared to their recent league encounter with United. Where El Paso had previously appeared cautious and content to play for a point, this time they arrived with purpose. Buoyed by a string of strong performances in recent weeks, the Locomotive played with an attacking mindset from the outset, pressing high and creating dangerous opportunities from the opening whistle.

Former United forward Amando Moreno was instrumental early, pressing United’s back line and helping to dictate the tempo. El Paso’s pressure paid off in the 20th minute when Ricardo Ruiz delivered a pinpoint corner into the box. The cross pulled United goalkeeper Kris Shakes off his line, but the flight of the ball carried past him and met the head of Daniel Carter, who directed it into the back of the net to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

The goal sparked a physical and emotional response from both sides. The match saw multiple yellow cards before halftime, and tempers flared during two scuffles at opposite ends of the pitch. The officiating came under scrutiny as the center referee worked to maintain control in an increasingly tense atmosphere.

Despite a shaky opening, United found their footing around the 30-minute mark. In the 29th minute, Brazilian forward Fernando narrowly missed an equalizer after misfiring a promising cross from McKinze Gaines. But fortune favored United just minutes later. In the 40th minute, a miscommunication at the back proved costly for El Paso. Goalkeeper Sebastian Mora-Mora attempted to play the ball out to his left but lingered too long, allowing Gaines to pounce and intercept. With a quick pass to the center of the box, Gaines found Marlon Vargas, who slotted the ball home to level the match at 1-1 heading into the break.

The second half saw a tactical shift from both teams as they sought control through more deliberate build-up play. El Paso nearly regained the lead in the 70th minute when Andy Cabrera unleashed a powerful strike from distance, only to be denied by a fingertip save from Shakes that pushed the ball onto the crossbar.

Just three minutes later, United capitalized on a well-orchestrated sequence. Moving the ball fluidly from wing to wing, United pulled the El Paso defense out of position. Mukwelle Akale found space on the left and delivered a curling cross to the far post, where Jaylin Lindsey timed his run perfectly to head the ball past Mora-Mora and give United a 2-1 advantage.

As the clock wound down, United began rotating in fresh legs and looked set to close out the match. But the rivalry’s dramatic nature had one more twist. In the dying seconds of stoppage time, a foul by Talen Maples near midfield gave El Paso a lifeline. With the entire team pushed forward, including the goalkeeper, the ball was launched into the penalty area. A failed clearance allowed Gabi Torres to collect and find Cabrera, who calmly buried a left-footed shot into the bottom corner to tie the match 2-2 and force extra time.

Fatigue set in during the additional 30 minutes, though both teams managed to carve out key chances. United had the best look in the 104th minute when Akale and Thomas Amang broke into the final third. Akale attempted to square the ball for what seemed a certain goal, but a heavy touch let the opportunity slip away.

With no breakthrough in extra time, the match was ultimately decided by penalties. United struggled from the spot, as Gedion Zelalem’s attempt was saved and Kalen Ryden’s shot ricocheted off the crossbar. El Paso, by contrast, was clinical. Cabrera, capping off a standout performance, converted the final penalty to seal the shootout 4-1.

The win marks a significant milestone for El Paso Locomotive, who will now prepare for their Round of 32 matchup against an MLS side with momentum at their backs. For New Mexico United, it’s a painful exit in a match that saw them claw back, take the lead, and come within seconds of victory—only to see it slip away in the most dramatic fashion.

 

2024 US Open Cup Quarterfinals: LAFC pulls away from New Mexico United in battle of MLS, USL front-runners

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David Martinez of LAFC battles for the ball with a New Mexico United defender in the Quarterfinals of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: LAFC

For the second time in its history, Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles FC is in a Lamar Hunt US Open Cup semifinal.

With goals by Timothy Tillman, David Martinez, and Mateusz Bogusz, LAFC earned a 3-1 home win over USL Championship side New Mexico United at BMO Stadium. The Black and Gold advance to the final four where they will trave face fellow MLS side Seattle Sounders FC.

“We jumped just as high as we needed to tonight,” head coach Steve Cherundolo said. “We just cleared the bar.”

“But certainly we can play better.”

After leading 2-0 at halftime, United’s Greg Hurst cut LAFC’s lead in half 12 minutes after the restart to spark the visitors and make things difficult for The Black and Gold who sweated out a lackluster second half. Now, the top team in the MLS Western Conference is back in the Semifinals for the first time since their inaugural season in 2018.

LAFC were able to set the tempo into cruise control early after Tillman continued his goal-contributing form in the tournament.

When United goalkeeper Alexandros Tambakis parried away Bogusz’s attempt, the ball fell kindly for Tillman — the midfielder made no mistake and slammed home the game’s first goal in the 6th minute.

With two goals and an assist, Tillman has a goal contribution in each of LAFC’s three cup matches.

“It took a little more patience,” Tillman said. “But we managed the game really well.”

The hosts continued to keep their foot on the gas and doubled their lead 30 minutes later when 18-year-old Martinez, who was making his first LAFC start, used two attempts to get the ball beyond Tambakis and into the net.

With a through ball by Bogusz, the forward slipped into the box and pounced on his own rebound to slam the ball home after Tambakis saved the first shot back into Martinez’s path.

The 2-0 deficit did not keep the large bunch of traveling supporters from continuing its raucous atmosphere in the visitor’s section, and, 12 minutes into the second half, the fans were rewarded with a Hurst scorcher.

The forward ripped a shot from outside the box that arrowed into LAFC goalkeeper Hugo Lloris’ side net to bring New Mexico United within one.

The Black and Yellow immediately added wingers Sergio Rivas and Dayonn Harris for fresh legs before, less than 10 minutes later, throwing on forward Daniel Bruce for an extra attacker.

The numbers committed forward for New Mexico United left space for Bogusz to get on the scoresheet 13 minutes from time with a long run that finished with him cutting onto his right foot and curling past Tambakis.

“We fielded a very strong team tonight,” Cherundolo, who remained silent amid questions surrounding links to the newly-vacant United State’s men’s national team, said. “Our objective was to advance and we did that so job well done.”

United bowed out after making it to the quarterfinal phase for the second time in its history. The club leads the Western Conference of USL and face Birmingham Legion FC in their next league game.

The Black and Gold will play six games before the they travel to take on the Sounders in the Semifinals the week of Aug. 27-28.

The last time LAFC reached the final four, eventual champion Houston Dynamo eliminated The Black and Gold in a penalty shootout.

2024 US Open Cup Round 5: New Mexico United blanks final MLS NEXT Pro team, returns to Quarterfinals

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New Mexico United players celebrate after scoring a goal against NYCFC II in the Round of 16 of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Eric Lovato - New Mexico United
New Mexico United players celebrate after scoring a goal against NYCFC II in the Round of 16 of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Eric Lovato – New Mexico United

The clock struck midnight for New York City FC II in the 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on Tuesday night. Against a deep, well-performing New Mexico United, the last remaining MLS NEXT Pro team fell, 3-0, at Belson Stadium on the campus of St. John’s University in Queens, New York. 

“I’m super proud for the club tonight. It’s not easy. A lot of long travel. Credit to New York City FC II for making it this far. They (have) a quality squad with a lot of young up and comers that have bright futures,” said New Mexico United head coach Eric Quill. “I thought we played extremely well.”

Originally set for a 7:30 start, the match was delayed for over 30 minutes. Medical staff, particularly the ambulance, was caught in New York City traffic. However, that did not hinder the excitement of the crowd, officially marked at 534. However in person the total felt closer to sub 1,000.

The fervent NYCFC supporters chanted and had an impressive drumline. A large contingent of children from the organization’s academy sat nearby as well, looking to watch many of the same NYCFC II players that had played where they are currently. Not far away, an impressive contingent of NMU supporters sat in the Belson bleachers.

The traveling support meant a lot to the players on the field, and especially for New Mexico’s first-year manager.

“That’s why I came to New Mexico United was their fan base,” Quill said. “They are loyal, they’re committed, they’re energetic, they show up. It’s the state of New Mexico. That’s what I love about it. The team name is New Mexico United. It’s not a city, the whole state is behind it. You feel that on a day to day basis and you want to reward that commitment, that loyalty that they show.”

Both the home and away side were gifted with an entertaining, if not at times sloppy first half. NYCFC II started two notable first-team players, Jovan Mijatović and Strahinja Tanasijević. The former was playing in his second consecutive Open Cup game and second match overall in three days after a fierce Hudson River Derby win against the Red Bulls. On the other side, former New York City FC defender Chris Gloster started at left back for New Mexico United. The former U.S. youth national team player spent two years in the NYCFC organization with both the first and second teams.

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Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a “We Want The Cup” shirt in your team’s colors. Visit THECUP.US SHOP

Each team had chances to produce the go ahead goal but failed to get anything threatening. An NYCFC corner kick in the 25th was headed over the net by defender Strahinja Tanasijević. A few minutes later, a free kick from 25 yards out was struck by Taylor Calheira looking for his fourth goal of the tournament. The low shot got through traffic but was saved by NMU goalkeeper Alexandros Tabakis.

In the 30th, a blocked New Mexico shot fell back at the feet of Marco Micaletto who launched a shot from outside the box. Despite going wide right, NYCFC keeper Tomás Romero.

The next best chance came in the 38th minute when New York City’s Piero Elias ripped a low shot from outside of the NMU box that went wide left.

One of New York’s best aspects was its ability to catch NMU offside. The backline, missing Christian McFarlane due to him playing with the England U-17s, was able to implement a high press. The risky tactic worked, as NMU was caught offside three times and only able to get three shots off.

The other key aspect of the first half was physicality. Players on each team earned a caution and both sides committed 12 fouls each ahead of halftime.

While New Mexico was being outshot at the break, 8-3, there was no nervousness according to defender Anthony Herbert.

“The goal today was to keep the clean sheet and even though things weren’t going well and the way that we expected, we know that we were one step ahead of continuing that and we had a clean sheet and we basically trust ourselves,” Herbert said. “We trust the team. We know if we keep the ball and we pass the ball and play with that to play, eventually we (will) score and that was it. (There) was no nervousness, there was no anger, the coach trusted us. We trust ourselves and we came out and we played our brand of football and it worked out for us.”

That mentality proved to be the case and the second half was the beginning of the end for the hosts.

In the 49th minute, Jovan Mijatović nearly capitalized on a poor defensive pass in the New Mexico end. Jonathan ‘JJ’ Jiménez jumped on the ball, running it into the box before passing off to the Serbian import. With just Alexandros Tabakis to beat, Mijatović shanked his shot wide right. The deflated look on his face was only matched by Jiménez throwing his hands over his hand in astonishment.

The game-winning goal came a minute later in the 50th minute. A throw-in from the NMU end found Micaletto at midfield. He passed off to Avionne Flanagan, who broke down the left flank and fired a strike past Romero into the top right corner.

Flanagan, who hadn’t played in nearly a month for his side, earned praise from his coach who knows how much the moment meant to him after going nearly a month without playing a match.

“I thought he was a game changer,” Quill said. “I’m proud of him. He’s kept his fight and his mentality. He deserved tonight’s goal.”

The situation spiraled for the home side not long after. In the 53rd minute, Samuel Owusu battled Micaletto for the ball near midfield, leading to the NYCFC player essentially slapping the midfielder from behind. Both teams came together to but ends, and as the dust settled Owusu was shown a straight red card for the offense. NMU’s Micaletto was also shown a yellow card for his part in the scuffle.

New Mexico looked to double its lead from there. A poor New York City clearance in the 58th was headed back towards a waiting NMU player, who fed Daniel Bruce for a shot that went just wide left of the net. Not long after, a United throw in deep in the NYC end began on the right side, came back to midfield, and eventually came into the box where Andrew “Drew” Baiera tried to head towards Romero. Instead, the ball went out for a corner kick.

That kick was played to Micaletto on the left side, who sent a long ball into the box towards a waiting Talen Maples. He lifted his right leg to redirect the ball into the left corner and passed a nearly non-moving Romero in the 65th minute.

As New York attempted to counter, trying in vain to cut into the deficit, the situation proved to be fruitless. The home side was limited to just four shots in the final 45 minutes. The team got very little time in the New Mexico box after going down to 10 men. The sloppy play also continued which gave New Mexico ample time to try and extend the lead, even as starters were beginning to get rotated out.

The game was iced in the 85th minute by a man who knows the field at Belson very well. Defender Anthony Herbert, who played for the St. John’s Red Storm in 2021, was in the right place in the 86th minute as a corner kick found Greg Hurst, who’s strike was saved by Romero. The ball floated in the air, allowing the Brooklyn native to jump up and head in the ball.

FULL MATCH VIDEO: NYCFC II vs. New Mexico United

“Well, for me it means a lot because I think it was really ironic being able to come back here finally be able to get my family to come to see me because (my team is) all the way in New Mexico,” Herbert said after the game. “For me as a footballer it was always a roller coaster. I was (at Ocean City Nor’easters in USL League Two), then I was at St. John’s and I got a deal in Finland in the premier division and now I’m back home. I’m just enjoying the moment, enjoying the career and working out every day to see where it takes me.”

NYCFC II’s run ends with multiple positives. The team earned the $25,000 prize as the farthest reaching Division III team in the tournament this year. Furthermore, the team now holds the honor of being the most successful MLS reserve team in the tournament’s history. That honor was previously held by Seattle Sounders 2, who reached the Round of 32 in 2015.

New Mexico heads to the Quarterfinals for the second time in team history, the first since the organization’s run in its inaugural 2019 season.

Scoring Summary

  • 50’ – New Mexico United – Avionne Flanagan (Marco Micaletto)
  • 65’ – New Mexico United – Talen Maples (Marco Micaletto)
  • 86’ – New Mexico United – Anthony Herbert

Lineups

New York City FC II: Tomás Romero (GK), Strahinja Tanasijević, Samuel Kwaku Owusu, Christopher Tiao, Andrew Baiera, Taylor Calheira, Jacob Arroyave, Piero Elias (Klevis Haxhari 81’), Jovan Mijatović, Jonathan Jiménez, Máximo Carrizo (Jake Rozhansky 64’)

Unused subs: Camil Azzam Ruiz, Matthew Leong, Stevo Bednarsky, Jonathan Shore, Will Meyer

Manager: Matt Pilkington

New Mexico United: Alexandros Tabakis (GK), Jon-Talen Maples, Anthony Herbert, Chris Gloster (Harry Swartz 75’), Abdi Mohamed, Marco Micaletto (Dominick Hernandez 75’), Landry Nanan Houssou, Zico Bailey, Daniel Bruce (Greg Hurst 83’), Avionne Flanagan (Arturo Astorga 75’), Mukwelle Akale (Jackson Dubois 87’)

Unused subs: Dayonn Harris, Kristopher Shakes

Manager: Eric Quill

Yellow Cards

  • Strahinja Tanasijević, NYCFC II 9’
  • Landry Nanan Houssou, New Mexico United 20’
  • Eric Quill (Head coach, officially given to the bench), New Mexico United 30’
  • Marco Micaletto, New Mexico United 55’
  • Jake Rozhansky, NYCFC II 80’

Red Cards

  • Samuel Kwaku Owusu, NYCFC II 55’

Attendance

Official: 534
Unofficial: 900~

2024 US Open Cup Round 4: Zico Bailey of New Mexico United voted TheCup.us Player of the Round

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Zico Bailey New Mexico United TheCup.us Player of the Round 2024 US Open Cup
Photo: Jacob Terrell | Graphic: Phil Naegely

New Mexico United’s already impressive Lamar Hunt US Open Cup record against MLS sides improved once again in the Round of 32 due in large part to the play of Zico Bailey. The Nevada native made light work of two early attempts from outside the arc to put the USL Championship side out to a lead they would never look back in a 4-2 home win against Real Salt Lake.

Bailey’s brace earned him a tightly won race for TheCup.us Player of the Round honors. In one of the closest votes ever, Bailey beat out MD Myers (Charleston Battery) and Carlos Saldana (Detroit City FC) by just two points (3 points for a first place vote, 1 point for a second place vote). Myers and Saldana were tied for second place. This marks the first time a player from New Mexico United has claimed the award.

The award is voted on by TheCup.us staff, a select panel from the North American Soccer Reporters, and select backers from TheCup.us’ Patron. Anyone interested in voting for this award for upcoming rounds, consider pledging $10 or more and help us continue to cover the US Open Cup and research its long history.

Bailey’s performance in the Open Cup further cements the decision that head coach Eric Quill made when bringing in the midfielder on a short-term contract in August of 2023. After joining the Black & Yellow, Bailey played a pivotal role in United’s late-season playoff push.

Not necessarily known for his shooting ability, Bailey’s performance was that much more special as it was the fastest two-goal sequence in United’s history. In the 17th and 19th minutes, Bailey was played into space at the top of the arc. The first ball came via Sergio Rivas, which Bailey turned into a goal in the bottom left, while the second was a moment that When Playing It Out Of the Back Goes Wrong would appreciate. An interception by Dayonn Harris then found Bailey alone at the top again and made Real Salt Lake pay for their mistakes twice in as many minutes.

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Support TheCup.us and its coverage of the US Open Cup by purchasing a “We Want The Cup” shirt in your team’s colors. Visit THECUP.US SHOP

“It’s something we talked about in the pre-game,” said Bailey speaking to media after the win. “We wanted to start the game well and set the tone early. We wanted to make sure that we made the first big momentum play of the night and we did that.”

When asked about scoring two goals in a match, Bailey said he couldn’t remember ever doing it before, let alone that fast.

Upsetting MLS clubs is nothing new for the New Mexico-based club, and Bailey helped his club jump out to an early start. Led by Bailey, United upset an MLS side for the third time in only their fourth appearance in the tournament, having made their debut in 2019, when they made a Cinderella run to the Quarterfinals.

Bailey, only 23, made his professional debut back in 2017 as a member of LA Galaxy II. Since then, Bailey made his way to the MLS with FC Cincinnati from 2020-2022. After being released, he spent time with San Antonio FC in 2023, before being picked up by Quill and United. Bailey’s versatility on the pitch has seen him play both as a defender and a midfielder for the Black & Yellow, excelling in both. 

2024 US Open Cup Round 4: New Mexico United adds another MLS upset to resume, 4-2 over Real Salt Lake

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New Mexico United fans cheer on their team during a Fourth Round match in the 2024 US Open Cup against Real Salt Lake. Photo: Jacob Terrell - Somos Mas
New Mexico United fans cheer on their team during a Fourth Round match in the 2024 US Open Cup against Real Salt Lake. Photo: Jacob Terrell – Somos Mas

In a dramatic upset in the 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, lower-division side New Mexico United defeated Major League Soccer’s Western Conference leader Real Salt Lake 4-2. This result adds another chapter to the tournament’s history of unexpected outcomes and continues United’s history of beating MLS clubs in the tournament. 

Back in 2019, New Mexico eliminated a pair of MLS clubs, both on the road when they knocked off the Colorado Rapids and FC Dallas.

While Real Salt Lake boasted some players with experience against New Mexico on their home pitch, United dominated possession early. Their strategy of attacking through the wings and targeting Daniel Bruce in the middle proved effective, forcing RSL into errors.

This pressure paid off in the 19th minute with two quick goals from Zico Bailey. The first originated from a Sergio Rivas pass that Bailey converted from outside the area, sneaking the ball past Gavin Beavers for the 1-0 lead.

Less than a minute later, Dayonn Harris intercepted a pass out of the back and found Bailey, who capitalized with a shot from nearly the same spot as the first. This time, he got more power behind the shot, and Beavers didn’t have a chance at a save.

Real Salt Lake finally responded before halftime with Fidel Barajas converting a goal from Nelson Palacio and Zavier Gozo. Barajas received the ball on the left wing off Gozo’s header before driving into the area and placing the shot across the face of the goal and into the side netting to cut the lead, 2-1. 

“Their first goal was a mentality moment,” New Mexico coach Eric Quill said. “It starts with a goal kick, and we missed two headers — two chances to win it. They win both of them, they get in behind us and score. That gives the opponent life. But we knew we were going to suffer some today. That’s such a quality team to play. We’re not going to consistently have seven consecutive passes against a quality side like that. We have to be willing to suffer but know how to get out of that stuff.”

Nicky Hernandez restored the two-goal advantage for United just before the halftime break with a long-range strike aided by Daniel Bruce. Much like Bailey, Hernandez favored the shot from distance in the fifth minute of stoppage time, lacing through the ball and drilling it into the back netting to take a 3-1 lead into the break.

The second half saw Real Salt Lake threaten again early on with a 49th-minute goal from Diego Luna, assisted by Anderson Julio. As with the goals in the first half, this one also came from outside the box, continuing the trend of the evening. 

The match became increasingly physical with several yellow cards shown, but neither side received a red card. A controversial moment arose when Real Salt Lake appeared to make a fourth substitution, exceeding the allowed limit.

But New Mexico United held on and secured the victory with a late goal from Jacobo Reyes. After subbing on late in the match, Reyes made his mark in the 85th minute. After Hernandez clanged another long-distance shot off the woodwork, Reyes gathered the rebound and slotted home a right-footed effort that sealed the win for United. 

“I don’t want to say I’m shocked, but I just marveled at the performance of the guys tonight,” said Quill. “How they came out; the goals we scored (were) just really nice goals. The resiliency — when we conceded — to come back and stay on top of the game. We showed a lot of character. That’s a great team that’s going to be near the top of the MLS, with a great coach in Pablo Masteroni. We have a lot of respect for that organization, and where they’re going. But tonight, we made it about us. We just had a moxie to us. It was evident. We got challenged at times, but each time with goals.”

New Mexico United advances to the Round of 16, where the USL Championship side will face NYCFC II the week of May 21-22.

2024 US Open Cup Round 3: New Mexico United pull away in 2nd half, oust Lubbock Matadors

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Jacobo Reyes of New Mexico United (right) battles for the ball against Lubbock Matadors in the Third Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Eric Lovato - New Mexico United
Jacobo Reyes of New Mexico United (right) battles for the ball against Lubbock Matadors in the Third Round of the 2024 US Open Cup. Photo: Eric Lovato – New Mexico United

New Mexico United faced off against the Lubbock Matadors in the Third Round of the 2024 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on Thursday, and took home a victory in front of a home crowd. The teams faced off at the Ram’s Soccer Field at Rio Rancho High School, under the glow of the New Mexico sun. United had a action packed four minutes where three different players scored three goals, and the Matadors made one goal off a penalty shot in the last minute of the game, to give New Mexico a 3-1 win.

With this win, United advance in their opening round game for the fourth year in a row and will move on to the Fourth Round (Round of 32). They will find out their next opponent after the Third Round is complete.

For New Mexico United head coach Eric Quill, it was his first Open Cup win in charge of the club and he hopes the win will build some momentum as the team returns to league play.

“We want to be a player in this tournament,” said Quill, who played in 11 US Open Cup games during his playing days. “And obviously we’ve got a game coming on the weekend, so it’s always nice to get a win before you go on the road so hopefully this gives us some confidence going into North Carolina and we want to keep it rolling. We want to be a consistent winner.”

The game started off fast from the New Mexico United with Jacobo Reyes and Daniel Bruce both had their own shots on goal in the first and third minute of the half. Bruce in the 11th minute would have another shot on goal that would be wide. Matteo Conci in the 15th minute was able to secure two more blocks by United, but United continued to put the pressure on the Matadors. Matadors’ forward Luke Jones tried to take back the momentum, but his miss on the right side goal post couldn’t find it.

Going into the 16th minute, United’s Daniel Bruce was caught offside on his goal attempt that otherwise would have scored. The turquoise wearing United continually kept up the pressure, but failed to successfully secure any goals within the first half. This continued all the way to the 34th minute, where goalie Matteo Conci was able to block back to back shots from United’s Jacobo Reyes and Harry Swartz.

Both teams continued to find anything in the first half, but it didn’t happen. Both left the pitch for halftime with a 0-0 score.

Going into the second half, the United had regrouped and came out strong. Forwards and midfielders were making fast and concise passes up and around the box, and that led to a streak of three consecutive goals.

Starting in the 58th minute, United’s Harry Swartz was able to sink the ball in the back left corner with an assist from Daniel Bruce. Less than a minute later, Daniel Bruce found his own goal as he sent the ball from the right side of the box into the back left corner of the goal.

Finally in the 62nd minute, Mukewelle Akale was able to take a free kick and sank the ball into the center back of the net. Within four minutes, the United had turned a scoreless game into a 3-0 scoreline.

From that point on, the United were filled with electricity and kept running up the pace, not letting the Matadors come back at all. The United held a dominant 65.1% possession throughout the game, and through the rest of the second half it showed. It wasn’t until the 90th minute that the Matadors saw some success off of a penalty kick scored by Shuma Sasaki. The game would go on for an extra six minutes, but there was not enough time for the Matadors to come back and even tie up the game.

“All in all, first half, we had quality chances, we just couldn’t put those two or three away that we had so we let hang around,” said Quill. “It’s a good amateur team right there who has a lot of college players that have a lot of talent. So, credit to them for making it this far but now it’s on to the next round and we’ve gotta be better and we’ll work on those things that will make us better.” 

2023 US Open Cup Round 4: Austin FC has “dominant” win over New Mexico United in tournament debut at home

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Austin FC forward Maximiliano Urruti celebrates after scoring a goal during the 2023 US Open Cup match against New Mexico United. Photo: JJ Moothart | Austin FC
Austin FC forward Maximiliano Urruti celebrates after scoring a goal during the 2023 US Open Cup match against New Mexico United. Photo: JJ Moothart | Austin FC

For a club a little over two years old, Austin FC still experiencing plenty of new things.

Rodney Redes, the first signing in club history, scored his first career goal to help the Verde & Black beat USL Championship side New Mexico United 2-0 Wednesday night in the first-ever Lamar Hunt US Open Cup game at Q2 Stadium. 

“I thought it was a good example of what we have been building on the last couple of games,” Austin FC head coach Josh Wolff said. “We created a lot of chances and got some goals. I thought it was a pretty dominant performance.”

Redes scored the opening goal in the 24th minute, heading home a corner kick from designated player Emiliano Rigoni. 

Austin FC doubled its lead with a beautiful team goal in the 36th minute.

Rigoni took one touch to get past a new Mexico defender and picked out Adam Lundqvist near the left sideline. Lundqvist needed just one pass to find a wide-open striker Maxi Urruti for an easy goal. 

“A play like that almost looks like a play from an NFL game,” Lundqvist said. “It’s exactly what we practiced, it’s exactly the moves and it just played out. It really gives you that confidence going forward. It was good to see.” 

For Urruti, it was his fifth career US Open Cup goal. He scored three of those goals in 2016 with FC Dallas en route to winning the US Open Cup title.

Austin FC dominated nearly every statistical category against New Mexico, including shots (13-9), shots on goal (8-2), corners (5-1) and crosses (18-6). 

It all happened without superstar midfielder and MLS MVP finalist Sebastian Driussi, who will be out until at least the end of the month with a groin injury.

“We can win games without Seba, we can score goals without Seba,” Wolff said. “It’s important that our guys see that and feel that and now truly believe that.”

Wolff said earlier in the was going to take this tournament seriously, especially after last year’s embarrassing loss to San Antonio FC in the team’s’ first-ever game in Round 3. Wednesday was the first of seven games over the next three weeks for the Verde & Black, but that didn’t stop him from running out a largely first-choice starting XI. 

“Elimination games are never easy,” said Wolff, who won three Open Cup titles as a player with the Chicago Fire (1998, 2000) and Sporting Kansas City (2004) “You’ve got one team in a different league and they’ve got a chip on their shoulder for a variety of reasons. You’ve got to come in ready to play. You take nothing for granted. You’ve got to be hungry and ruthless.”

Perhaps nobody was more hungry and ruthless on Wednesday than Redes. 

The Paraguayan midfielder appeared in 25 games with five starts for Austin FC during the inaugural 2021 season, contributing one assist. He struggled to get consistent minutes in 2022, making just 12 MLS appearances with no starts.

He’s had somewhat over a redemption arc over the last three games in Verde & Black, picking up his first assist in more than two years two weeks ago against San Jose before scoring his first goal on Wednesday.

The fans at Q2 recognized his commitment, chanting his name late in the second half.

“Of course I heard it and of course it made me happy,” Redes said. “I thank the fans for the support that they always give me. I’ve always worked hard, and I knew there would come a point that I was going get those minutes, and I’m thankful that now I am.”

2023 US Open Cup Round 3: Late goal helps New Mexico United win rematch with Phoenix Rising

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Greg Hurst of New Mexico United celebrates after scoring a goal against Phoenix Rising FC in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: New Mexico United
Greg Hurst of New Mexico United celebrates after scoring a goal against Phoenix Rising FC in the 2023 US Open Cup. Photo: New Mexico United

It wouldn’t be a match between New Mexico United and Phoenix Rising FC if there weren’t fireworks involved. The third US Open Cup meeting between the rivals exploded just before the halftime whistle and remained contentious until United escaped with a 2-1 victory to advance to the Round of 32.

After having to play all of their prior Open Cup matches either on the road or at the UNM Soccer Complex, New Mexico was finally able to host a tournament match on their home pitch. Hometown kid Alex Waggoner was handed his first career start and led the United attack for much of the night. Throughout the first half, the New Mexico native put himself into positions that begged for the ball to be delivered to him. The chances were few and far between for the United Academy graduate, however. 

”It’s special in front of our home fans to show and display a performance real good,” said United midfielder Daniel Bruce. “But we take it one game at a time. This is a tournament that we enjoy as players and it’s another chance to show our fans we love this club.”

Neither side separated themselves in terms of attacking opportunities, but the visitors looked to have the edge when it came to set pieces. Rising’s best opportunity in the half came around the half-hour mark when they won a series of corner kicks. United’s back four stood tall and was able to clear every threat they were presented with. 

With under five minutes to play in the half, Bruce was able to put his pace to good use and streamed up the pitch, not once, but twice in a matter of minutes. On the first of the two runs towards the south goal, Bruce made it to the top of the area before being dispossessed. The second time however, the Englishman made a read to his right and laid the ball off for Greg Hurst. The forward’s first attempt on goal was blocked, but fell right back to him, allowing him to slot the ball home into the bottom left corner for a 1-0 lead. 

Moments later the rivals converged, first at midfield, then again along the western touchline. The latter incident was set off after an apparent foul by Bruce on Baboucarr Njie. As the pair went down, Njie kicked out at Bruce, earning himself a red card.

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Up a man, it would have looked to an outsider that United would have clear control of the match. Rising had other plans though. From the start of the second half, Rising didn’t look like they were down a man. The visitors looked crisp on the counterattack and pressed United early on. In the 78th, Rising earned a free kick from twenty-five yards out. The shot went off the crossbar and in the resulting scramble Carlos Harvey was able to put the ball away for the equalizer, 1-1.

“Credit to them (Phoenix Rising) for fighting back. I thought they did a really good job of that,” said United head coach Zach Prince. “They spread us out and were able to really work the possession in their favor.”

One of the season’s new arrivals for United gave them the lead once again in the 87th. Against the run of play, United finally put their man advantage to good use. Josh Dolling, who had only been on the pitch for a matter of minutes, collected a deflection near the top of the area and calmly slotted home to put United up for good, 2-1.

 

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