September 3, 2022 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – New Mexico United News Release
Albuquerque, NM – New Mexico United fell by a 2-1 margin to El Paso Locomotive FC at home on Friday night. Luis Solignac recorded a goal in each half to propel the visitors to their first-ever victory in the state of New Mexico. Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park was packed for the match, with 10,721 fans filling the seats.
Chris Wehan appeared to open the scoring in the sixth minute, as he collected the long pass from Kalen Ryden inside the El Paso box, and was one-on-one with goalkeeper Evan Newton, slotting underneath him for an apparent 1-0 lead. But that tally was quickly waved off, as the assistant referee raised the flag for offside. Just four minutes later, Amando Moreno slotted home on the first touch, but again was called offside. One minute later, Kalen Ryden’s near post run on a corner kick resulted in a free header that went just wide of the post.
The score remained level until the 18th minute, when Solignac one-timed a centering ball from Ricardo Zacarias just past the outstretched leg of Alex Tambakis. The game’s first score, against the run of play, gave El Paso a lead that wouldn’t last long.
Just four minutes later, a simple progressive pass from Moreno to Kevaughn Frater took Frater toward the El Paso endline. But, with two defenders on his back, Frater evoked images of 2019 – firing from an incredibly acute angle, around the defenders and past Newton for his first goal since rejoining New Mexico United last month.
The score would remain level until the 71st minute, when Solignac scored his second goal of the evening. El Paso’s leading scorer brought down a long ball from Eder Borelli with his chest and thumped a ball past Tambakis for the final score of the match.
United finished the match with nearly five times the expected goals of El Paso, according to OPTA Analytics (2.43 – 0.50).
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