Since it’s Meow Wolf night when we play New Mexico United, I figured it was only fitting to turn towards my Magic 8-Ball. I asked it if we were going to win on Saturday and it said, “Most Likely.” I followed it up by asking if United stood a chance and it said, “Outlook Not So Good.” While this story may or may not be true, I like to think my very real 8-ball wasn’t lying.
MATCH DETAILS: USL Championship Regular Season Game #17; at New Mexico United; 7:30 p.m. MT kickoff
VENUE/WEATHER: Southwest University Park; El Paso, Texas; 84F degrees and partly cloudy.
WATCH PARTY: The Union Drafthouse (7470 Cimarron Square, Building 18)
WATCH: ESPN+
RECORDS/STANDINGS: Locomotive: 11-1-4 (37 points, MTN-1); United: 6-6-4 (22 points, MTN-6)
PREVIOUS MEETING: El Paso Locomotive and New Mexico United met at the end of July at Isotopes Park in a chippy game that was par for the course of the Derby del Camino Real. Both sides played aggressively for the opening goal, however, Defenders Mechack Jerome and Yuma were able to put a stop to any United advances, while Forward Lucho Solignac’s and Midfielder Sebastian Velasquez’s attempts on goal went wayward or were saved. United’s Juan Guzman was ejected on a second yellow late in the game, but even with the man advantage, Locomotive couldn’t find the elusive goal, eventually taking the point on the road.
It has been an absolutely wild two weeks. In the past two weeks, El Paso Locomotive played five games, pulling a record of 4-0-1 while showcasing the incredible talent in the squad put together by Head Coach Mark Lowry. Over the course of those five games, everything has fallen together to see Locomotive earn four straight, conceding only three while scoring 10 of their own. That kind of domination in the last five games led El Paso Locomotive to overtake Phoenix Rising FC and Louisville City FC at the pinnacle position of the USL Championship. This club has set itself up to be one of the best in the league and can easily contend with the best in the league. With the league having officially rounded the corner into the second half of the season, Locomotive is in a good position to hold onto its position and make a positive run through the USL CHampionship playoffs.
Like I said, in their incredible two-week run that led Los Locos to the Top of the USL Championship, El Paso earned four straight wins over Real Monarchs, Austin Bold FC, and San Antonio FC twice. While Locomotive has come close to that kind of winning streak multiple times previously, it has only ever achieved four straight wins once in 2020. From September 5 to September 19 – another two-week period – Locomotive claimed four straight wins to set the club record. The Boys in Blue have the opportunity to set yet another club record in 2021 by extending their win streak to five.
Week 16 ended with a momentous announcement by USL Championship and El Paso Locomotive. Head Coach and Technical Director Mark Lowry was recognized as Coach of the Month for July, and, while I might be biased, it is rightfully deserved. July featured six games – three on the road and three at home. Locomotive came away with five wins and a draw in those six games to leave July undefeated to rebound perfectly from the one and only loss in the first half of the 2021 USL Championship season. That performance from the players on the field and the management of the squad through training and rotations earned Mark Lowry the monthly accolade, which was announced this week. A little lesser known, the USL Championship Team of the Week for Week 16 featured two Locomotive players on the bench as Goalkeeper Logan Ketterer and Midfielder Nick Ross had their names added to the shortlist on the bench, creating a star-studded week for Locomotive after the halfway mark of the season.
Permitting the two don’t meet again in the playoffs this year, this will be the last time El Paso Locomotive and New Mexico United clash in the 2021 USL Championship season. Slated to meet four times this year, 2021 has already featured three Derby del Camino Real match-ups. To kick off the Regular Season, Locomotive hosted New Mexico United, salvaging a point in the last 10 or so seconds of play as Forward Leandro Carrijo tapped away an equalizing goal for a 1-1 finish. The two met again to celebrate America’s Independence Day, in a game that saw United lose a 1-0 lead again as Midfielder Dylan Mares scored two goals in two minutes to claim the full three points on a 2-1 win. Finally, in late July, El Paso traveled to Albuquerque, New Mexico for the first time since 2019 taking a point away from Isotopes Park behind a scoreless draw that saw New Mexico United go down a man late in the match. Now the 2021 series is set to come to an end in Albuquerque in a match that sees Locomotive vying to hold on to its league position and New Mexico United fighting to get back on top of the playoff line.