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Mar. 28—Saturday, 5 p.m., Radio: 101.7 FM; TV: KASY (English), Estrella (Spanish); Streaming: KRQE.com, ESPN+
Fire and motivation have been easy to come by for New Mexico United so far this season.
Consider the lineup for United's first three matches:
1. Season-opener against top USL Championship Western Conference contender Sacramento FC.
2. Road game at Las Vegas Lights FC — the club that knocked NMU out of last season's playoff and new coach Dennis Sanchez's former team.
3. Home opener versus archrival El Paso Locomotive FC.
Week four is a different animal.
United hits the road again Saturday for a match with no built-in rivalries or intriguing storylines. New Mexico visits struggling Miami FC for what amounts to a should-win match, but one that requires the visitors to gin up their own emotional fire.
NMU (2-1-0) is coming off back-to-back emotional victories, while Miami FC (0-3-0) is desperately trying to shake off an 11-game losing streak that dates back to last season. Ironically, the skid began with a 1-0 loss at Isotopes Park on Sept. 6, 2024.
United's players do not want Miami's struggles to end on their watch.
"No, we'll be ready," defender Talen Maples said. "There are a lot of good professionals on this club who keep the standards high. Our plan is to play our game, get three points and go home."
It sounds simple enough, but Sanchez warned that Miami FC is not the same club that staggered through a dismal 3-29-2 campaign last season.
"Completely different group," Sanchez said. "New players, new coach, and I'm sure they probably feel like they deserve to have more than zero points right now. They've got some good veterans and new young guys. There's quality there."
Miami had a prime opportunity to end its skid in last week's 2-1 loss to Tampa Bay Rowdies, but Francisco Bonfiglio's missed penalty kick in the 67th minute helped keep the streak intact.
Sanchez fully expects Miami FC to come out hungrier than ever Saturday. Maples hopes the home team will be in attack mode after El Paso spent most of last week's game packed into a defensive shell.
"We're hoping to see teams come after us and press us more," Maples said. "That's more the attacking style of soccer we want to play."
Sanchez anticipates seeing a bit more open space against Miami, but he took El Paso's low-block approach last week as something of a compliment.
"El Paso showed respect in adapting to us," Sanchez said. "Their low block was hard to break down, but in terms of how we went about it, I thought there were a lot of positives. We got our first shutout, won our home opener, those are things for us to build on."
What Sanchez does not want to see is any sort of letdown Saturday in what could easily amount to a trap game on United's schedule.
"Every game in this league is difficult," he said. "This one is no different. We're not looking at Miami's record by any means. We're expecting a battle and we need to be ready for it."
HOT HURST: United striker Greg Hurst is tied for the USLC lead with three goals this season and will have a shot to break a club record Saturday. Hurst has scored in four straight regular-season matches dating to NMU's 2024 finale, tying the record set by Chris Wehan in 2020 and equaled by Sergio Rivas in 2023.
"Goals come in bunches sometimes," Hurst said after scoring the lone tally last week against El Paso. "Hopefully I can ride this streak for as long as possible."
HOME COOKING: Sanchez and New Mexico's first-year players had high expectations for their first Isotopes Park appearance with NMU. They were not disappointed.
"As advertised," forward McKinze Gaines said. "People played it up as a special place to play and it's all of that. It was so loud when we scored and the vibe was just electric. I must've signed 300 autographs afterward, too. It was great. I'm really glad we could make those people happy."
Players to watch
New Mexico (2-1-0): United continues to dominate possession this season, ranking first in passes and second in accuracy (89%) through three weeks. Dominating the ball effectively limits opponents' scoring chances, but NMU's defense showed it was up to the task when needed in last week's 1-0 win over El Paso. Defenders Talen Maples and Kalen Ryden came up big, turning away most of Locomotive FC's opportunities. Maples has played a key role in coach Dennis Sanchez's system and leads the USLC with 300 passes while posting a team-leading 13 duels won. Ryden earned a spot on the USLC Team of the Week, completing 104 of 106 passes with six recoveries and three clearances versus El Paso. Goalkeeper Alex Tambakis was not tested often but secured his 53rd career clean sheet, five behind all-time league leader Evan Newton.
Miami (0-3-0): It's been another rough start for Miami and no one may have exemplified it better than forward Francisco Bonfiglio did in last week's 2-1 home loss to Tampa Bay. Bonfiglio got his team off to a great start, scoring in the second minute, but later missed on a penalty kick that could have ended Miami's long losing streak (now at 11 games dating to last season). To its credit, Miami has thus far been more competitive than it was during the 3-29-2 debacle of 2024. Bonfiglio, Kevin Hoyos and midfielder Francesco Celeste have provided an effective attacking trio, combining for two goals, six shots and five chances created. Still, Miami has just two goals scored and has conceded seven (second most in the USLC). Goalkeepers Bill Hamid and Felipe Rodriguez have been busy, facing a combined 15 opponents' shots through three weeks.
GOAL KICKS: While New Mexico plays four of its first five matches on the road, Miami will play its fourth straight at home Saturday. Miami's average attendance (1,432) ranks last among teams who have played at home. NMU's (11,005) is second to Oakland, which drew 26,575 for last week's opener at Oakland Coliseum — a single-game record for the league's current clubs. ... Miami will be without midfielder Diego Mercado and assistant coach Elis Cercega on Saturday after both picked up red cards in last week's match versus Tampa Bay.
Continue reading...
Fire and motivation have been easy to come by for New Mexico United so far this season.
Consider the lineup for United's first three matches:
1. Season-opener against top USL Championship Western Conference contender Sacramento FC.
2. Road game at Las Vegas Lights FC — the club that knocked NMU out of last season's playoff and new coach Dennis Sanchez's former team.
3. Home opener versus archrival El Paso Locomotive FC.
Week four is a different animal.
United hits the road again Saturday for a match with no built-in rivalries or intriguing storylines. New Mexico visits struggling Miami FC for what amounts to a should-win match, but one that requires the visitors to gin up their own emotional fire.
NMU (2-1-0) is coming off back-to-back emotional victories, while Miami FC (0-3-0) is desperately trying to shake off an 11-game losing streak that dates back to last season. Ironically, the skid began with a 1-0 loss at Isotopes Park on Sept. 6, 2024.
United's players do not want Miami's struggles to end on their watch.
"No, we'll be ready," defender Talen Maples said. "There are a lot of good professionals on this club who keep the standards high. Our plan is to play our game, get three points and go home."
It sounds simple enough, but Sanchez warned that Miami FC is not the same club that staggered through a dismal 3-29-2 campaign last season.
"Completely different group," Sanchez said. "New players, new coach, and I'm sure they probably feel like they deserve to have more than zero points right now. They've got some good veterans and new young guys. There's quality there."
Miami had a prime opportunity to end its skid in last week's 2-1 loss to Tampa Bay Rowdies, but Francisco Bonfiglio's missed penalty kick in the 67th minute helped keep the streak intact.
Sanchez fully expects Miami FC to come out hungrier than ever Saturday. Maples hopes the home team will be in attack mode after El Paso spent most of last week's game packed into a defensive shell.
"We're hoping to see teams come after us and press us more," Maples said. "That's more the attacking style of soccer we want to play."
Sanchez anticipates seeing a bit more open space against Miami, but he took El Paso's low-block approach last week as something of a compliment.
"El Paso showed respect in adapting to us," Sanchez said. "Their low block was hard to break down, but in terms of how we went about it, I thought there were a lot of positives. We got our first shutout, won our home opener, those are things for us to build on."
What Sanchez does not want to see is any sort of letdown Saturday in what could easily amount to a trap game on United's schedule.
"Every game in this league is difficult," he said. "This one is no different. We're not looking at Miami's record by any means. We're expecting a battle and we need to be ready for it."
HOT HURST: United striker Greg Hurst is tied for the USLC lead with three goals this season and will have a shot to break a club record Saturday. Hurst has scored in four straight regular-season matches dating to NMU's 2024 finale, tying the record set by Chris Wehan in 2020 and equaled by Sergio Rivas in 2023.
"Goals come in bunches sometimes," Hurst said after scoring the lone tally last week against El Paso. "Hopefully I can ride this streak for as long as possible."
HOME COOKING: Sanchez and New Mexico's first-year players had high expectations for their first Isotopes Park appearance with NMU. They were not disappointed.
"As advertised," forward McKinze Gaines said. "People played it up as a special place to play and it's all of that. It was so loud when we scored and the vibe was just electric. I must've signed 300 autographs afterward, too. It was great. I'm really glad we could make those people happy."
Players to watch
New Mexico (2-1-0): United continues to dominate possession this season, ranking first in passes and second in accuracy (89%) through three weeks. Dominating the ball effectively limits opponents' scoring chances, but NMU's defense showed it was up to the task when needed in last week's 1-0 win over El Paso. Defenders Talen Maples and Kalen Ryden came up big, turning away most of Locomotive FC's opportunities. Maples has played a key role in coach Dennis Sanchez's system and leads the USLC with 300 passes while posting a team-leading 13 duels won. Ryden earned a spot on the USLC Team of the Week, completing 104 of 106 passes with six recoveries and three clearances versus El Paso. Goalkeeper Alex Tambakis was not tested often but secured his 53rd career clean sheet, five behind all-time league leader Evan Newton.
Miami (0-3-0): It's been another rough start for Miami and no one may have exemplified it better than forward Francisco Bonfiglio did in last week's 2-1 home loss to Tampa Bay. Bonfiglio got his team off to a great start, scoring in the second minute, but later missed on a penalty kick that could have ended Miami's long losing streak (now at 11 games dating to last season). To its credit, Miami has thus far been more competitive than it was during the 3-29-2 debacle of 2024. Bonfiglio, Kevin Hoyos and midfielder Francesco Celeste have provided an effective attacking trio, combining for two goals, six shots and five chances created. Still, Miami has just two goals scored and has conceded seven (second most in the USLC). Goalkeepers Bill Hamid and Felipe Rodriguez have been busy, facing a combined 15 opponents' shots through three weeks.
GOAL KICKS: While New Mexico plays four of its first five matches on the road, Miami will play its fourth straight at home Saturday. Miami's average attendance (1,432) ranks last among teams who have played at home. NMU's (11,005) is second to Oakland, which drew 26,575 for last week's opener at Oakland Coliseum — a single-game record for the league's current clubs. ... Miami will be without midfielder Diego Mercado and assistant coach Elis Cercega on Saturday after both picked up red cards in last week's match versus Tampa Bay.
Continue reading...
