ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – It seems like each game turns up the temperature of their rivalry. New Mexico United and El Paso Locomotive will meet again on Saturday as two teams headed in the opposite direction.
United sits on top of the USL Championship table in the Western Conference, three points ahead of second-place Sacramento. El Paso currently occupies last place in the same division after a season that has only yielded three victories. The last meeting between United and Locomotive ended in New Mexico’s favor. United came from behind to win at home 3-2 in a match played in April. United will head into Saturday’s match trying to bounce back from a loss. Their match prior to the setback was a draw.
“We got to get back to winning,” said United head coach Eric Quill. “They’re going to have a still bitter taste in their mouth and a really vivid memory of what they could have done here, being up 2-1. So, I think that adds a little bit of spice Saturday. It gives them a little bit more belief that they almost knocked us off here.”
United are known for their traveling fans and the game in El Paso is no exception. Two bus loads of United fans are making the trip. Players are excited. “They’ll go anywhere with us,” said NM United midfielder Marco Micaletto. “You know, it’s amazing. It means that much more, as new players. We heard about the support and the fan base. You can here about but, it’s actually when you live week in and week out they actually follow you all the time. It’s awesome.”
Saturday’s game has a 7 p.m. start time in El Paso.