El Paso Locomotive chases the league record for the regular-season unbeaten streak with its next game against Real Monarchs at Zions Bank Stadium.
MATCH DETAILS: USL Championship Regular Season Game #7; vs Real Monarchs; 8:00 p.m. MT kickoff
VENUE/WEATHER: Zions Bank Stadium; Herriman, Utah; 85F and partly cloudy
WATCH PARTY: Flips (1071 Country Club Road)
WATCH: ESPN+
RECORDS/STANDINGS: Locomotive: 3-0-3 (12 points, MTN-2); Real Monarchs: 1-4-2 (5 points, MTN-7)
PREVIOUS MEETING: A late-game rush provided El Paso Locomotive with a 4-0 win over Real Monarchs the last time these two clashed in early October last year. Dylan Mares found a goal early in the 8th minute to provide Locomotive the lead. The high-pressure offensive from Locomotive paid off in the second half with a goal from Aaron Gomez and the brace from Saeed Robinson late in the half to claim an easy three points in Group C in 2020.
DETHRONERS THE MONARCHS
The Monarchs have only gotten the better of Locomotive once when it counted most. However, of the six meetings in the regular season, the Utah side has never been the better side between the two. Following a 2019 season that saw Locomotive and Real Monarchs share the points on two scoreless draws, Locomotive dethroned the defending USL Championship title winners with a 4-game series sweep in 2020. The regular season record now sits squarely in favor of El Paso, 4-0-2.
UNBEATEN IN 17
Yeah, you’ll be hearing this one a lot until it’s not a thing anymore. Coach Lowry said it best in a post-game interview this past week: “We strive for greatness; we are never content.” Already, Locomotive has achieved a level of greatness that few USL Championship teams have reached in making back-to-back Western Conference final appearances in its first two years of play. Well, now with a regular-season undefeated streak that began on August 8, 2020 against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, El Paso is approaching the league record for undefeated regular-season games set by FC Cincinnati (23-games) in 2018.
THE TRAIN KEEPS ROLLING
Speaking of undefeated records, thanks to Charlotte Independence coming out on top over Hartford Athletic in the Eastern Conference this past Sunday, Locomotive is now the last undefeated team in the USL Championship and showing no signs of stopping. After six games, Locomotive has a record of 3-0-3, picking up at least a point in every match played so far to stand in second place on the Mountain Division. Rio Grande Valley FC sits at the top of the table with 16 points, meaning this game with the Monarchs could close the gap between the two sides early in the season.
A BUMPY BEGINNING FOR THE MONARCHS
At the bottom of the Mountain Division, Real Monarchs haven’t had the greatest start to their 2021 USL Championship season. Seven games into the 32 game season and the Monarchs have only claimed one victory (a 2-0 win over Sacramento Republic). The Monarchs will be eager to turn things around when they host Locomotive on Friday.
TWO-AWAY BEFORE HOME
The road game against Real Monarchs on Friday will be one of two games on a road stretch as Locomotive will then play its next game 12 days later when it travels to South Texas to play Rio Grande Valley FC. Locomotive will next return home for a July 3 celebration against New Mexico United with a fireworks show post-game. Tickets to the July 3rd game are still available online at https://www.eplocomotivefc.com or by calling 915-235-GOAL