The Loco Express
El Paso Locomotive (2) at Real Monarchs (1)
Friday, June 18; Zions Bank Stadium; Herriman, Utah
Staying true to the club’s recent trend, Locomotive got off to a rolling start finding the back of the net within the first minute of the game. Diego Luna switched the play on a beautiful cross to Bryam Rebellon who served the ball center to Aaron Gomez. Gomez leaped to make the header, putting the ball past Monarch’s goalkeeper Andrew Putna. Macca King doubled the lead in the second half, with another contribution from Luna, who served in a corner kick to the far post where Macca one-touched the shot across goal. While the Monarchs began to lay in the pressure, fighting to find the two goals needed to salvage the point after Rebellon left the field on a red card, the Locomotive defense was just too much for the home side. Unable to get a goal in on the run of play, the Monarchs pulled one back in stoppage time from a freekick, but Locomotive still came away with the full three points.
After earning Team of the Week two weeks in a row and contributing massively in five of the last 7 Locomotive goals, Macca King earns the club nod for Estrella of the Match following his performance in Utah. Macca once again linked perfectly with Diego Luna to net a goal, his second in as many games off a corner kick. Macca continued his playmaking abilities as well, making two key passes while completing 83% of his passes and leading the team in good passes and crosses with 50. When the Monarchs turned up the pressure, the Locomotive right-back showed up defensively, making three clearances and three tackles, while maintaining a clean game of no fouls committed. Needless to say, Macca has been showing up in 2021 and outperforming his opposition, making all the accolades well deserved.
Four. When Locomotive and the Monarchs meet, you know you’re in for a physical battle. In a game where there were 20 fouls split across the two teams, center referee Matthew Corrigan showed four cards. Real Monarchs received two yellow cards, while Locomotive took the brunt of it with a yellow card and a red. Playing down a man for 10-minutes plus stoppage time, Locomotive was still able to hold strong with its two goals made. Monarchs were able to capitalize with a freekick to pull one back, but Locomotive was still able to come away with the 2-1 win. Unfortunately, the red card means Locomotive will be without Bryam Rebellon when it takes on RGV at the end of the month.
Three points picked up on Friday night means El Paso Locomotive maintains its spot as second in the west going into the weekend of USL Championship action, just a single point behind Rio Grande Valley FC. The win also extends Locomotive’s regular season undefeated to 18 games as the Sun City team remains unbeaten in the 2021 season. Los Locos still have games in hand over teams around it on the table leaving the club very much in control of its own destiny as it approaches the 1/3 mark of the season.
It will be 12 days before El Paso Locomotive returns to the pitch, taking the time to recuperate after a tight string of games. Next, Locomotive takes its undefeated string to South Texas where it will step up to a Mountain Division test, challenging Rio Grande Valley FC for the top seed. Locomotive, in a strong form since August of 2020 will take on an RGV side that holds a record of 5-2-1 after eight games. The two are set to face one another on Wednesday, June 30 at H-E-B Park in Edinburg, Texas at 6:00 p.m. MT. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN+.