It feels good to be home! What’s better, we are home for the next three! It’s the longest home stretch of the season and I’m here for it. Very few things actually beat the sound of 8th Notch cheering on our guys and the sound of the passing train just behind Southwest University Park. So let’s kick off this “homestand” right!
MATCH DETAILS: USL Championship Regular Season Game #14; vs Real Monarchs; 7:30 p.m. MT kickoff
VENUE/WEATHER: Southwest University Park; El Paso, Texas; 93 degrees and partly cloudy.
TICKETS: Click Here!
WATCH: ESPN+
RECORDS/STANDINGS: Locomotive: 7-1-4 (25 points, MTN-1); Monarchs: 3-8-4 (13 points, MTN-7)
PREVIOUS MEETING: Locomotive met Real Monarchs at the beginning of the month, taking home the 3-1 win. After Forward Lucho Solignac opened the scoring with an expertly placed goal from the top of the penalty area. Just 10 minutes later, the Monarchs were able to pull one back through Aris Briggs but Los Locos would not be undone. Midfielder Diego Luna provided the advantage once again late in the game and Forward Aaron Gomez headed home the insurance goal in second-half stoppage time to claim three points at Zions Bank Stadium.
You ever play the same team so much you just kinda wish you played you could play another team? Don’t get me wrong, I like the games between Locomotive and the Monarchs. After eight meetings – nine if you count playoffs – these matches still provide quality entertainment. On the other hand though, after eight (nine) matches within three years, you just get ready for something else. It’s just a product of the times though, so now these two teams will face off once again, but this time it will be at Southwest University Park in El Paso. It bodes well for the Locomotive who not only boasts one calendar year undefeated at home but it’s a venue that the Monarchs have only come away from with one point in three matches (Locomotive leads the record 2-0-1).
In a true David vs Goliath matchup, the Top of the Mountain Division welcomes the Bottom of the Mountain Division to its home. El Paso Locomotive has been an unstoppable force through the 201 USL Championship season with an impressive 8-1-4 record, 16 Goals For, and only 9 goals against – the lowest in the league. The Monarchs enter Saturday as an underdog by a large margin on a 4-3-6 record, matching with 16 Goals For, but bleeding 24 goals throughout the Championship season. the Monarchs are so much so the proverbial underdogs in this one that FiveThirtyEight has given the Utah club a mere 16% to come away with a win. There is still a better-predicted chance for a draw with 25%, however, the task feels insurmountable compared to the 61% prediction for Locomotive to come away with the full three points at Southwest University Park.
For weeks now, El Paso Locomotive has been playing its depth, courtesy of a few knocks and non-COVID-related illnesses. The light at the end of the tunnel of those woes seems to be drawing closer however as last Saturday against San Antonio, El Paso fans saw the return of some familiar faces to the line-up. Midfielder Dylan Mares came on as a substitution and immediately made sure everyone knew it. Within minutes of subbing onto the field, Mares rifled the ball twice forcing San Antonio goalkeeper Matt Cardone into admittedly amazing saves. Also notable, Defender Andrew Fox made his first appearance in a Locomotive jersey since picking up an ankle injury in September last year, coming on as a substitution to play roughly 10 minutes. With those two back, and others not too far behind them, Locomotive is in a position to be at its prime going into the second half of the season, just in time for the playoff push.
After winning against San Antonio FC on Wednesday, El Paso Locomotive finally put some breathing room between itself and Rio Grande Valley FC at the top of the Mountain Division. The two had been battling for supremacy all month long, standing tied in points with Locomotive ahead only in goal differential. With the 2-1 win against San Antonio mid-week, El Paso now has a three-point lead over the RGVFC. This weekend’s lineup of games provides El Paso another prime opportunity to get ahead of the pack when it hosts Real Monarchs at home – a game where the Sun City is favored to come out the winner. Meanwhile, Rio Grande Valley travels to Phoenix to play Rising FC in a game that favors Locomotive as Phoenix Rising FC has yet to lose at home this season after seven matches. Should Locomotive pick up a win over the Monarchs and RGV fall to Phoenix, El Paso will hold a six-point lead RGV in the battle for Mountain Division leadership.