What Saturday’s Season Opener Means for El Paso
Game one of 34 in the 2022 USL Championship regular season is done and dusted for El Paso Locomotive FC. While it may not have ended on a result that the team would have hoped for, it gave the Locos a lot to build from as it continues through the season.
ESTRELLA OF THE MATCH
Midfielder Emmanuel Sonupe looked right home in El Paso Locomotive FC’s new system. His use of speed down the right wing, immediately making it a problem area for the Sacramento Republic defense. It was the Englishman’s positioning and read of the game that led to El Paso’s first goal of the 2022 USL Championship season. As Diego Luna found Sonupe playing the shoulder of the Sacramento backline, staying just onside to get in a perfect position to bury the goal into the top of the net. Sonupe’s goal provided Locomotive with a 1-0 lead early in the start of the match and shows promise of just what this new Hutchinson-era of soccer can do.
TELLING STAT
3.2. Sometimes in the game of soccer, the ball just simply doesn’t fall your way. El Paso Locomotive FC put on a dominant display against Sacramento Republic in their Season Opener, controlling possession and taking shots, giving El Paso a 3.2xG rating (expected goals based on chances created). Compared to Sacramento’s 2.12xG, it truly was El Paso’s game to win, however, the ball simply did not fall Locomotive’s way. The number does show that what El Paso Locomotive is doing works, and we can expect great things as the season continues.
SO WHAT?
El Paso Locomotive FC has officially kicked off its fourth season in the USL Championship. Following the weekend’s results around the league, Locomotive finds itself 10th in the West heading into Week 2. While the first game of the season and of the Hutchinson-era didn’t go quite the way the team would have liked, it shows promise for the season as it progresses.
WHAT’S NEXT?
El Paso Locomotive FC keeps moving forward. The club will look back at Sacramento and fine-tune some tactics before renewing its rivalry with New Mexico United at Southwest University Park on Saturday, March 19. Tickets for the Home Opener are available now at eplocomotivefc.com/tickets or by calling 915-235-GOAL. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m. MT with gates set to open at 4:30 p.m. MT. The night will be highlighted with a post-game fireworks show and a flag giveaway to the first 3,000 fans into the Stadium when gates open.