Locomotive USL Academy Players Diego Abarca and Noe Coutino Earn First Team Debuts
El Paso Locomotive (0-3-0, 0 points, West-11) rallied on a 4-5 finish against Las Vegas Lights FC on Wednesday night at Southwest University Park. Locomotive USL Academy players Midfielder Diego Abarca and Forward Noe Coutino made their first team debuts. Defender Harry Brockbank, Forward Ricardo Zacarias, and Midfielders Dylan Mares and Nick Hinds found the goals in El Paso’s fight for a draw.
“We just had a massive heart-to-heart with the boys,” said Head Coach John Hutchinson in the post-game press conference. “I have a good team. I have good players. Transition is hurting us massively, at the moment.”
In true Locos fashion, El Paso came out of the gate with high intensity, pressing the attack to earn a rapid succession of corners as Locomotive peppered the Lights searching for the opening goal. The first real look towards goal came in the 8th minute after Defender Andrew Fox sent a wayward over the crossbar. Locos got another look in the 24th minute with a cheeky chip from Forward Lucho Solignac that ended deflected over the bar. Fox got a second chance for goal, beautifully taking the half-volley that deflected off a Lights defender to prevent a threat.
The game broke open in the second half as both teams found a total of nine goals in 38 minutes. The scoring onslaught began through Las Vegas’s Caleb Jennings and Danny Trejo, who found a combined four goals between the 53rd and 60th minute. Not to be undone, Locomotive replied with two goals of their own in the 59th and 65th minute from Hinds and Zacarias, respectively. Brockbank put Locomotive back in the fight with 70th-minute goal before the chaos and heightened tensions broke out resulting in an additional goal from Julian Gaines and a red card for Las Vegas Lights FC. With the man advantage, Locomotive fought to salvage a point, bringing the scorline to just a one-goal difference with a stoppage-time goal from Mares, but the game would ultimately fall in favor of Las Vegas Lights FC with a staggering 5-4 finish.
UP NEXT: El Paso Locomotive earns a small break at the end of March before returning to action again on Sunday, April 3 against San Diego Loyal SC. Kickoff is set for 3:00 p.m. MT and will be broadcast live on ESPN+.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN
LV: Caleb Jennings (Danny Trejo), 53rd minute: A long ball over the top found Trejo who ran the ball down the left wing before finding Jennings in the center. Jennings took one extended touch to redirect for the first goal.
LV: Danny Trejo (Caleb Jennings), 55th minute: The long ball from the goalkeeper was headed forward by Jennings and into the path of Trejo, who was quick to chip the ball into the back of the net for a second.
LV: Caleb Jennings (Danny Crisostomo), 66th minute: Picking up on a poor touch, Crisostomo found Jennings who turned at the top of the 18-yard-line before rocketing the ball to the bottom left corner.
ELP: Nick Hinds, 59th minute: Following a poor deflection from the Las Vegas Lights ‘keeper that left the ball spilled in the middle of the penalty area, Hinds capitalized with an easy tap in goal to the side netting.
LV: Danny Trejo (Danny Musovski), 60th minute: On an interception, Las Vegas Lights ran the ball down the left wing before cutting back a pass on the touchline to find Trejo who took a tap to redirect the ball towards the net.
ELP: Ricardo Zacarias, 65th minute: From the corner sent to the far post, a Lights defender attempted to clear it but sent the ball back to the near post instead. Zacarias rose to the occasion to head the ball in for a Locomotive goal.
ELP: Harry Brockbank (Lucho Solignac), 70th minute: Lucho switched the play to find Brockbank on a run. Brockbank took one long touch before using speed to slam the ball into the top netting to bring Locomotive into the fight.
LV: Julian Gaines (Danny Trejo), 73rd minute: Forcing a soft pass, Gaines began a run that Trejo was able to find between the Locomotive defense. One-on-One with the ‘keeper, Gaines slotted home the final Vegas goal of the night.
ELP: Dylan Mares (Lucho Solignac) 91st minute: Under pressure, Solignac was quick to lay the ball off to Mares who stood at the top of the 18-yard line. Without hesitation, Mares took his shot low and quick to the lower-left corner, putting it past the Vegas ‘keeper in stoppage time.
NOTES:
– Locomotive made four changes from the Home Opener Starting XI on Saturday with Matt Bahner, Richie Ryan, Diego Abarca, and Lucho Solignac all starting in place of Shavon John-Brown, Eric Calvillo, Diego Luna, and Ricardo Zacarias respectively.
– Locomotive USL Academy shined in the match against Las Vegas Lights FC with Diego Abarca making the first First Team start in Locomotive USL Academy history, playing 58 minutes. Additionally, Diego Garcia and Noe Coutino made appearances on the bench, with Coutino playing 32 minutes.
Match: El Paso Locomotive vs Las Vegas Lights FC
Date: March 23, 2022
Venue: Southwest University Park
Weather: 60F and partly cloudy
Scoring Summary 1 2 F
El Paso Locomotive 0 4 4
Las Vegas Lights FC 0 5 5
LV – Caleb Jennings (Danny Trejo), 53’
LV – Danny Trejo (Caleb Jennings), 55’
LV – Caleb Jennings (Danny Crisostomo), 66’
ELP – Nick Hinds, 59’
LV – Danny Trejo (Danny Musovski), 60’
ELP – Ricardo Zacarias, 65’
ELP – Harry Brockbank (Lucho Solignac), 70’
LV – Julian Gaines (Danny Trejo), 73’
ELP – Dylan Mares (Lucho Solignac), 91’
Lineups:
El Paso Locomotive FC (4-3-3): Evan Newton; Andrew Fox (Eder Borelli, 59’), Ander Egiluz, Matt Bahner (Yuma, 59’), Harry Brockbank, Richie Ryan, Diego Abarca (Noe Coutino, 58’), Dylan Mares, Christiano Francois (Nick Hinds, 57’), Emmanuel Sonupe (Ricardo Zacarias, 57’), Lucho Solignac
Subs not used: Philipp Beigl, Diego Garcia,
Las Vegas Lights FC (4-4-2): Tomas Romero; Alvaro Quezada, Dekel Keinan, Morten Bjorshol, Frank Daroma, Danny Trejo (Christopher Jaime, 89’), Jorge Almaguer (Roberto Molina, 64’), Danny Crisotomo, Alex Lara, Danny Musovski (Julian Gaines, 72’), Caleb Jennings (Mohamed Traore, 72’)
Subs not used: Abraham Romero, Dylan Presto
Stats Summary: ELP | LV
Shots: 20 | 11
Shots on Goal: 8 | 7
Saves: 2 | 4
Corner Kicks: 11 | 1
Fouls: 16 | 6
Offside: 1 | 2
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
LV – Caleb Jennings (Caution), 17’
LV – Jorge Almaguer (Caution), 22’
ELP – Christiano Francois (Caution), 27’
LV – Dekel Keinan (Caution), 31’
ELP – Harry Brockbank (Caution), 68’
ELP – Lucho Solignac (Caution), 75’
ELP – Eder Borelli (Caution), 88’
LV – Frank Daroma (Ejection), 88’
ELP – Alex Lara (Caution), 90’+6