EL PASO, TEXAS – July 3, 2026 – Locomotive are back on the road on Saturday, traveling to Las Vegas to take on Las Vegas Lights FC. El Paso aims to snap its five-game winless streak and collect three points for the first time in regular-season play since April 11.
WATCH: ESPN+
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FULL STEAM AHEAD
El Paso Locomotive FC is back in action on Saturday, July 1, as they head to Las Vegas to take on Las Vegas Lights FC. Monterey Bay FC. Kickoff is set for 8:30 PM MT and can be watched live on ESPN+.
BY THE NUMBERS (USL Championship)
Record: 4-5-4
Goals: 23 scored, 23 conceded (0 GD)
Shots: 115 total, 56 on target (48.7%)
Clean Sheets: 2
Fouls: 185 drawn, 178 committed
Discipline: 30 yellow cards, 5 red cards
LAST TIME OUT
USL Championship Regular Season
El Paso fell 1-0 to Monterey Bay FC on June 20 in Seaside, Calif. The match remained scoreless until Paul Gindiri netted the game-winning goal in stoppage time at the 90+1′ mark.
LAST TIME OUT VS LAS VEGAS
El Paso defeated Las Vegas 3-2 at Southwest University Park in the first meeting between the clubs this season on April 4. Amando Moreno opened the scoring in the seventh minute before the Lights equalized in the 23rd. Rubio Rubín restored Locomotive’s lead in the 34th minute, sending El Paso into halftime ahead 2-1. Moreno completed his brace three minutes into the second half, and despite a late Las Vegas goal, Locomotive held on for the victory.
ALL-TIME SERIES VS LAS VEGAS
El Paso Locomotive FC holds an 8-4-0 all-time regular-season record against Las Vegas and enters Saturday on a three-match winning streak in the series. The club’s largest victory over the Lights came in a 6-0 win at Southwest University Park on Aug. 2, 2025.
MULTI-GOAL PERFORMANCES
A Locomotive player has recorded a brace in each of El Paso’s last three wins over Las Vegas. Most recently, Amando Moreno scored in the seventh and 48th minutes in a 3-2 victory. Eric Calvillo netted twice (52′, 75′) in a 6-0 win on Aug. 2, while Wilmer Cabrera scored both goals in a 2-1 victory on May 24, 2025.
SECOND HALF OFFENSE
In 2026, Locomotive has done most of its damage after halftime, scoring 20 goals in the second half compared to 15 in the first half, with two more coming in stoppage time. At home, the club has been particularly dangerous coming out of the break, with six of its nine goals scored between the 46th and 60th minute. On the road, Locomotive has been a late-game threat, netting nine of its 11 goals after the 60th minute.
BACK IN THE LINEUP
Carl Sainté rejoins El Paso after representing Haiti at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. With his call-up, Sainté became one of the first active USL Championship players to compete in a FIFA World Cup. Haiti faced Scotland, Morocco, and Brazil in the group stage but did not advance to the knockout rounds.
NOTABLE QUOTES
Head Coach Junior Gonzalez on the mental health break and the upcoming match against Las Vegas:
“Looking at our results, I think it’s a no-brainer. We needed to regroup. We needed to get some time, a mental break. The guys are in a good spot. We’ve had some good meetings. We just have to perform. We have to go to Las Vegas and be on our front foot.
We have more guys available now. We got Carl back. We have been dealing with certain players in and out of our roster, which has given more opportunity for some of the other players in the group.
We all together discussed that it’s about us performing and making sure that right when that game starts, we’re ready to implement our game plan. And then just being more consistent in our matches. We put some really good football together, and then we’re making these small errors that are costing us games.”
Defender Kenneth Hoban on the mood of the team:
“The mood is good. The break was good timing. Everybody needed that week to take off, to take their mind off training and stuff and how the games have been going.
Everybody is in a mentality. I think everybody is obviously ready to get the second half of the season going. So, we’re just going in ready like where we were at in the beginning of the season.”