Club News

Well Saturday was fun, wasn’t it? All of us together at Southwest University Park, winning over New Mexico United. What do you say we do it again on the 17th? Anyway, for now, we travel to play Real Monarchs, so let’s break down Friday night’s game.

MATCH DETAILS: USL Championship Regular Season Game #10; at Real Monarchs; 8:00 p.m. MT kickoff

VENUE/WEATHER: Zions Bank Stadium; Herriman, Utah; Forecasted 95F degrees and clear skies.

WATCH PARTY: Cabo Joe’s (7942 Gateway East)

WATCH: ESPN+

RECORDS/STANDINGS: Locomotive: 5-1-3 (18 points, MTN-2); Real Monarchs: 2-6-4 (10 points, MTN-7)

PREVIOUS MEETING: Locomotive got the better of Real Monarchs in the last outing in Mid-June, on a 2-1 scoreline. Aaron Gomez found a goal in the first minute to get Locomotive rolling to a fast start while Macca King doubled the lead in the 70th minute. Real Monarchs was able to pull one back with a freekick in second-half stoppage time, but it wasn’t enough to steal points from El Paso Locomotive.

OUR BOYS NEVER QUIT

How many times now have we seen the resolve and resiliency that the Boys in Blue have? Sure, the absolutely astounding 18-game undefeated streak may have come to an end against Rio Grande Valley last week, but just look at how the guys bounced back. Going down in the 41st minute against New Mexico United, but with the help of a sold-out crowd in Southwest University Park, rallied in the second half to come away with the 2-1 win. That’s not the first time we’ve seen Los Locos go down in the first half only to claim a win on a second-half surge either. The point is our boys never quit.

MOUNTAIN DIVISION RACE HEATS UP

It makes sense but the top teams keep winning. The top three teams are all within one win of each other and fifth and sixth on the table are just a win beneath the playoff line. Should Real Monarchs continue to pick up points, they’ll put their name back in the race for a playoff berth as well. Teams in the Mountain Division just don’t have it easy. Locomotive is making itself comfortable in second place, having played fewer games than its opponents, but that doesn’t mean Mark Lowry’s squad can get complacent. Every point counts in our division, and I can tell you first hand, the Boys in Blue are eager to pick up every point it can this season.

LEADING THE ALL-TIME SERIES

After the 2019 season saw El Paso Locomotive and Real Monarchs on equal footing with two scoreless draws, the El Paso side has run away with the series record between the two. 5-0-3 in the all-time series including playoffs, Real Monarchs have not been able to top the juggernaut that is El Paso Locomotive within the last two seasons. In fact, those five wins that Locomotive holds over the Monarchs in the regular season have been in the last five games, including a 4-0 rout to end the 2020 USL Championship season and the 2-1 win last month.

AN UNPREDICTABLE MONARCHY

When you travel to Herriman, you’re never sure who you’re going to face. Their team could be made up of upcoming hopefuls from the RSL Academy or it could be made up of quality professionals from the MLS First Team, Real Salt Lake. That alone makes their team a little unpredictable and hard to plan for. Either way, if there is one thing Locomotive is good at doing, it’s staying true to its own form of soccer. No matter what kind of team the Monarchs field against El Paso, Locomotive will do what it does best and make the game challenging for its opponent.

EL PASO, Texas – July 8, 2021 – El Paso Locomotive has completed the loan of Forward Aidan Apodaca to Orange County SC, the club announced today. Apodaca’s loan is pending league and federation approval.

Apodaca, 24, joined El Paso Locomotive at the start of January before the 2021 USL Championship season and has since added pace and depth to the attacking side. Apodaca has played 128 minutes across 5 appearances, starting once against Austin Bold FC. Prior to joining Locomotive, the California native made a name for himself with Reno 1868 FC, where he spent two seasons, helping the Nevada club to a Regular Season Title win in 2020. The same year, Apodaca boasted a goal per minute average of 72.7 minutes and a shooting accuracy of 87.5%, scoring three goals in 11 appearances during the shortened season.

El Paso Locomotive goes on the road to play Real Monarchs at Zions Bank Stadium on Friday, July 9 with kickoff set for 8:00 p.m. MT. The game will be broadcast live digitally on ESPN+. Los Locos will return to Southwest University Park on July 17 to host Las Vegas Lights FC in a match where fans will turn the stadium blue. Tickets are available for purchase online at https://www.eplocomotivefc.com/tickets or by calling 915-235-GOAL.

EL PASO, Texas (July 7, 2021) – El Paso Locomotive hits the road for an away game against Real Monarchs at Zions Bank Stadium on Friday. Kickoff is set for 8:00 p.m. MT and will be broadcast live digitally on ESPN+.

Following a two-game week, Locomotive has earned a small moment of rest before getting back to its fight for the top of the Mountain Division. Last Wednesday, the Boys in Blue suffered their first defeat since August 2020, falling on the road against Rio Grande Valley, however, their resilient character shined in a 2-1 win over New Mexico United on Saturday. Bouncing back from the road loss, Midfielder Dylan Mares scored two in rapid succession to down United. With momentum still squarely on the side of El Paso, the team now takes on a Real Monarchs side that has begun to take shape.

Similar to Locomotive, Real Monarchs are coming off a two-game week, having earned a win over New Mexico United with three unanswered goals last Wednesday before falling on the road to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC last Saturday. In recent weeks, the Monarchs have begun to find their rhythm in their fight to keep their early playoff hopes alive. As the Mountain Division continues to be a rollercoaster of teams moving up and down the table, Friday offers another opportunity to pick up critical points that could affect the final stretch of the season in October.

Follow El Paso Locomotive FC at Real Monarchs – Fri., July 9, 2021

·         Coverage Begins: 8:00 p.m. MT;
·         Watch:  ESPN+
·         Social Media: @EPLocomotiveFC & #SLCvELP on Twitter
·         Additional Content: Official El Paso Locomotive FC App (iOS / Android)

After an outstanding effort in Week 11, Midfielder Dylan Mares highlights the USL Championship’s Team of the Week for Week 11 by being selected as Player of the Week. Mares is only the second Locomotive player to earn the Player of the Week accolade after Aaron Gomez in Week 27 in 2019.

During Locomotive’s late-game rally to attempt taking a point from Rio Grande Valley FC on Wednesday, Mares provided the assist to the opening goal with his rocketed freekick that Aguinaga expertly deflected into goal. Saturday saw Mares make the biggest impact with his first two goals of the season to rally Los Locos into a 2-1 win over New Mexico United in front of a sellout crowd.

Over the course of the two games, Mares completed 65 of 79 passes, finding the assist and two goals that personify the resilient character of El Paso Locomotive to secure 50 percent of the vote for Player of the Week.

The Championship’s Player of the Week is selected by the USL National Media Panel, which is made up of representatives from each media market in the Championship.

The full USL Championship Team of the Week for Week 11 is listed below:

USL Championship Team of the Week – Week 11

GK – Austin Guerrero, San Diego Loyal SC: Austin Guerrero recorded the first shutout of the season for SD Loyal with a strong performance that saw him make two key saves, one punch and two high claims as San Diego defeated Oakland 1-0 on June 29.

D – Tate Schmitt, Phoenix Rising FC: Tate Schmitt had one goal, one assist and three key passes going forward while also recording eight recoveries, five clearances and four interceptions defensively in Rising FC’s 3-0 win against the LA Galaxy II.

D – Juan Castillo, New York Red Bulls II: Juan Castillo had a strong two-way performance in the Red Bulls II’s 1-1 draw with Miami FC, recording one assist, three key passes and three shots while winning 9 of 16 duels and winning 3 of 4 tackles.

D – Brent Richards, Orange County SC: Brent Richards helped Orange County shut out Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC in a 2-0 victory on Thursday night as he won 11 of 16 duels and 5 of 5 tackles, recorded three clearances, and also picked up an assist.

M – Ted Ku-DiPietro, Loudoun United FC: Ted Ku-DiPietro had a standout performance as Loudoun defeated Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC last Wednesday night, scoring a long-range finish while completing 56 of 65 passes, completing 6 of 7 dribbles and winning 13 of 17 duels.

M – Alessane Ates Diouf, Austin Bold FC: Alessane Ates Diouf recorded the only goal and had two shots and two key passes while completing 26 of 31 passes and winning 10 of 16 duels as Austin won for the first time on the road against San Antonio FC on Saturday night.

M – Brian Ownby, Louisville City FC: Brian Ownby recorded one goal and one assist, had two key passes and two shots overall and won 3 of 3 duels while completing 23 of 28 passes in LouCity’s 4-2 victory against Sporting Kansas City II on Friday night.

M – Rodrigo Lopez, Rio Grande Valley FC: Rodrigo Lopez recorded a goal and assist, had five shots and three key passes and completed 26 of 30 passes overall as RGVFC took a 3-2 victory against El Paso Locomotive FC on Wednesday night.

F – Kyle Greig, Louisville City FC: Kyle Greig recorded a pair of goals to reach 60 regular-season goals for his career on Friday night in LouCity’s 4-2 victory against Sporting Kansas City II while also completing 13 of 18 passes.

F – Dylan Mares, El Paso Locomotive FC: Dylan Mares recorded two goals and one assist across two games, with his pair of goals leading Locomotive FC to a 2-1 comeback victory against New Mexico United on Saturday night at Southwest University Park.

F – Solomon Asante, Phoenix Rising FC: Solomon Asante recorded a goal and assist to help lead Phoenix to a 3-0 victory against the LA Galaxy II on Saturday night, had five shots overall and completed 19 of 23 passes in another fine display at Wild Horse Pass.

Bench: Jeff Caldwell (HFD), Sebastian Anderson (COS), Mohamed Traore (LV), Eric Calvillo (OC), Jonathan Gomez (LOU), Kyle Murphy (MEM), Neco Brett (BHM)

El Paso Locomotive (5-1-3, 18 points) emphatically claimed a 2-1 win over its regional rival, New Mexico United in front of a sold-out capacity crowd on Saturday at Southwest University Park. Midfielder Dylan Mares recorded two goals within two minutes in the 56th and 57th minutes of the game to secure the full three points at home.

“Tonight, was about our response, our reaction, and showing people who we are,” said Head Coach and Technical Director Mark Lowry. “I thought for the majority of the game we did that. Obviously, the second half is what people will remember but I thought the guys did a decent job all the way through. In the second half, they just showed that extra intensity and determination.”

A fast-paced battle through the midfield throughout the opening 45 minutes, Locomotive and New Mexico United gave it their all looking for the advantage goal early. Both teams were able to push their offensive throughout the half, however, the defensive work on both ends kept the game level up until the 41st minute. Awarded a freekick about 20-yards-out, New Mexico United’s Brian Brown sent the ball low and to the near post for the opening goal.

Locomotive flew out of the gate to start the first half, seeing Midfielder Diego Luna attempt to out-dribble three defenders and Midfielder Nick Ross taking a shot towards goal that gets saved by United ‘keeper Alex Tambakis. That explosive start paid off through Mares, however, as he found two goals in quick succession to turn around the scoring. The first came through a low shot that rocketed into the bottom corner, while the next he capitalized off a deflection from Tambakis to clean up on an open goal. While United chased the equalizer, Los Locos showed up defensively while pressing the attack nearly finding a third goal, but ultimately claimed the win 2-1.

UP NEXT: El Paso Locomotive goes on the road to take on Real Monarchs at Zions Bank Stadium. The match scheduled for Friday, July 9 with kickoff set for 8:00 p.m. MT and will be broadcast live digitally on ESPN+.  

GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN

NM: Brian Brown, 41st minute: From a freekick opportunity Brown took his shot to keep it low and toward the near post. He sent the ball underneath the Locomotive wall towards the near post, slotting home the goal advantage.

ELP: Dylan Mares (Diego Luna), 56th minute: Picking up the ball from Luna at the top of the box, Mares found his chance with a fast right-footed shot that stayed low, destined for the bottom left corner of the net, just out of the reach of the United ‘keeper.

ELP: Dylan Mares, 57th minute: Not even a moment after finding the equalizer, Mares used his pace to get into the box, capitalizing on a shot by Bryam Rebellon that was deflected out by United goalkeeper Alex Tambakis. Cleaning up the spill on a wide-open net, Mares took his shot for the brace.

NOTES:

– Midfielder Dylan Mares added two goals to his goal-scoring account, making for six goals in a Locomotive jersey during regular season. His six goals put him at #3 in the club’s leading goal scorers, just behind Aaron Gomez and Jerome Kiesewetter who each have 12.

– For the first time since the 2019 Western Conference Final, Sebastian Velasquez made an appearance on the lineup, starting on the bench before subbing into the game in the 58th minute

– Locomotive claimed its second win over New Mexico United in regular-season, moving the record to 2-2-4 in the all-time series, not including playoffs.

Match: El Paso Locomotive vs New Mexico United
Date: July 1, 2021
Venue: Southwest University Park; El Paso, Texas
Weather: 86F; Overcast

Scoring Summary              1          2          F

El Paso Locomotive FC      0          2          2

New Mexico United             1          0          1

NM – Brian Brown, 41’
ELP – Dylan Mares (Diego Luna), 56’
ELP – Dylan Mares, 57’
 

Lineups:

El Paso Locomotive FC (4-4-2): Logan Ketterer; Eder Borelli, Yuma, Mechack Jerome, Macca King, Richie Ryan, Nick Ross, Bryam Rebellon (Sebastian Velasquez, 59’), Diego Luna (Aaron Gomez, 81’), Lucho Solignac (Leandro Carrijo, 89’), Dylan Mares (Matt Bahner, 90’)

Subs not used: Ben Beaury, Chapa Herrera, Jose Aguinaga

New Mexico United (4-2-3-1): Alex Tambakis; Austin Yearwood (Justin Schmidt, 82’), Sam Hamilton, Kalen Ryden, Michael Azira, Juan Guzman (Sergio Rivas, 63’), Harry Swartz (Daniel Bruce, 79’), Josh Suggs, Andrew Tinari (Isidro Martinez, 79’), Brian Brown, Devon Sandoval

Subs not used: Rashid Tatteh, Philipp Beigl, Ilija Ilic

Stats Summary: ELP | NM

Shots: 8 | 4
Shots on Goal: 5 | 4
Saves: 3 | 3
Corner Kicks: 3 | 6
Fouls: 11 | 18
Offside: 1 | 0

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:

NM – Brian Brown (Caution), 33’
ELP – Eder Borelli (Caution), 33’
NM – Juan Guzmán (Caution), 48’
ELP – Mechack Jerome (Caution), 76’

You know what’s better than a one-game week? A two-game week! Thankfully, that’s what we have on our hands here. After Rio Grande Valley on Wednesday, we’re coming back home to take on New Mexico United. Let’s break it down.

MATCH DETAILS: USL Championship Regular Season Game #9; vs New Mexico United; 7:30 p.m. MT kickoff; Gates Open at 6:30 p.m. MT

VENUE/WEATHER: Southwest University Park; El Paso, Texas; Forecasted 88F degrees and partly cloudy.

TICKETS: SOLD OUT! But click here for tickets to any (or all) of our other games this season!

WATCH: ESPN+ | El Paso – Las Cruces CW

RECORDS/STANDINGS: Locomotive: 4-1-3 (15 points, MTN-2); United: 4-4-2 (14 points, MTN-4)

PREVIOUS MEETING: Locomotive opened its 2021 USL Championship season against New Mexico United, ending their dreams of an early three points in the season with a late stoppage-time goal from Leandro Carrijo. The match was the first professional appearance by Diego Luna, whose impact was immediately felt by the cross to Aaron Gomez who set Carrijo up for his equalizing goal.

BOUNCING BACK

It had to come to an end eventually. I just wish it didn’t have to end so soon. After an incredible 18-games, the undefeated streak has officially come to an end behind a 3-2 loss to RGVFC. On the positive side, we may be down, but we are far from out and I would argue we aren’t even down. Mark Lowry’s men have always been the kind to bounce back and fight to the bitter end. We’ve seen Locomotive make outstanding comebacks and if they lose a game, they come back and fight harder in the next one. Come Saturday, expect the boys in blue to fight with tenacity and get back on track for Mountain Division supremacy.

NO REST FOR THE WICKED

Listen, it’s tough trying to fit 32 games into a five-month (plus a week or two) season. That kind of schedule is going to lead to a lot of tight turnarounds and multi-week games. You might remember, Locomotive has already had a moment where it played four games within a two-week period, and we haven’t even made it to the packed month of October. On Wednesday night, both El Paso and New Mexico played, suffering 3-2 losses against their respective opponents. Come Saturday, both sides will be playing with a rotated squad, tired legs, and an eagerness to right some wrongs from midweek.

FIREWORKS WILL FLY

You know I had to use this play on words – everyone uses this play on words. In our case though, it might be more true than usual. It’s no secret El Paso Locomotive and New Mexico United don’t like each other. Every time the two step onto the pitch, there is a level of passion, drama, and grit that you only get in the Derby del Camino Real. When you add in a sold-out capacity crowd and a pair of midweek losses, you are just guaranteeing an electrifying night at Southwest University Park.

RETURN OF SEBASTIAN VELASQUEZ

After a year and a half away from El Paso, the Colombian midfielder, Sebastian Velasquez, makes his return to Locomotive. You might remember him from when he signed with the team in the summer of 2019, where he went on to find five goals and two assists in just 16 matches to help lift the team to a Western Conference Final appearance. Well, now he is back and looking forward to continuing what he started. Los Locos still have 24 games to play this season, including Saturday against New Mexico, so there is plenty of time for Velasquez to fit back into the Locomotive squad and for the team to make waves across the USL.

A SLIDING UNITED

New Mexico United hasn’t exactly been the strong team we’ve come to know them to be over the recent weeks, though that’s not to say they aren’t a threat. United is currently a point behind Locomotive in the Mountain Division standings, having played additional two games, and they possess the ability to score goals. In their last four games, United has scored four times in the first half, however, they have only won one out of those four. After shutting out a scoreless draw against Austin Bold FC, United picked up a 2-0 win over San Antonio FC then fell 3-1 to Switchbacks. Most recently, United commanded a 2-0 lead over the Monarchs, only to leave three goals unanswered and give up the full three points on a 3-2 loss. Make no mistake about it, New Mexico is still a threat not to be taken lightly, but this a team that has also fallen to some of the lower table teams including Loudoun United and the Monarchs.

EL PASO, Texas (July 1, 2021) – El Paso Locomotive hosts its regional rival New Mexico United at Southwest University Park on Saturday, for a weekend matchup celebrating Independence Day. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. MT with gates opening at 6:30 p.m. MT. The match is sold out but will be broadcast live digitally on ESPN+ and locally on the CW. Tickets to future matches can be purchased online at https://www.eplocomotivefc.com/tickets or by calling 915-235-GOAL.

Both Locomotive and New Mexico United are entering Saturday’s fixture hot off the heels of midweek games that saw both teams fall 3-2 to their respective opponents. Locomotive fell to its Copa Tejas rival, Rio Grande Valley FC after falling short in a late-game fight to claim a point. While Midfielder Jose Aguinaga and Forward Lucho Solignac found the back of the net for Locomotive it wasn’t enough to catch up to the three goals by RGV. Meanwhile, in Utah, United fell to a similar score after dropping the 2-0 lead it held over Real Monarchs.

As the 2021 USL Championship begins to take shape, the Mountain Division is appearing to be a tight one with only six points separating the top four teams with the next three not far behind. Locomotive has the opportunity to put distance between itself and New Mexico United with a critical win over its rival. With a lot on the line to keep control of their own destiny come the end of the season, both Locomotive and United will give it all on the field come Saturday night.

Follow El Paso Locomotive FC vs New Mexico United – Sat., July 3, 2021

·         Coverage Begins: 7:30 p.m. MT;
·         Watch:  ESPN+  | The CW
·         Social Media: @EPLocomotiveFC & #ELPvNM on Twitter
·         Additional Content: Official El Paso Locomotive FC App (iOS / Android)

El Paso Locomotive FC announced today its Saturday, July 3 game against New Mexico United has sold out. Kickoff from Southwest University Park is set for 7:30 p.m. MT with a post-game fireworks show to celebrate Independence Day. The match will be broadcast live locally on the CW and on ESPN+.

Tickets are still available for individual games throughout the remainder of the 2021 USL Championship regular season but are selling fast. Don’t miss one of USL Championship’s premier soccer clubs in action; purchase your tickets at https://www.eplocomotivefc.com/tickets or by calling 915-235-GOAL.

Saturday marks another meeting in the intense rivalry between El Paso Locomotive and New Mexico United, where the high-octane games always provide excitement on the field. The match will also serve as the homecoming for Midfielder Sebastian Velasquez, who re-signed with the club earlier this week after a year and a half away with Miami FC and Bnei Sakhnin FC.

July features two more Locomotive home matches as El Paso plays host to Las Vegas Lights FC on July 17 and Real Monarchs on July 31. The July 17 match will be highlighted with a Blue Out as fans are encouraged to turn Southwest University Park blue by wearing their favorite Locomotive jersey. The first 1,500 fans in the building will also receive a blue Locomotive t-shirt. On July 31, the first 1,500 fans will receive a Locos flag to fly throughout the match in support of the boys in blue.

Locomotive fans looking forward to seeing a fireworks show at Southwest University Park have two more opportunities with post-game fireworks set for August 21 against Rio Grande Valley FC and the regular-season finale on October 24 against OKC Energy FC on ESPN Deportes.

Additional upcoming promotional nights include Pride Night on August 4 against San Antonio FC, Military Appreciation night on August 7 against Austin Bold FC, and Noche de Locos on September 29 against Real Monarchs.

As of the 2021 season, Southwest University Park is now a cashless venue as well as a clear bag/no bag facility. For more information regarding stadium policies visit the Southwest University Park website here.

Enjoy saving on gameday tickets and lock in your seat at Southwest University Park in advance by purchasing your tickets online at https://www.eplocomotivefc.com/tickets or by calling 915-235-GOAL today.

El Paso Locomotive (4-1-3, 15 points) fell short at H-E-B Park on a 2-3 score against Rio Grande Valley FC on Wednesday. Midfielder Jose Aguinaga found his first goal of the season while Forward Lucho Solignac found the second Locomotive goal of the night. The loss ends a historic 18-game undefeated streak that dates back to August 2020.

After a thirty-minute weather delay, the match kicked off in favor of Rio Grande Valley FC. In the fifth minute, RGV took advantage of a failed offside trap set by Locomotive, with a cross into the box that found Carter Manely open at the center of the box for an easy goal. The lead wouldn’t last as Locomotive quickly took control of the game, testing the Toros defense through Forward Aaron Gomez and crosses from Defender Macca King. In the end, a freekick taken by Midfielder Dylan Mares took a touch off Aguinaga and into goal to send the teams into the break level.

Rio Grande Valley opened the second half on the front foot pressuring the Locomotive defense, ultimately leading to Wan Kuzain picking up a goal from an awkward deflection in the box. RGV would extend its lead on a counterattack that opened up the goal for Rodrigo Lopez in the 73rd minute. Head Coach Mark Lowry threw his numbers forward for a point, pulling one back through a backheel from Forward Leandro Carrijo that found Solignac to convert. While Locomotive fought for the important road point, the El Paso side fell short on a 2-3 scoreline.

UP NEXT: Locomotive returns to Southwest University Park for an Independence Day celebration match up against New Mexico United. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. MT on Saturday, July 3. Tickets are available online at https://www.eplocomotivefc.com/tickets or by calling 915-235-GOAL. The match will also be broadcast live locally on the CW and on ESPN+.

GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN

RGV: Carter Manley (Rodrigo Lopez), 5th minute: Playing off a short corner, Lopez sent a cross into the middle of the box where a failed offside trap left Carter Manley wide open for an easy shot on goal which he converted for an early lead.

ELP: Jose Aguinaga (Dylan Mares), 31st minute: Earning a freekick from about 25-yards out, Mares rifled a shot in towards goal. At the top of the box, Aguinaga expertly stepped into the path, deflecting the shot just slightly to the right and out of the reach of RGV goalkeeper Tyler Deric to secure the equalizer just past the half-hour mark.

RGV: Wan Kuzain, 61st minute: As Macca King put his body in the way to stop a shot, the ball took a deflection and in towards the center of the goal into the path of Kuzain. Kuzain took one touch to send it into the back of the net.

RGV: Rodrigo Lopez (Juan Azocar), 73rd minute: Breaking away on the counter Azocar ran the ball down the right side, bringing in the attack before Locomotive numbers could get back. He sent the low cross over to Lopez who took one shot to the far post, adding to the RGV lead.

ELP: Lucho Solignac (Leandro Carrijo), 82nd minute: Picking up the ball at the top of the 18-yard line, Carrijo put the ball in toward the middle with a cheeky backheel into the path of Lucho, who took one touch to outmaneuver a defender and open space for a crack on goal to convert.

NOTES:

– Midfielder Jose Aguinaga adds his name to the Locomotive goal-scoring list, finding his first club goal with a smart deflection in the 31st minute.

– Midfielder Dylan Mares moves to tied for second-place in Locomotive club standings for assists in the regular season, with his sixth club assist.

– After 18-games undefeated, carrying a streak that dates back to August 2020, Locomotive suffered a loss in the regular season, falling 2-3 to a strong Rio Grande Valley FC side.

Match: El Paso Locomotive at Rio Grande Valley FC
Date: June 30, 2021
Venue: H-E-B Park; Edinburg, Texas
Weather: 86F; Partly Cloudy

Scoring Summary              1          2          F

El Paso Locomotive FC      1          1          2

Rio Grande Valley FC         1          2          3

RGV – Carter Manley (Rodrigo Lopez), 5’
ELP – Jose Aguinaga (Dylan Mares), 31’
RGV – Wan Kuzain, 61’
RGV – Rodrigo Lopez (Juan Azocar), 73’
ELP – Lucho Solignac (Leandro Carrijo), 82’

Lineups:

El Paso Locomotive (4-4-2): Logan Ketterer; Eder Borelli, Matt Bahner, Yuma (Mechack Jerome, 45’), Macca King (Ricardo Zacarias, 77’), Nick Ross, Chapa Herrera (Lucho Solignac, 69’), Jose Aguinaga (Richie Ryan, 69’), Diego Luna, Dylan Mares (Leandro Carrijo, 80’), Aaron Gomez

Subs not used: Ben Beaury, Aidan Apodaca

Rio Grande Valley (4-4-2): Tyler Deric; Roberto Alburquerque, Carter Manley, Adrian Vera, Erik Pimentel, Juan Cabezas, Rodrigo Lopez (James Murphy, 74’), Camden Riley, Ronald Cerritos (Juan Azocar, 63’), Wan Kuzain, Christian Sorto (Vicente Sanchez, 71’)

Subs not used: Josue Soto, John Sanchez, Baboucarr Njie, Colin Miller

Stats Summary: ELP | RGV

Shots: 10 | 12
Shots on Goal: 3 | 4
Saves: 2 | 1
Corner Kicks: 2 | 8
Fouls: 8 | 13
Offside: 0 | 4

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:

ELP – Diego Luna (Caution), 77’
RGV – Adrian Vera (Caution), 87’
RGV – Wan Kuzain (Caution), 90’+3

El Paso Locomotive has completed the loan of Defender Niall Logue to Eastern Conference Championship side, Memphis 901 FC, the club announced today. The loan is pending league and federation approval.

Logue, 25, joined El Paso in December ahead of the 2021 USL Championship season. Since coming to El Paso, Logue earned some minutes for Locomotive during preseason friendlies and made two appearances on the bench against Austin Bold FC and Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. Before coming to El Paso, Logue made 16 appearances in USL League One with FC Tucson where he held one of the best passing records in the league. The Ireland-native started his professional career in 2018 where he made four appearances with Derry City in Ireland’s top flight before joining Finn Harps FC in League of Ireland First Division where he made 17 appearances and a goal to help lift the team to promotion to the Premier Division.

El Paso Locomotive returns to Southwest University Park, playing host to the intense rivalry with New Mexico United. The match kicks off at 7:30 p.m. MT and will be broadcast live on ESPN+ and locally on the CW. Tickets for Saturday and other individual games for the remainder of the 2021 USL Championship Season, including the Blue Out game against Las Vegas Lights FC on July 17, are available for purchase online at https://www.eplocomotivefc.com/tickets or by calling 915-235-GOAL.