Jun. 20—Saturday, 7 p.m., Radio: 101.7 FM; TV: KASY (English), Estrella (Spanish); Streaming: KRQE.com, ESPN+
USL Championship races are never decided in June, but the 2025 Western Conference lead will be up for grabs Saturday at Isotopes Park.
Pack-leading New Mexico United (7-4-1) hosts San Antonio FC (6-4-3) with several interesting scenarios at play.
—United (22 points) can hold or expand its one-point edge over SAFC and FC Tulsa (21 points apiece) with a win.
—NMU can maintain its slim lead over San Antonio and gain a point on idle Tulsa with a draw, but that would open the door for Phoenix and El Paso (20 points each) to grab a share of the conference lead.
—New Mexico will slip out of first place with a loss and could slide as far as fourth behind SAFC and potentially Phoenix and/or El Paso.
Granted, the months-long race has not even reached its halfway point and the top contenders may continue to jockey for position through October. Still, United coach Dennis Sanchez and his players know Saturday’s matchup carries extra importance.
“We want to stay in first place,” Sanchez said, “whether it’s by two points, five points or whatever it may be. San Antonio’s been playing well and it’s up to us to rise to the occasion.”
Adding to the sense of urgency is that United is coming off a pair of less-than-satisfying performances — a 1-1 home draw with Colorado Springs and a 2-1 road loss to last-place Lexington SC. Sanchez is hoping the latter result will provide extra motivation.
“Sometimes getting punched in the mouth can be positive,” Sanchez said, “if you handle it the right way. The reality is, we’re a very good team and we need to learn from this challenge and respond to it.”
NMU also will look to circle the wagons a bit after losing center back and co-captain Kalen Ryden to injury last week. Ryden suffered a broken clavicle during the second half at Lexington and is expected to miss roughly four to eight weeks after undergoing successful surgery Wednesday.
“Kalen’s a big presence on and off the field,” midfielder Gedion Zelalem said. “Him coming off (Saturday) was a little bit of a shock to the team, probably part of the reason we gave up two goals in five minutes. I think it took us a while to make that adjustment.”
Co-captain Talen Maples will sport the captain’s arm band for New Mexico this week, but Maples and his teammates will need to be focused on slowing down an effective San Antonio attack. Standout playmaker Jorge Hernandez (7 goals, 96 crosses, 30 chances created) will be a focal point for United’s defense.
San Antonio is enjoying a resurgent season under first-year coach Carlos Llamosa after missing the playoffs in 2024. SAFC has often given United trouble, but Zelalem said NMU’s approach will not change because of Saturday’s opponent or because of the stakes.
“Every team in this league is similar in terms of talent,” Zelalem said. “Lexington was in last place and they beat us, so we know every week’s going to be a challenge. We just have to take the right approach, focus on our preparation and come out with energy, ready to play.”
GETTING CLOSER: Forward Dayonn Harris is back in full training and could see his first action of the season in the coming weeks. Harris, who suffered an ACL tear last August, admitted it’s been hard to stay patient through the rehab process.
“I really want to get out there,” he said, “but it’s important to stick to the plan. Practice has been going pretty well and I hope in the next couple weeks I can make an appearance.”
Sanchez said he’s looking forward to having the speedy winger available.
“It’s humbling being away from the field, but Dayonn Harris comes to work every day with the right energy,” Sanchez said. “We’re excited to have him back.”
GETTING BUSY: Saturday’s match will be the first of three at home in an eight-day span for NMU, which hosts FC Juarez in an international friendly on Wednesday. United faces Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC in a Jägermeister Cup group match on Saturday, June 28.
Players to watch
San Antonio (6-4-3): The list unquestionably starts with midfielder Jorge Hernandez, a superb playmaker who ranks among the USLC leaders in numerous attacking categories and has sparked SAFC’s resurgence after a down season in 2024. Hernandez ranks fourth in the league with 7 goals on just 16 shots. He is first in crosses (96) and second in chances created (30). Hernandez has looked to finish more after scoring just 2 goals last season, but the three-time All-USLC standout is as adept at setting up shots as he is taking them. Luke Haakenson and Alex Greive have combined for 5 goals for SAFC. Two players have anchored San Antonio’s defense, goalkeeper Richard Sanchez and defender Alex Crognale, both of whom have played all 1,170 minutes this season. Sanchez has 5 clean sheets, 31 saves and 16 goals allowed.
New Mexico (7-4-1): After racking up 9 goals in three games, United’s attack has struggled to finish in its last two outings. Marlon Vargas and Luiz Fernando had the only breakthroughs as NMU went 0-1-1 against Colorado Springs and Lexington. Mukwelle Akale continues to be an effective playmaker, ranking among the USLC leaders with 4 assists and 21 chances created. But NMU managed just one shot on goal in the second half at Lexington and could not capitalize on 69% of the game’s possession. Midfielder Zico Bailey is back with the club after missing two matches because of international duty, and Bailey’s quickness and creativity figure to help. United also must fill a defensive void caused by Kalen Ryden’s clavicle injury. Tony Herbert filled in for Ryden in an early season match, but Herbert has been out with an injury as well.
GOAL KICKS: New Mexico enters the weekend ranked second in USLC home attendance at 9,702 per match. Oakland (10,202) still leads the pack, with Sacramento (9,574) and Indy (9,217) third and fourth. San Antonio (6,239) ranks eighth. … San Antonio has posted back-to-back clean sheets and has not conceded a goal in 200 minutes. SAFC has allowed more than two goals in a match only once this season — a 4-0 loss to Charleston on May 17. … New Mexico (42) and San Antonio (36) rank first and third, respectively, in yellow cards this season.
