New Mexico United faced off against Western Conference foe Phoenix Rising at Rio Grande Credit Union Field on Saturday, May 10.
United entered the contest third in the conference and needing a win to jump Monterey Bay for second place.
Phoenix, meanwhile, had a rough start to the season. They came into the match in 10th place and winless in their last three games, including a loss to MLS side Houston Dynamo.
The contest was physical from the start, with both squads trading hard challenges early.
Phoenix struck first when midfielder Hope Avayevu caught United goalkeeper Alexandros Tabakis with his near post exposed and slotted the ball past him for an early 1-0 lead.
From then on, United was stifled by a suffocating Phoenix defense that made New Mexico earn every inch of the pitch.
Down 1-0 at the half, United had chances but failed to capitalize. Shots sailed just wide or over the bar by the slimmest margins.
On the other side, Rising applied pressure in bursts and absorbed much of United’s attack.
The second half brought more of the same. United worked the ball into the box, but sloppy passes repeatedly killed promising attacks.
Phoenix mounted a dangerous counterattack midway through the second half, forcing Tabakis to rush out of his box. His hard-charging slide tackle earned him a red card, leaving United down a man — and without its starting goalkeeper.
Backup keeper Kristopher Shakes was quickly subbed in, but Phoenix capitalized on the extra space. Forward Darius Johnson found the back of the net to double the lead to 2-0.
New Mexico became increasingly desperate, pushing forward with bold attacks. But none found the back of the net.
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Finally, in the 84th minute, United forward McKinze Gaines dribbled through much of the Phoenix defense and fired a world-class strike to cut the lead to 2-1.
The final 15 minutes were chaotic. A cross into the Phoenix box found United midfielder Marlon Vargas, who was taken down — yet no penalty was called, prompting protest from fans and players alike.
United had several late chances near the Rising goal but couldn’t convert. The final whistle blew, with Phoenix securing a much-needed win to get its season back on track.
United, now the losers of two straight, will look to right the ship against Orange County SC on May 17. Their next home game isn’t until June 7, when they host Colorado Springs.
Simon Reseigh is a freelance reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at sports@dailylobo.com or on X @simon_reseigh
