New Mexico United 2026 season rolls on into week 2 for the club on Saturday night, traveling to play Western Conference foe San Antonio FC.
Coming off a big win in the first round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup the Black and Yellow look to get some early season momentum going. They will attempt to do this against a side they faced four times last season.
Players to Watch: Niall Reid-Stephen & Jake LaCava
Forward Niall Reid-Stephen has been a welcome newcomer for New Mexico making the jump to USL Championship after an amazing season with USL League One side South Georgia Tormenta FC in which he bagged 13 goals and 7 assists. Early on this season he has shown his attacking style works well in Dennis Sanchez’s system and looks to make an impact up top this season for New Mexico.
In the off season New Mexico United looked to boost their play on the offensive side of the ball. One of the welcome additions has been Jake LaCava. LaCava in the match against Oakland Roots last Saturday showed just why Dennis Sanchez brought him in when he played a lovely through ball into Justin Rennicks who placed the ball into the back of the net to cut into Oakland’s lead. LaCava is no stranger to San Antonio having played there for the last few seasons.
Scouting the Opponent: San Antonio FC
San Antonio FC has shown to be always in the mix for the USL Championship cup. They are also coming off a win in the Open Cup beating ASC New Stars 6-0. The 2022 title winners have not stopped in the quest to add a second star above their shield. They’ve done this thanks to the likes of Jorge Hernandez. Hernandez has been no stranger to the battles between these two sides and last season his attacking prowess was on full display for the league to see. Hernandez gave many USL keepers fits last year bagging 11 goals during the season good for third in the Western Conference and top 10 in the league. Expect Hernandez to be a big factor in this match up.
Where to Watch:
The club’s official watch party is at Rio Bravo Brewing. The event starts at 6pm, with kickoff at 6:30pm.
Fans can also view the match from home on New Mexico 50, KRQE.com, ESPN+, and Estrella TV or listen on ESPN 101.7 The Team.
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