EL PASO, Texas — El Paso Locomotive FC went into its regular-season finale holding first place in the USL Championship Western Conference and left Southwest University Park on Saturday night in third, beaten 1-0 by rival New Mexico United on a goal in the final minutes.
The winner of the match was guaranteed the West title and the top seed for the playoffs. For more than 90 minutes neither side could score in the rain. Then, four minutes into stoppage time, Valentin Noel hit a left-footed shot from outside the penalty area that found the top corner, set up by Gedion Zelalem.
The Locos had the better of the play for long stretches. They held 53% of possession and outshot New Mexico 17 to 10, though only three of those attempts were on target. Alex Mendez sent a free kick from just outside the box over the bar in the first minute after Beto Avila was fouled, and Rubio Rubin later had a chance from point-blank range that went right at the keeper. At the other end, Abraham Romero made a key late save before Noel finally broke through.
The defeat left El Paso third in the final standings, with New Mexico United first and Sacramento Republic FC second. It was also the first time the Locos had lost two matches in a row since mid-July, when a 2-0 loss to New Mexico was followed by a 1-0 loss to FC Tulsa. The crowd was announced at 5,770.
El Paso will still open the postseason at home. The Locos host a first-round USL Championship Playoffs match at Southwest University Park on Friday, Oct. 30, at 7 p.m. Mountain time, a year after their run ended with a 1-0 first-round loss to Phoenix Rising FC.
Saturday’s match was the fourth meeting between the two rivals this season.
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