Opponent: New Mexico United
Match Date: June 22
Location: Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park
Kickoff: 7pm MT
How to Listen: XTRA Sports 1300am with the Voices of the Switchbacks, Ryan Kaufman and Roland Vargish – coverage starts at 6:30pm MT.
Coach Chambers Comments: “It was a good point on the road [in Las Vegas] all things considered. We showed a lot of character and I’m really happy with that. The boys are fatigued but we’ve recharged the batteries and we’re able to attack New Mexico on Saturday with a full compliment. It’s just natural [to make changes] with regard to a three-game week. We’ve got to make sure the players are able to perform at 100% and perform with consistent actions over a 90-minute period and it’s very difficult to do that when you’re fatigued. So we’ve been trying to freshen it up to a point where what we want is done at 100% and whoever is fit and healthy and whoever is playing well is able to do that. It’s been a long week but we’re excited to get to the game [on Saturday night]. “[New Mexico] will be a really good challenge, especially coming off the game against Vegas with a decent goal [scoring] performance. The reality is that New Mexico have been the best team in the West so far. They’re at the top of it, they’re looking down [the league standings] at everyone else, and we’re excited to measure ourselves up against them and put in a performance. It would be lovely if we were able to just play Saturday to Saturday and went into it completely fresh, but the reality of the situation is that we’re not, so we are going in there to put in a good account of ourselves and make sure that we put a performance on.
Look at New Mexico: “[Greg Hurst] has always done well at this level – he’s consistently got a lot of goals wherever he has been,” continued Head Coach Chambers. “I think this year he has found his scoring boots, and [NM United Head Coach] Eric [Quill] has probably filled him full of confidence. He’ll be a good threat and obviously [New Mexico] have a lot of other good players as well. [Daniel] Bruce [is a top player]. They have got some really, really good pieces, and we’re just eager to put on a performance ourselves.”
Vargish’s View: New Mexico United are 5-0-0 at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque this season in no small part due to the outstanding play of Scottish striker Greg Hurst. The Stirling native has scored three of his team-leading six goals in the Land of Enchantment – two of which were game winners for New Mexico United. Hurst was brought off the bench last Saturday in the Volunteer State, but his 87th minute goal was not enough to rescue United who fell 2-1 to Memphis 901 FC. The Switchbacks’ 3-3 draw in Sin City on Tuesday night was breathless and frenetic. After taking a 6th minute lead through Quenzi Huerman, the Switchbacks were desperately disappointed to give away a beyond-unlucky penalty kick to the Las Vegas Lights deep into first half stoppage time. The fight that was shown in Vegas to snatch an equalizer through Ronaldo Damus just a minute before full-time will be needed on Saturday in the 505. New Mexico is strong, experienced, and can lean on the benefit provided by a week to recover and prepare for
the Switchbacks’ visit. Taking points from Isotopes Park on Saturday night is going to require exactly what the Switchbacks have shown this season; grit, pace, and a ton heart.
