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It’s Free Underwear Night at Weidner Field as the Switchbacks host El Paso Locomotive this Saturday.  When gates open at 5pm, the first 1,000 fans will receive a pair of underwear, courtesy of Sheath.  Tickets for Saturday’s match are available HERE.

For those unable to attend, the match against El Paso Locomotive will be broadcast live by the voice of the Switchbacks, Ryan Kaufman, on XTRA Sports 1300 AM and xtrasports1300.com, with coverage beginning at 5:30pm MT.

It’s Free Underwear Night at Weidner Field as the Switchbacks host El Paso Locomotive this Saturday.  When gates open at 5pm, the first 1,000 fans will receive a pair of underwear, courtesy of Sheath.  Tickets for Saturday’s match are available HERE.

For those unable to attend, the match against El Paso Locomotive will be broadcast live by the voice of the Switchbacks, Ryan Kaufman, on XTRA Sports 1300 AM and xtrasports1300.com, with coverage beginning at 5:30pm MT.

The Switchbacks are unbeaten in their last five matches, which included a 0-0 draw with El Paso Locomotive on September 15th at Weidner Field in downtown Colorado Springs.  “When you have two good teams, tactically it’s going to be a bit of a battle,” said Switchbacks midfielder Zach Zandi.  “Both teams have pretty different styles of play.  El Paso are more of a possession-based team, and we like to counter attack.  El Paso try to minimize us countering against them by possessing and sitting back, so I think that game [on September 15th] was just two really good teams that cancelled each other out.  But I think the games against them have been good and entertaining and very high quality.  When you play against a team that’s as good as El Paso, it’s hard to break them down, so it’s normally a pretty cagey affair.”

Entering Saturday’s match, El Paso top the USL Championship’s Mountain Division, with the Switchbacks in second place.  The Locomotive are 14-2-8, and have tied the Switchbacks both times the teams have met this season; a 1-1 draw at Southwest University Park in Far West Texas on June 12th, and the aforementioned 0-0 stalemate at Weidner Field on September 15th. 

“El Paso are definitely the best team we’ve seen this year,” said Zach Zandi.  “They’re clearly the best that we’ve played in the Western Conference.  On Saturday we have to be creative in the final third and try to unlock them as best as possible and find different solutions.  We’re a goal-scoring team and it’s five games unbeaten for us, so we’re on a good string of form too.  Continuing that momentum –  especially the momentum that we have at home –  is really important.  Those were two massive victories for us against RGV and Austin and it’s huge for us to be able to carry that momentum into the El Paso game on Saturday.”

The Switchbacks are unbeaten in their last five matches, which included a 0-0 draw with El Paso Locomotive on September 15th at Weidner Field in downtown Colorado Springs.  “When you have two good teams, tactically it’s going to be a bit of a battle,” said Switchbacks midfielder Zach Zandi.  “Both teams have pretty different styles of play.  El Paso are more of a possession-based team, and we like to counter attack.  El Paso try to minimize us countering against them by possessing and sitting back, so I think that game [on September 15th] was just two really good teams that cancelled each other out.  But I think the games against them have been good and entertaining and very high quality.  When you play against a team that’s as good as El Paso, it’s hard to break them down, so it’s normally a pretty cagey affair.”

Entering Saturday’s match, El Paso top the USL Championship’s Mountain Division, with the Switchbacks in second place.  The Locomotive are 14-2-8, and have tied the Switchbacks both times the teams have met this season; a 1-1 draw at Southwest University Park in Far West Texas on June 12th, and the aforementioned 0-0 stalemate at Weidner Field on September 15th. 

“El Paso are definitely the best team we’ve seen this year,” said Zach Zandi.  “They’re clearly the best that we’ve played in the Western Conference.  On Saturday we have to be creative in the final third and try to unlock them as best as possible and find different solutions.  We’re a goal-scoring team and it’s five games unbeaten for us, so we’re on a good string of form too.  Continuing that momentum –  especially the momentum that we have at home –  is really important.  Those were two massive victories for us against RGV and Austin and it’s huge for us to be able to carry that momentum into the El Paso game on Saturday.”

Switchbacks defender Sebastian Anderson was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week after a Man of the Match performance that included two assists in the win against the Austin Bold last Saturday at Weidner Field.  “Seb is an incredible player,” said Zach Zandi.  “He’s been really good for us, and we talk a lot about our attacks on that right-hand side, and that’s credit to him.  His deliveries on the ball are spectacular and we saw that perfectly displayed with his cross to Deshane [Beckford].  His delivery of the ball is on-point and it’s just up to the other guys to get into the right positions because you know Seb will put something in with expertise and serious quality.  He’s a great asset to have, and he’s a great guy off the field as well.”

Following the 3-1 win against the Austin Bold on September 25th, the Switchbacks had a rare week to recover and game plan for the visit of El Paso on Saturday evening.  Meanwhile, the Locomotive defeated the Real Monarchs SLC on Wednesday evening at Southwest University Park behind a 68th-minute own goal from Monarchs midfielder Ibrahim Bancé.  

“I think it’s massive, honestly, to have this time to prepare,” said Zandi on Thursday morning.  “[Head Coach] Brendan [Burke] has talked about it a lot, with these last two weeks being the first time in a while that we’ve had a full week to prepare for games.  It helps us a lot when we don’t have the midweek games and you’re not focused on anything else and the team is singularly focused on the game at the weekend so that all our energy goes into that.  There’s a lot more preparation that can happen for us before Saturday, so I think just being home for this week is massive and hopefully we can show how much it’s helped this weekend against El Paso.” 

Next Friday, October 8th, the Switchbacks face the Real Monarchs SLC at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, Utah.  On Wednesday, October 13th the Switchbacks will head to The Sun City to face the Locomotive at Southwest University Park.  Just three days later, the Switchbacks play their final regular season home match of 2021 at Weidner Field as they take on the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros on Saturday, October 16th.  The match against RGV is Soccer Ball Night, with the first 1,000 fans receiving a soccer ball, courtesy of Comcast Business.  Tickets for the regular season finale at Weidner Field are available HERE.

Switchbacks defender Sebastian Anderson was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week after a Man of the Match performance that included two assists in the win against the Austin Bold last Saturday at Weidner Field.  “Seb is an incredible player,” said Zach Zandi.  “He’s been really good for us, and we talk a lot about our attacks on that right-hand side, and that’s credit to him.  His deliveries on the ball are spectacular and we saw that perfectly displayed with his cross to Deshane [Beckford].  His delivery of the ball is on-point and it’s just up to the other guys to get into the right positions because you know Seb will put something in with expertise and serious quality.  He’s a great asset to have, and he’s a great guy off the field as well.”

Following the 3-1 win against the Austin Bold on September 25th, the Switchbacks had a rare week to recover and game plan for the visit of El Paso on Saturday evening.  Meanwhile, the Locomotive defeated the Real Monarchs SLC on Wednesday evening at Southwest University Park behind a 68th-minute own goal from Monarchs midfielder Ibrahim Bancé.  

“I think it’s massive, honestly, to have this time to prepare,” said Zandi on Thursday morning.  “[Head Coach] Brendan [Burke] has talked about it a lot, with these last two weeks being the first time in a while that we’ve had a full week to prepare for games.  It helps us a lot when we don’t have the midweek games and you’re not focused on anything else and the team is singularly focused on the game at the weekend so that all our energy goes into that.  There’s a lot more preparation that can happen for us before Saturday, so I think just being home for this week is massive and hopefully we can show how much it’s helped this weekend against El Paso.” 

Next Friday, October 8th, the Switchbacks face the Real Monarchs SLC at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, Utah.  On Wednesday, October 13th the Switchbacks will head to The Sun City to face the Locomotive at Southwest University Park.  Just three days later, the Switchbacks play their final regular season home match of 2021 at Weidner Field as they take on the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros on Saturday, October 16th.  The match against RGV is Soccer Ball Night, with the first 1,000 fans receiving a soccer ball, courtesy of Comcast Business.  Tickets for the regular season finale at Weidner Field are available HERE.

It’s Mustache Night at Weidner Field as the Colorado Springs Switchbacks host Austin Bold on Saturday evening.  Gates open at 5pm and tickets remain available HERE.  The first 1,000 fans through the gates will receive a Jordan Burt stick-on mustache, courtesy of the Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado.  

The Austin Bold have recorded three wins and a draw since former University of Tampa Spartan Ryan Thompson took over as Head Coach on September 4th following a 4-1 loss to the Switchbacks on August 28th.  At the time of writing, the Bold sit in 4th place in the Mountain Division, four points behind the Switchbacks and with a game in hand.  

“Austin are entirely different now with Ryan coaching and it’s changed their identity,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Brendan Burke.  “He’s moved a couple guys like Amobi [Okugo] into their natural positions and he’s kind of cut the team loose.  They’re now a lot more aggressive from what I can see so far, so I expect a totally different game from the last time we saw them.  They’re not conceding and they’re finding ways to win – they haven’t lost yet.  They’re absolutely more dangerous now under Ryan.”

On Wednesday night, the Austin Bold tied 2-2 with table-topping El Paso Locomotive at Bold Stadium after a 94th minute equalizer from Sonny Guadarrama.  Austin native Guadarrama rejoined the Bold on September 15th, having left his hometown club at the conclusion of the 2020 USL Championship season.  

Austin Bold’s French defender Fabien Garcia was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week following his game-winning free kick against FC Tulsa on September 18th.  Garcia is tied atop Austin’s goal scoring chart with Mexican midfielder Xavier Báez – each player has found the net four times in 2021.  

The USL Championship’s leading scorer Hadji Barry was also named to the Team of the Week, marking the fifth time the Guinean has garnered the award this season.  Barry’s brace led the Switchbacks to a 2-1 comeback win against the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros last Saturday night at H-E-B Park in Edinburg, Texas. 

It’s Mustache Night at Weidner Field as the Colorado Springs Switchbacks host Austin Bold on Saturday evening.  Gates open at 5pm and tickets remain available HERE.  The first 1,000 fans through the gates will receive a Jordan Burt stick-on mustache, courtesy of the Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado.  

The Austin Bold have recorded three wins and a draw since former University of Tampa Spartan Ryan Thompson took over as Head Coach on September 4th following a 4-1 loss to the Switchbacks on August 28th.  At the time of writing, the Bold sit in 4th place in the Mountain Division, four points behind the Switchbacks and with a game in hand.  

“Austin are entirely different now with Ryan coaching and it’s changed their identity,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Brendan Burke.  “He’s moved a couple guys like Amobi [Okugo] into their natural positions and he’s kind of cut the team loose.  They’re now a lot more aggressive from what I can see so far, so I expect a totally different game from the last time we saw them.  They’re not conceding and they’re finding ways to win – they haven’t lost yet.  They’re absolutely more dangerous now under Ryan.”

On Wednesday night, the Austin Bold tied 2-2 with table-topping El Paso Locomotive at Bold Stadium after a 94th minute equalizer from Sonny Guadarrama.  Austin native Guadarrama rejoined the Bold on September 15th, having left his hometown club at the conclusion of the 2020 USL Championship season.  

Austin Bold’s French defender Fabien Garcia was named to the USL Championship Team of the Week following his game-winning free kick against FC Tulsa on September 18th.  Garcia is tied atop Austin’s goal scoring chart with Mexican midfielder Xavier Báez – each player has found the net four times in 2021.  

The USL Championship’s leading scorer Hadji Barry was also named to the Team of the Week, marking the fifth time the Guinean has garnered the award this season.  Barry’s brace led the Switchbacks to a 2-1 comeback win against the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros last Saturday night at H-E-B Park in Edinburg, Texas. 

“We showed character to come back and dig it out and get a result [against RGV FC] and that shows that we’ve got a really strong team,” said Canadian goalkeeper Sean Melvin.  The win against the Toros rounded out a series of five matches in just 15 days for the Switchbacks.  “We had such a long schedule of travel and games, so being able to rest and prepare and refocus on the Austin game is huge for us,” added Melvin.  “Having this week to prepare really helps – we’ll prepare as we always do this week and be as ready as we can.  I think we did really well over that last stretch of games – we even went behind a goal [against RGV FC].  On Saturday we need to go out, start the game well and execute our game plan.”  

“We’ve been desperate for this [time to prepare] for weeks,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Brendan Burke on Tuesday at Weidner Field.  “No one has had a day off in probably three weeks now, and we’ll give the guys Wednesday off while Austin play, so it should be all about energy systems this weekend and having everyone ready to pop at the opening whistle.  Everyone has held up – some guys have needed a little more time to recover, but everyone has held up.”  

Saturday marks the fourth and final time the Switchbacks and Bold will meet in the 2021 USL Championship regular season.  The Switchbacks have won twice against Saturday’s opponents, while the Bold picked up a 2-1 win in Texas’ capital city on August 4th. 

“We showed character to come back and dig it out and get a result [against RGV FC] and that shows that we’ve got a really strong team,” said Canadian goalkeeper Sean Melvin.  The win against the Toros rounded out a series of five matches in just 15 days for the Switchbacks.  “We had such a long schedule of travel and games, so being able to rest and prepare and refocus on the Austin game is huge for us,” added Melvin.  “Having this week to prepare really helps – we’ll prepare as we always do this week and be as ready as we can.  I think we did really well over that last stretch of games – we even went behind a goal [against RGV FC].  On Saturday we need to go out, start the game well and execute our game plan.”  

“We’ve been desperate for this [time to prepare] for weeks,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Brendan Burke on Tuesday at Weidner Field.  “No one has had a day off in probably three weeks now, and we’ll give the guys Wednesday off while Austin play, so it should be all about energy systems this weekend and having everyone ready to pop at the opening whistle.  Everyone has held up – some guys have needed a little more time to recover, but everyone has held up.”  

Saturday marks the fourth and final time the Switchbacks and Bold will meet in the 2021 USL Championship regular season.  The Switchbacks have won twice against Saturday’s opponents, while the Bold picked up a 2-1 win in Texas’ capital city on August 4th. 

“We need to dominate the game from an energy system standpoint on Saturday to make sure we’re on top of people and to press and re-press,” said Head Coach Burke.  “And if Austin sit, we need to break them down early so that they can’t sit – we just have to be super aggressive.”

For those unable to attend, the match against the Austin Bold will be broadcast live by the voice of the Switchbacks, Ryan Kaufman, on XTRA Sports 1300 AM and xtrasports1300.com, with coverage beginning at 5:30pm MT.

The Switchbacks will host the El Paso Locomotive at Weidner Field on October 2nd on Free Underwear Night, presented by Sheath, with the first 1,000 fans through the gates at 5pm receiving a pair of underwear.  Tickets for the match against El Paso are available HERE.

“We need to dominate the game from an energy system standpoint on Saturday to make sure we’re on top of people and to press and re-press,” said Head Coach Burke.  “And if Austin sit, we need to break them down early so that they can’t sit – we just have to be super aggressive.”

For those unable to attend, the match against the Austin Bold will be broadcast live by the voice of the Switchbacks, Ryan Kaufman, on XTRA Sports 1300 AM and xtrasports1300.com, with coverage beginning at 5:30pm MT.

The Switchbacks will host the El Paso Locomotive at Weidner Field on October 2nd on Free Underwear Night, presented by Sheath, with the first 1,000 fans through the gates at 5pm receiving a pair of underwear.  Tickets for the match against El Paso are available HERE.

Unbeaten in their last three matches, the Switchbacks make their way to border country for a Saturday evening showdown with the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros in Edinburg, Texas.  Saturday marks the second time in just eight days that the Switchbacks and Toros have faced off.  

Saturday’s match against the Toros will be broadcast live by the voice of the Switchbacks, Ryan Kaufman, on XTRA Sports 1300 AM and xtrasports1300.com, with coverage beginning at 6pm MT.

On Wednesday evening, the Switchbacks tied El Paso Locomotive 0-0 at Weidner Field.  “I think a point felt fair,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Brendan Burke.  “El Paso got on top of us for two or three spells – they’re so technical and their team is so deep.  Obviously they’re heavily resourced in terms of their roster – when you’re able to bring Dylan Mares and Sebastián Velásquez off the bench you’re literally bringing hundreds of thousands of dollars into the game.  I was happy that we got a point and I think if we had nicked it one-nil it would have been fair, but I think nil-nil was the fairest result.”

RGV FC have not played since the aforementioned match against the Switchbacks on September 11th, and are winless since August 4th.  In the Switchbacks’ first matchup with RGV FC this season, the Switchbacks ran away 5-2 winners on August 14th at H-E-B Park in Edinburg behind a brace from the USL Championship’s leading scorer, Hadji Barry.  Striker Elvis Amoh continues to impress during the 2021 USL Championship campaign, with the Ghanaian leading the Toros with eight goals.

Unbeaten in their last three matches, the Switchbacks make their way to border country for a Saturday evening showdown with the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros in Edinburg, Texas.  Saturday marks the second time in just eight days that the Switchbacks and Toros have faced off.  

Saturday’s match against the Toros will be broadcast live by the voice of the Switchbacks, Ryan Kaufman, on XTRA Sports 1300 AM and xtrasports1300.com, with coverage beginning at 6pm MT.

On Wednesday evening, the Switchbacks tied El Paso Locomotive 0-0 at Weidner Field.  “I think a point felt fair,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Brendan Burke.  “El Paso got on top of us for two or three spells – they’re so technical and their team is so deep.  Obviously they’re heavily resourced in terms of their roster – when you’re able to bring Dylan Mares and Sebastián Velásquez off the bench you’re literally bringing hundreds of thousands of dollars into the game.  I was happy that we got a point and I think if we had nicked it one-nil it would have been fair, but I think nil-nil was the fairest result.”

RGV FC have not played since the aforementioned match against the Switchbacks on September 11th, and are winless since August 4th.  In the Switchbacks’ first matchup with RGV FC this season, the Switchbacks ran away 5-2 winners on August 14th at H-E-B Park in Edinburg behind a brace from the USL Championship’s leading scorer, Hadji Barry.  Striker Elvis Amoh continues to impress during the 2021 USL Championship campaign, with the Ghanaian leading the Toros with eight goals.

The Switchbacks made numerous changes for the visit of El Paso to Weidner Field on Wednesday night, and further lineup rotation will occur on Saturday as the Switchbacks conclude a taxing stretch of games.   “This is our fifth game in 15 days so it’s just brutal,” said Burke.  “And to have to get on two flights to get down there is…yeah.  They should smack us, honestly; they really should.  But they won’t because we’ve rotated so heavily and Jimmy [Ockford] is coming off the suspension that he never should have had from the game against RGV, so we’re going in there angry.”

“There will be a lot of rotation for Saturday,” continued Burke.  “I think we’ll be in a position where in midfield we’re able to rotate because we have six or seven players who are performing at a very high level.  I was really pleased with how Stevie [Echevarria] and Bev [Makangila] and Rony [Argueta] played against El Paso.  And we have Maya [Philip Mayaka] and José [Torres] and Andre [Lewis] – and [Zach] Zandi could be coming back into the fold this weekend.”  

Switchbacks veteran Rony Argueta was particularly impressive against El Paso.  “Having him here has gotten us a lot of points this year,” said Burke when asked about Argueta.  “Down at RGV he was excellent and we got three points.  He was excellent against the top team in the league and we got a point against El Paso.  I can’t say enough about Rony.  He’s contributed a ton to this group.  I wasn’t sure coming in to the season if he could play in our style, but he suits us perfectly; especially in the role that he’s playing right now where he’s able to start or he’s able to come off the bench and kill a game.  He’s experienced, he’s level-headed, and he just does so much for us and so many good things.” 

The Switchbacks made numerous changes for the visit of El Paso to Weidner Field on Wednesday night, and further lineup rotation will occur on Saturday as the Switchbacks conclude a taxing stretch of games.   “This is our fifth game in 15 days so it’s just brutal,” said Burke.  “And to have to get on two flights to get down there is…yeah.  They should smack us, honestly; they really should.  But they won’t because we’ve rotated so heavily and Jimmy [Ockford] is coming off the suspension that he never should have had from the game against RGV, so we’re going in there angry.”

“There will be a lot of rotation for Saturday,” continued Burke.  “I think we’ll be in a position where in midfield we’re able to rotate because we have six or seven players who are performing at a very high level.  I was really pleased with how Stevie [Echevarria] and Bev [Makangila] and Rony [Argueta] played against El Paso.  And we have Maya [Philip Mayaka] and José [Torres] and Andre [Lewis] – and [Zach] Zandi could be coming back into the fold this weekend.”  

Switchbacks veteran Rony Argueta was particularly impressive against El Paso.  “Having him here has gotten us a lot of points this year,” said Burke when asked about Argueta.  “Down at RGV he was excellent and we got three points.  He was excellent against the top team in the league and we got a point against El Paso.  I can’t say enough about Rony.  He’s contributed a ton to this group.  I wasn’t sure coming in to the season if he could play in our style, but he suits us perfectly; especially in the role that he’s playing right now where he’s able to start or he’s able to come off the bench and kill a game.  He’s experienced, he’s level-headed, and he just does so much for us and so many good things.” 

“It’s always good to hear that I have their trust and their confidence,” said Argueta on Thursday evening.  “At the end of the day we’re all professionals and we just have to be ready whenever our number is called and that’s our mentality.  Coach has done a really good job in managing the players and we’re looking forward to getting three points down in RGV.  On Saturday we need to be patient with the ball in their half, move the ball side to side, and stay together – it’s a pretty tough place to play, but if we stick together I really think we can come away with points.”

On September 25th, the Switchbacks return to Weidner Field for Mustache Night, with the first 1,000 fans receiving a stick-on mustache, courtesy of the Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado.  Tickets are available HERE.

“It’s always good to hear that I have their trust and their confidence,” said Argueta on Thursday evening.  “At the end of the day we’re all professionals and we just have to be ready whenever our number is called and that’s our mentality.  Coach has done a really good job in managing the players and we’re looking forward to getting three points down in RGV.  On Saturday we need to be patient with the ball in their half, move the ball side to side, and stay together – it’s a pretty tough place to play, but if we stick together I really think we can come away with points.”

On September 25th, the Switchbacks return to Weidner Field for Mustache Night, with the first 1,000 fans receiving a stick-on mustache, courtesy of the Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado.  Tickets are available HERE.

On Saturday evening the Switchbacks look to win their fourth straight match at Weidner Field as they host the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros on Superhero Night.   The first 1,000 fans through the gates at 6pm will receive a pennant, courtesy of Children’s Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs.  Tickets for Saturday’s match are available HERE.

For those unable to attend, the match against RGV FC will be broadcast live by the voice of the Switchbacks, Ryan Kaufman, on XTRA Sports 1300 AM and xtrasports1300.com, with coverage beginning at 6:30pm MT.

Wednesday night saw the Switchbacks record their first shutout in the history of Weidner Field in downtown Colorado Springs as they blanked the Real Monarchs SLC 2-0.  Just before the hour mark, Hadji Barry extended his lead atop the league’s scoring charts with his 21st goal of the season.  Barry was named the USL Championship Player of the Month after scoring six times in August.  “Right now he can’t be stopped,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Brendan Burke.  “It’s deserved and I think he’s making his case for Player of the Year with the way he’s carried us on the attacking front.”

José Torres opened his account for the Switchbacks in the 65th minute against the Real Monarchs with a sensational volley that’s destined to be a highlight reel favorite for years to come.  “José hit that about as well as you can hit a ball,” said Head Coach Burke.  “He definitely showed his class [against the Real Monarchs] and not just with that goal but in how he controlled the game.  I thought he was excellent for us from start to finish.”

On Saturday evening the Switchbacks look to win their fourth straight match at Weidner Field as they host the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros on Superhero Night.   The first 1,000 fans through the gates at 6pm will receive a pennant, courtesy of Children’s Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs.  Tickets for Saturday’s match are available HERE.

For those unable to attend, the match against RGV FC will be broadcast live by the voice of the Switchbacks, Ryan Kaufman, on XTRA Sports 1300 AM and xtrasports1300.com, with coverage beginning at 6:30pm MT.

Wednesday night saw the Switchbacks record their first shutout in the history of Weidner Field in downtown Colorado Springs as they blanked the Real Monarchs SLC 2-0.  Just before the hour mark, Hadji Barry extended his lead atop the league’s scoring charts with his 21st goal of the season.  Barry was named the USL Championship Player of the Month after scoring six times in August.  “Right now he can’t be stopped,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Brendan Burke.  “It’s deserved and I think he’s making his case for Player of the Year with the way he’s carried us on the attacking front.”

José Torres opened his account for the Switchbacks in the 65th minute against the Real Monarchs with a sensational volley that’s destined to be a highlight reel favorite for years to come.  “José hit that about as well as you can hit a ball,” said Head Coach Burke.  “He definitely showed his class [against the Real Monarchs] and not just with that goal but in how he controlled the game.  I thought he was excellent for us from start to finish.”

“We needed the win,” said José Torres.  “It was important to get three points at home, and we knew we had to win the game and get a clean sheet, so I think the guys did a great job.  We played as a team.  At halftime we had a good talk, and we knew we had to finish the game and not concede a goal.”

Torres’ sensational goal is a shoo-in for USL Championship Goal of the Week, with Torres saying on Thursday that the strike reminded him of a goal he scored while playing in Mexico’s Liga MX.  “I was telling Zach Zandi after the game that at Tigres I had a similar one but that was closer to the left side of the box, almost without an angle, and the ball wasn’t that high…so it was pretty tough [against the Monarchs] because the ball was pretty high as it was coming to me.  I knew that I had to finish it and that’s what I did – I had nothing to lose.  If I hit it wrong it was just going to go over the goal and into the stands, and I thank God for putting me in that spot and me being able to finish it.  It felt so good being able to score and being able to do that at home in front of our fans, and with the [back flips] celebration I just wanted to show the fans that a 33-year-old still has that in him!”  

“We needed the win,” said José Torres.  “It was important to get three points at home, and we knew we had to win the game and get a clean sheet, so I think the guys did a great job.  We played as a team.  At halftime we had a good talk, and we knew we had to finish the game and not concede a goal.”

Torres’ sensational goal is a shoo-in for USL Championship Goal of the Week, with Torres saying on Thursday that the strike reminded him of a goal he scored while playing in Mexico’s Liga MX.  “I was telling Zach Zandi after the game that at Tigres I had a similar one but that was closer to the left side of the box, almost without an angle, and the ball wasn’t that high…so it was pretty tough [against the Monarchs] because the ball was pretty high as it was coming to me.  I knew that I had to finish it and that’s what I did – I had nothing to lose.  If I hit it wrong it was just going to go over the goal and into the stands, and I thank God for putting me in that spot and me being able to finish it.  It felt so good being able to score and being able to do that at home in front of our fans, and with the [back flips] celebration I just wanted to show the fans that a 33-year-old still has that in him!”  

The Rio Grande Valley FC Toros are winless in their last six matches, which includes a 5-2 loss to the Switchbacks on August 14th at H-E-B Park in Edinburg, Texas.  “They’ve not been in great form, so they’ll bring some desperation,” said Head Coach Burke.  “They’re a good team and they showed that at the start of the year.  We know they’re very experienced in almost every position, they’re clean on the ball and they like to have the ball, so I do expect it to be a really high-end game in terms of the technical side.  Elvis Amoh is quietly one of the best forwards in the league, so we’ll have our hands full.”

Ghanaian striker Amoh leads the Toros in goals with eight, while Venezuelan Juan Carlos Azócar has scored six times this season, including the opener in the aforementioned match against the Switchbacks on August 14th.  

“RGV have a great team and they have experienced players too,” said José Torres.  “Obviously we have to worry about them, but we also have to focus on ourselves and how we defend, and make sure we don’t concede goals.  And we need to make sure we put away the chances that we have – we have the talent, the quality, we have great players, and I think we’ll do well this weekend.”

With a stretch of five matches in just 15 days, Head Coach Brendan Burke confirmed that changes to the lineup are in the works for Saturday’s match against RGV FC.  “We’re having conversations about rotating in certain areas and there will definitely be at least two or three spots where we see different starters on Saturday because we have to turn around again to Wednesday,” said Burke.  

Next Wednesday, the Switchbacks will conclude their homestand by hosting Mountain Division leaders El Paso Locomotive FC.  Fireworks will follow the match and tickets are available HERE.

The Rio Grande Valley FC Toros are winless in their last six matches, which includes a 5-2 loss to the Switchbacks on August 14th at H-E-B Park in Edinburg, Texas.  “They’ve not been in great form, so they’ll bring some desperation,” said Head Coach Burke.  “They’re a good team and they showed that at the start of the year.  We know they’re very experienced in almost every position, they’re clean on the ball and they like to have the ball, so I do expect it to be a really high-end game in terms of the technical side.  Elvis Amoh is quietly one of the best forwards in the league, so we’ll have our hands full.”

Ghanaian striker Amoh leads the Toros in goals with eight, while Venezuelan Juan Carlos Azócar has scored six times this season, including the opener in the aforementioned match against the Switchbacks on August 14th.  

“RGV have a great team and they have experienced players too,” said José Torres.  “Obviously we have to worry about them, but we also have to focus on ourselves and how we defend, and make sure we don’t concede goals.  And we need to make sure we put away the chances that we have – we have the talent, the quality, we have great players, and I think we’ll do well this weekend.”

With a stretch of five matches in just 15 days, Head Coach Brendan Burke confirmed that changes to the lineup are in the works for Saturday’s match against RGV FC.  “We’re having conversations about rotating in certain areas and there will definitely be at least two or three spots where we see different starters on Saturday because we have to turn around again to Wednesday,” said Burke.  

Next Wednesday, the Switchbacks will conclude their homestand by hosting Mountain Division leaders El Paso Locomotive FC.  Fireworks will follow the match and tickets are available HERE.

It’s a midweek fiesta at Weidner Field as the Switchbacks welcome the Real Monarchs SLC to Colorado Springs for Margaritaville on Wednesday evening.  Gates open at 6pm with $3 margaritas available all evening.  Wednesday’s match will be the first of three games at Weidner Field in just eight days, with tickets for the homestand available HERE.

For those unable to attend on Wednesday, the match against the Real Monarchs will be broadcast live by the voice of the Switchbacks, Ryan Kaufman, on XTRA Sports 1300 AM and xtrasports1300.com, with coverage beginning at 6:30pm MT.

The Switchbacks will be without Michee Ngalina against the Real Monarchs, after the Congolese forward was sent off in stoppage time of the Switchbacks’ 3-2 loss to New Mexico United on Saturday night in Albuquerque.  As of Tuesday morning, Ngalina’s eight assists were tied for the most in the USL Championship, while his tally of eight goals is second on the Switchbacks behind the league’s leading scorer, Hadji Barry. 

It’s a midweek fiesta at Weidner Field as the Switchbacks welcome the Real Monarchs SLC to Colorado Springs for Margaritaville on Wednesday evening.  Gates open at 6pm with $3 margaritas available all evening.  Wednesday’s match will be the first of three games at Weidner Field in just eight days, with tickets for the homestand available HERE.

For those unable to attend on Wednesday, the match against the Real Monarchs will be broadcast live by the voice of the Switchbacks, Ryan Kaufman, on XTRA Sports 1300 AM and xtrasports1300.com, with coverage beginning at 6:30pm MT.

The Switchbacks will be without Michee Ngalina against the Real Monarchs, after the Congolese forward was sent off in stoppage time of the Switchbacks’ 3-2 loss to New Mexico United on Saturday night in Albuquerque.  As of Tuesday morning, Ngalina’s eight assists were tied for the most in the USL Championship, while his tally of eight goals is second on the Switchbacks behind the league’s leading scorer, Hadji Barry. 

In their only previous matchup this season, the Switchbacks defeated the Real Monarchs SLC 3-1 on Independence Day at Weidner Field behind first half goals from Deshane Beckford, Hadji Barry, and Michael Edwards. The Real Monarchs have lost seven road games during the 2021 USL Championship season and currently sit at the bottom of the Mountain Division.  On August 7th, the Real Monarchs logged their only road win of 2021 by defeating Landon Donovan’s San Diego Loyal 1-0 at Torero Stadium on the campus of the University of San Diego.  A 2-0 loss at Indy Eleven followed on August 28th, before Head Coach Jámison Olave’s team fell 3-2 at Toyota Field to San Antonio FC last Wednesday evening.  

“Obviously, we just have to play our game and do what we need to do – we’ve seen the Monarchs before and we’ve gotten a good result against them, so we just need to stick to our game plan and we’ll get a result,” said Sebastian Anderson.  “Wednesday will be a great game and we’re definitely looking to get a good result for our fans at home.  Being able to win our individual duels will be key –  and then just go forward and transition quickly, put in some goals, and make sure we’re solid defensively.” 

In their only previous matchup this season, the Switchbacks defeated the Real Monarchs SLC 3-1 on Independence Day at Weidner Field behind first half goals from Deshane Beckford, Hadji Barry, and Michael Edwards. The Real Monarchs have lost seven road games during the 2021 USL Championship season and currently sit at the bottom of the Mountain Division.  On August 7th, the Real Monarchs logged their only road win of 2021 by defeating Landon Donovan’s San Diego Loyal 1-0 at Torero Stadium on the campus of the University of San Diego.  A 2-0 loss at Indy Eleven followed on August 28th, before Head Coach Jámison Olave’s team fell 3-2 at Toyota Field to San Antonio FC last Wednesday evening.  

“Obviously, we just have to play our game and do what we need to do – we’ve seen the Monarchs before and we’ve gotten a good result against them, so we just need to stick to our game plan and we’ll get a result,” said Sebastian Anderson.  “Wednesday will be a great game and we’re definitely looking to get a good result for our fans at home.  Being able to win our individual duels will be key –  and then just go forward and transition quickly, put in some goals, and make sure we’re solid defensively.” 

“We need to come out strong and we need to score early,” said captain Jimmy Ockford.  “When we don’t start strong we seem to fall behind in the match, so I think it’s important to get up early and score as many goals as possible.  We know our principles and what we want to do and what we want to accomplish, so right now it’s about getting the bodies right and mentally prepared.  It’s going to be really nice to be home and be around that energy at Weidner Field.” 

On Saturday evening, the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros travel to Weidner Field on Superhero Night, presented by Children’s Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs.  Next Wednesday, September 15th, a post-match fireworks show will follow the contest against the El Paso Locomotive.  Tickets for all three matches of the Switchbacks’ homestand are available HERE.

“We need to come out strong and we need to score early,” said captain Jimmy Ockford.  “When we don’t start strong we seem to fall behind in the match, so I think it’s important to get up early and score as many goals as possible.  We know our principles and what we want to do and what we want to accomplish, so right now it’s about getting the bodies right and mentally prepared.  It’s going to be really nice to be home and be around that energy at Weidner Field.” 

On Saturday evening, the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros travel to Weidner Field on Superhero Night, presented by Children’s Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs.  Next Wednesday, September 15th, a post-match fireworks show will follow the contest against the El Paso Locomotive.  Tickets for all three matches of the Switchbacks’ homestand are available HERE.