New Mexico United’s challenging stretch of matches concluded with a scoreless draw against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Saturday, leaving the team with one point but no win after a demanding schedule that spanned several states and nearly 8,000 miles of travel.
This encounter marked United’s third match in eight days and their seventh in five weeks, covering road trips through Virginia, New Mexico, Nevada, Alabama, and Colorado. Despite the physical toll, the team showed improvement from previous outings, limiting costly mistakes while containing the Switchbacks’ offensive opportunities.
The match featured few clear scoring chances for either side. New Mexico’s best opportunity came in the 48th minute when forward Niall Reid-Stephen broke free inside the box, only to be denied by Colorado Springs goalkeeper Christian Herrera, who deflected the shot with a timely right-footed save. Colorado Springs nearly took the lead in the 68th minute when Steven Echeverria’s shot appeared to beat United goalkeeper Kris Shakes, but it ultimately struck the outside of the net. The game ended 0-0, with United goalkeeper Shakes earning his 10th clean sheet of the season across all competitions.
United finished the match with 10 shots, three on target, compared to Colorado Springs’ 22 attempts and five shots on goal. United manager Dennis Sanchez acknowledged the resilience shown by his team in limiting opponents’ chances despite the grueling schedule. “There were so many things that you could be like, ‘It’s going to go their way tonight,’ but we got to embrace that and I thought the guys channeled that,” Sanchez said. “We didn’t really give too many chances. It was unfortunate we didn’t get the goal from Niall. But at the end of the day, I would say it’s an important point on the road.”
The result leaves United (12 wins, 5 losses, 7 draws) three points behind Western Conference leaders El Paso Locomotive FC, who hold a 46-point total with three more games played. El Paso still has five matches remaining before the postseason, providing some margin for New Mexico to close the gap with six regular-season games left.
United midfielder Will Hurst stressed the importance of focusing on the team’s own performance, despite the pressure of the standings. “I think it’s hard not to watch the standings. Especially when you have games in hand and some results go your way and you find yourself in a good position. But for the most part, we’re focusing on ourselves,” Hurst said. “I feel like the lead is in our hands. Even the Player’s Shield. Of course, we’re going to need a couple of results to go our way. But I think if we do our job, we’ll be right there.”
As the season winds down, United now shifts attention to recovery and preparation for the upcoming matches. Reid-Stephen reflected on the challenges of the campaign so far, emphasizing adaptability. “It’s a long season,” he said. “Some games are going to be good. Some are going to be bad. It’s not always easy, things happen and you have to learn to adapt or move past it.”