El Paso Locomotive Defeat Fresno 2-1 to Win 3rd Straight Match
The El Paso Locomotive defeated Fresno FC last night at Southwest University Park by the score of 2-1, winning their 3rd straight match in a row. The match winning goal came in stoppage time sending the home supporters for the Locos into frenzy.
All three goals came in the second half after a first half that could be described as uneventful. The only real threat from the local side came in the 14th minute when midfielder Yuma took a strike from outside the opposing goalbox that went just left of the target.
The Locos were finally able to opening the scoring line in the 53rd minute when defender Chiro Ntoko found a lose ball from just outside of the box, not hesitating to take the strike that would give El Paso the 1-0 lead.
Thirteen minutes later Fresno would get the equalizer off of a direct kick.
The big surprise of the night would be the decision made by Locomotive head coach Mark Lowry in the 88 minute. Lowry would bring on Omar Salgado and Alexy Bosetti onto the field of play for Nick Ross and Sebastian Velasquez. This move to create an all out attack would pay off in stoppage time when Salgado would cross the ball to James Kiffe from the left flank. Kiffe would take his shot on goal, be save by the Fresno goalkeeper but Jerome Kiesewetter would be there to push in the rebound with his thigh.
The win moves the Locos into 8th place in the Western Conference standings only one point out of 4th place with 4 matches to go in the regular season.
After the match an elated Mark Lowry commented, “It was a game we needed to go win. Understanding that we have to go into Reno, the third game this week, it gonna be incredibly tough. But to get these 6 points these first two games was superb and it has shown in my subs and approach to the game have been to lets go and win.”
El Paso will have a chance to go and win once again on Saturday night to extend their streak to 4 in a row in the state of Nevada where they will pay a visit to Reno 1868. The match is scheduled to kickoff at 7pm MST. The match will televised on ESPN+.