FC Juarez Back in Win Column While Locos Season Ends

El Paso Locomotive FC’s season came to an end last weekend being eliminated in the opening round of the playoffs while FC Juarez broke a four match losing streak on Wednesday night at home defeating the third place team. Finally, the FC Juarez women won their match on Sunday improving their playoff chances.

Let’s get caught up with everything going on with all the MountainStar Sports Group soccer teams.

Locomotive eliminated in opening round of the playoffs

El Paso Locomotive FC fell to Orange County SC by the score of 1-0 in the quarterfinals of the western conference playoffs last Saturday night in southern California. The loss puts a punctuation on the 2023 season for Locomotive.

The lone goal of the match came in stoppage time of the first half on a free kick. Milan Iloski put the ball in the back of the net with a right footed strike from just outside the goal box.

The goal was not without controversy as seconds before that free kick was awarded to Orange County, a foul on Locomotive player Louis ‘Chapa’ Herrera was not called by center referee Natalie Simon. The foul on Herrera was more blatant that the contact made on the foul that led to the free kick.

With that kind of blunder made by Simon, El Paso’s season should not be the only one that came to an end on Saturday night, Simon’s should as well. I can not imagine the USL giving her another assignment for the remainder of the playoff with that kid of mistake.

Not to say that OCSC was not deserving of the win, they were the better team over the course of the 90 minutes as once again the Locos offense went missing for the majority of the match. El Paso lacked the ability to create any threats on goal with any kind of consistency.

It will now be a busy three months for Alan Ledford, Andrew Forrest and head coach/technical director Brain Clarhaut in which they will make numerous decisions on what they want the Locomotive to be next year. I foresee plenty of changes in the roster as well as in the coaching staff in the coming days and weeks.

The preseason for the Locos usually begins at the end of January, beginning of February, I don’t expect that to be any different and those days will be here before you know it.

FC Juarez defeat Atletico de San Luis

Bravos de FC Juarez broke a 4 match losing streak on Wednesday night defeating Atletico de San Luis by the score of 3-2 at Benito Juarez Olympic Stadium. The win was badly needed by FC Juarez who had been winless in their last five matches. The mid-week victory improved their position in the standing table to ninth. With only four matches to go in the regular season, the team from the Borderland is working to place itself firmly in the playoff picture.

The Bravos jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first half and then scored their third goal only five minutes into the second half. San Luis came back roaring, scoring two goals in the span of seven minutes. Three minutes later Javier Guemez was sent off with a red card. This neutralized the comeback for San Luis.

It has to be said that all five goals in this match were absolute bangers, all spectacular in their own way.

Up next for the Bravos will be their third match in the span of nine days. They will go on the road to face Santos in Torreon, Coahuila on Sunday night. Santos is currently in 14th place in the general standings table with only 14 points on the season. Still, FC Juarez will need to be careful as it seems that they struggle with teams that occupy the bottom positions of the standings.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. MST Sunday evening. The match will be televised on the Televisa/Univision streaming platform VIX+.

FC Juarez women defeat Tijuana

FC Juarez women went on the road and defeated Xolas de Tijuana last Sunday night by the score of 1-0. Julitha Singano scored the lone goal of the match in the 60th minute off of a free kick giving the Bravas their seventh victory of the season.

The win moves FC Juarez into the eighth and final playoff spot going into the final week of the regular season. Bravas will host Pumas next Friday night in what will be the most important match of the week in the entire league. Pumas is currently in ninth place, one spot behind the Bravas in the standings table. Bravas have 26 points on the season, Pumas have 23 and the goal differential in their favor. This means that if Pumas wins next Friday they are in, a win or a draw by FC Juarez and they are in.

Next Friday’s match is scheduled for a 9:10 p.m. MST kickoff.