After a rare Saturday off, New Mexico United returns to action on Wednesday night. That weekend off came after a disappointing departure from the U.S. Open Cup against El Paso Locomotive FC. Despite that, United has a chance to now focus on the two other competitions they’re part of this season. This week, United faces two challenges, the first being Monterey Bay FC in league play and the second, a new foe in the Jägermeister Cup, Union Omaha.
League play has been good to both United and Monterey so far this season. Monterey was not expected to be competitive this year given the amount of change they went through in the off-season. But, here they are in first place nearly two months into the year and to many, overperforming expectations. That being said, their offense is essentially in boom or bust mode. In every match this season, Monterey has either score 2+ goals or none.
In four road matches, Monterey has managed three goals. All in one match. In the other three, they were held goalless. They’ll have to figure out those issues if they want to have a chance against New Mexico. In order to be successful on the road, they’ll have to rely heavily on the play of Anton Sojberg Horup. Sojberg has been the lifeline the Bay Area club has needed so far. Not only has he created for himself, but he has for others as well. The midfield knows they can look for him and he’s been reliable in front of goal.
Player to Watch
Adrian Rebollar – Rebollar is a veteran who has been around the USL for several years. He’s dangerous from the midfield and knows how to get forward. While he doesn’t have the step he did a few years ago, he’s still a player than has vision of the pitch and can create from different angles.
A New Opponent Appears
Later this week, United will face a club they’ve never seen before. USL League One’s Union Omaha will travel west for their first trip to The Lab as part of the Jägermeister Cup. After a successful tournament in 2024, the USL expanded the Cup to include USL League One and USL Championship clubs for the 2025 edition. United and Union Omaha are both in Group 2 and this will be their first match of the group stage.
Union Omaha has competed in League One since 2020 and has been successful so far in their existence. A COVID-affected 2020 saw them qualify for the Championship match, but it had to be canceled due to an outbreak in the squad. They would improve upon that success when a Greg Hurst-led side won the championship. They would repeat that feat in 2024 and are on the verge of potentially joining the Championship in the coming years.
Despite their success in the past, the 2025 season hasn’t gone their way. At least not in league play. In League One, Omaha sits near the bottom of the table, having only earned three points from three matches, including two losses. In Cup play however, Omaha has wins over Des Moines Menace and Championship side San Antonio FC. Their lone league win was over South Georgia Tormenta FC, 3-1, back on March 29. Compared to other clubs in the league, they’ve played half as many times in league as others.
Omaha has some players the United supporters will be familiar with; Mechack Jerome, Chelo Martinez, and Prosper Kasim. They’ve proven they’re good enough to deserve some respect, but playing in The Lab is just different. If they can press the midfield, United might be in some trouble, but that’s where they’ll need to create from to have a chance at their third Cup win of the season.
Player to Watch
Chelo Martinez – After leaving United, Chelo has bounced around League One, without much success. Even with that, Chelo has the ability to be a set piece specialist for Omaha and put balls into the area that are dangerous.
With a busy week, it would seem to be a great chance for United to put the sting of the Open Cup exit behind them. They have a chance to take first place on Wednesday and then get off to a fast start in the Jaegermeister Cup at the weekend. But, will the emotional letdown from last week carry over? How does a Dennis Sanchez-led club bounce back from a night like that? If they were going on the road there might be more of a concern, but back at The Lab, that might give United the push they need.
One thing the Cup match showed was that United is dangerous. They capitalized on mistakes and found ways to get forward. It also helped to play against a lineup that wasn’t sitting behind the ball in Albuquerque. But, the promise is there.
Both Monterey and Omaha like to get forward and will try to maintain a grasp on the momentum of the matches. United likes to do the same, and against North Carolina, United had 76.7% possession. The Black & Yellow are certainly more comfortable at home, and that should play a big factor in the effort shown on the pitch. United has grown in the early months of the season, and with the league season already 10% done, the margin of error is slimmer than in previous outings.
United will have to be prepared for both opponents to sit behind the ball. That’s been the plan of attack in each match at The Lab so far this season, and United has struggled with that. Sanchez will have to find ways to drag opponents out of shape defensively to open up the middle and the goal area. What’s worked so far has been going directly. If not for a few errant touches, attacks could have been far more successful. No matter what, United will need to find a way to create chances and force opponents out of position.
Player to Watch
Greg Hurst – After a fast start, Hurst has been less involved over the past few weeks. If Monterey and Omaha want to push higher in defense, Hurst can exploit space and create room for himself and others.
Coverage of Wednesday’s match will begin with the pregame show starting Adam Diehl and Andy Hageman starting at 6 P.M. followed by kickoff at 7 P.M. Catch every minute of every match all season long on ESPN Radio 101.7 FM The TEAM, The TEAM website, and The TEAM apps.