United shines in City of Vision

For the second straight year, New Mexico United kicked off its U.S. Open Cup campaign in the City of Vision.

United topped National Premier Soccer League club Lubbock Matadors 3-1 Tuesday night at Rio Rancho High School in front of a crowd of 1,548 people.

Harry Swartz, Daniel Bruce and Mukwelle Akale each scored a second-half goal to lead United to a win in front of the large crowd, which included Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull and Rio Rancho Public Schools Executive Director of Athletics Todd Resch.

Resch said it was an easy decision when United, which usually plays its home matches at Isotopes Park, reached out about using the facility for the match.

“There was no hesitation at all. We are partners, and we want to make sure that something like this takes place in our community,” Resch said. “We're very excited. It's a celebration for our community. It's an opportunity for us to showcase our outstanding facilities and also an opportunity for us to show our support for New Mexico United.”

Plenty of United fans, including more than a dozen from The Curse, United’s official supporters group, also came running up the hill to support United and watch their team advance in the U.S. Open Cup.

“We have a good contingent tonight in Rio Rancho. We’re good, we’re rowdy; obviously Rio Rancho High School is a little bit smaller than Isotopes Park, but we're going to make it feel as if we're having a game at the lab,” Curse president Carlos Tenorio said. “We’re excited to bring it to the people of Rio Rancho who deserve something like this. We’re always happy to branch out. You know, it’s not Albuquerque United, it’s New Mexico United.”

The U.S. Open Cup is the oldest ongoing knockout cup competition in American soccer. The competition this year features 100 teams from professional leagues sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, Major League Soccer (MLS), the United Soccer League’s Championship and League One divisions, the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA), and MLS Next Pro, as well as amateur clubs in the earlier rounds of the tournament that qualify through their respective leagues.

The win sends NMU on to the round of 32, which will be played May 7-8. United will learn its opponent, date and site when the tournament draw is held at 11 a.m. Thursday.

“It's very exciting to have United out here, and we appreciate Rio Rancho High School for hosting,” Hull said.

NMU also played a U.S. Open Cup match at Rio Rancho Stadium last April, toppling New Mexico State University — University Degrees Abroad, a combination club/academy team, 6-0 in front of 1,680 fans who braved miserable, frigid and windy weather.

New Mexico United made a run in the U.S. Open Cup in 2019, beating two MLS teams en route to the quarterfinals of the tournament. That year, United became the first team from New Mexico to win a match in the U.S. Open Cup since the New Mexico Chiles in 1992.

“We're thrilled to bring the oldest and most prestigious soccer tournament back to Rio Rancho,” David Wiese-Carl, United’s vice president of media and impact, said. “The Rio Rancho community has been incredibly supportive of United soccer.”