EL PASO, Texas – El Paso Locomotive FC are set to host Birmingham Legion FC this weekend, looking to build on the confidence and momentum gained in their massive 2-1 upset against Charleston Battery last week. It’ll be the first home match for new Head Coach Wilmer Cabrera who looks to continue to steer El Paso on the right path.
HOW TO WATCH EL PASO LOCOMOTIVE FC VS BIRMINGHAM LEGION FC – SATURDAY, JUNE 1, 2024 @ 7 P.M. MT – SOUTHWEST UNIVERSITY PARK
Watch: ESPN+, KVIA.com
Tickets: eplocomotivefc.com/tickets
Be sure to follow @eplocomotivefc on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for live updates of the match. Additionally, fans are encouraged to download the team’s official mobile app on the Apple App Store or Google Play for instant access to mobile tickets, team content and match notifications.
ALL-TIME SERIES
Locomotive met Birmingham Legion FC for the first time last season, coming from behind to win 2-1 on the road. Luis “Lucho” Solignac found the equalizer two minutes after Legion opened the scoring in the 17’ before midfielder Liam Rose completed the comeback with the first goal in his professional career.
Now, El Paso host Birmingham for the first time and will search for its first home win of 2024 against the Eastern Conference side.
EL PASO LOCOMOTIVE FC
Wilmer Cabrera could not have asked for a better start to his Locomotive tenure, rallying the Locos to a major 2-1 win over league leaders Charleston Battery. The victory – which snapped Battery’s 11-game league unbeaten streak – was a major shock that defied the odds and sent El Paso fans into a frenzy.
“They fought, they showed character, they tried to push the effort and the ideas as much as possible and they were rewarded on the field,” Cabrera said about the team’s performance. “In any sport, especially in this sport, nothing is written. It’s just about what happens on the field.”
Since then, Cabrera has had a little more time to prepare the Locos ahead of his debut match at Southwest University Park. Coaching changes, especially those that happen midseason, are extremely difficult situations for any club to undergo. Yet, changes have slowly been implemented in practice that the team is embracing with an open-mind in hopes to build off last week’s momentum. For Cabrera, that all happens first with the players’ belief in oneself and belief in the team.
“Their attitude is fantastic and they’re trying do it,” Cabrera said. “For me, that is important because in practices, we see the changes…it’s not perfect but it’s working in the right direction. They get motivated and when you start doing something in practice and it works, you start believing more and for me, that’s the importance. They need to believe more in themselves and if they believe in themselves and they believe that what we’ve been doing works well for them, that’s the key.”
BIRMINGHAM LEGION FC
Birmingham Legion FC (East-6, 4-4-3) will arrive at Southwest University Park winless in five of their last six matches across all competitions. However, their last match showcased how difficult of a side they can be to play against, going on the road and limiting the undefeated Western Conference leaders Sacramento Republic FC to just one shot on target. In the end, Sacramento were shut out for the first time in 2024 and walked away with a point in the 0-0 draw.
One thing to note though: Birmingham’s finishing has been poor. They rank lowest in the league in goals scored (9) despite being 6th in shots taken (154) in the league. They boast an 8% shot conversion rate, which is also the lowest in the league. They may be on path to fixing their defensive structure, but it’ll be El Paso’s hope that the Legion struggle to once again find the back of the net.
ADDITIONAL INFO
El Paso Locomotive FC single-match tickets for all 2024 regular season matches are on sale now and are available for purchase online at eplocomotivefc.com/tickets. El Paso’s USL Championship schedule can be found at eplocomotivefc.com/schedule.
For the best prices and priority seating for every Locomotive home match in 2024, become a Season Ticket Member today! Season Ticket Memberships for the 2024 Season are available now and can be secured online at eplocomotivefc.com/seasontickets, calling (915) 235-GOAL or texting (915) 666-2005.