Last Saturday, Locomotive set out for its second game of the season. After starting the season two weeks after the 2021 USL Championship season kicked off and taking a bye week immediately after, the Locos Blue was due to face an RGV side that had downed three opponents in a row and stood at the top of the Mountain Division.
Despite momentum being on RGV’s side going into Saturday’s contest, Forward Luis Solignac sent the Toros chasing the game by doing what he does best: scoring goals early.
With the first touch registered for El Paso Locomotive in the 18th second, Lucho found the go-ahead goal by getting his foot in the way of RGV Goalkeeper Tyler Deric’s clearance. Off the rebound, the ball bounced over the goal line, officially recording the fastest goal in Locomotive history.
“I’m super excited and super happy,” said Lucho in a post-game interview on Saturday. “Not just for the record – that’s something that makes history – but most importantly that I helped the team win tonight. After that we fought for 90 minutes, it wasn’t an easy game, and I’m just happy we got the first three points of the season.”
The goal secured the win for El Paso, the first of the 2021 USL Championship season, snapping the three-game win streak that the Toros opened their season with. As the leading goal scorer with San Antonio FC in the 2020 season (8 goals in 16 appearances), it doesn’t come as a surprise that Lucho was able to set the record for the fastest goal in Locomotive history. Especially once you consider the Argentine footballer is currently tied alongside San Antonio’s Justin Dhillon (then Tacoma Defiance) for the league record of fastest goal at nine seconds.
For Lucho, his nine-second stunner came during the 2020 season while he was with San Antonio FC, also finding net behind goalkeeper Kyle Ihn.
“I don’t think about that,” said Lucho when asked about setting multiple records for fast goals against the Toros. “I always say – and I always said when I was with San Antonio – when you start winning a game you change right away the mentality. When you play at home and you start winning so fast, you make it so difficult for the other team. That’s my focus: try and score as soon as possible so you can control the game more.”
Probably the least surprised of Lucho’s quick 18-second strike was Head Coach Mark Lowry. Over the course of the training week ahead of Saturday’s game, Lowry noted how good Lucho had been, giving him a good feeling the forward was going to go on and net his first Locomotive goal.
“He is such an intelligent player when he presses,” explained Lowry. “He reads it and sniffs out moments before they happen. If you look at it, he has scored a couple of goals last season in the first minute or so and it’s because he is reading the play. He has a goal now, he is up and running, and he is a forward that once he gets one, two or three more will follow. I’m excited for what the next few games hold for Lucho and his development and integration into the team.”
Lucho, Mark Lowry, and the rest of Locomotive FC returns to action on Sunday, May 30, when the team makes its first trip to Kansas to take on Sporting Kansas City II. Kickoff from Children’s Mercy Victory Field is set for 3:00 p.m. MT and will be broadcast live on ESPN+. Locomotive will return to Southwest University Park on June 9, hosting 2019 Eastern Conference finalist, Indy Eleven. Tickets are available online or by phone at 915-235-GOAL.