El Paso Locomotive (11-1-4, 37 points) ended Austin Bold FC’s road-game streak with a 3-0 win at Southwest University Park on Saturday. Defender Andrew Fox scored his first goal of the season while Midfielder Dylan Mares and Forward Leandro Carrijo added to their goal tallies to contribute to the win. Goalkeeper Logan Ketterer recorded two saves and paired with his backline to earn a second-straight clean sheet.
“We took these two weeks and compartmentalized it,” said Head Coach Mark Lowry. “Five games in 14 days is kind of a mini-season. Let’s win all of these games, focus on and manage this squad for these five games. Up to today, it was three wins and a tie so it’s been good. Don’t lose tonight and ruin the work we’ve done over the last 10 days. Let’s finish the job. That was the message in the locker room. Get a win, get a good performance, entertain the fans, finish the job so we can feel good about our work over these last two weeks.”
The Locos Blue dominated the first half, controlling possession and using it to find a staggering eleven shots towards goal, however, none were able to find the back of the net. Midfielder Chapa Herrera along with Forwards Aaron Gomez and Lucho Solignac peppered the goal with shots forcing Bold FC Goalkeeper Elliot Panicco into a multitude of saves. Austin Bold FC was able to get in a few shots of their own, but Defender Mechack Jerome kept them out of the net with some heroics within the 6-yard line.
Locomotive once again continued its trend of rocketing out of the locker room in the second half. As the game opened up, goals began pouring in for El Paso. In the 59th minute Fox broke the deadlock, heading away a rocket of a shot to provide Locomotive with the advantage. Mares doubled the scoring in the 72nd minute, taking a freekick that beautifully curved into the side netting at an angle where Panicco could do nothing to stop it. Finally, in stoppage time of the second half, Carrijo’s passing play with Midfielder Diego Luna opened up the Brazilian striker to take one quick shot low and into the far post to make it 3-0 Locomotive. Combined with two saves from Ketterer, El Paso Locomotive earned its second straight clean sheet to pick up the full three points at Southwest University Park.
UP NEXT: El Paso Locomotive gets a moment of respite before it plays again, taking a full week before playing New Mexico United on Saturday, August 14. The match will be played in Albuquerque, New Mexico at Isotopes Park where kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. MT and will be broadcast live digitally on ESPN+.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN
ELP: Andrew Fox (Nick Ross), 59th minute: Off a corner kick opportunity, Ross sent the ball in perfectly to the spot in the penalty area. Fox made his run towards goal, making the jump to meet the ball with his head, putting power and velocity in behind the ball to whip it into the goal to open the scoring for the night.
ELP: Dylan Mares, 72nd minute: After earning a freekick opportunity, Dylan Mares stepped up to the plate to take the kick. Mares took the shot, curving it beautifully just out of the reach of Austin Bold goalkeeper Elliot Panicco, in what is a textbook freekick. The ball found the side netting to double the lead.
ELP: Leandro Carrijo (Diego Luna), 93rd minute: Getting the ball just outside the 18-yard line, Luna effectively eliminated the defenders by playing a passing game with Carrijo. Luna made the high pass to Carrijo, who chested the ball back down into the path of Luna. Luna quickly took one touch to pass back to Carrijo now in a wide-open area. Carrijo closed out the stunning run of play by taking one quick touch before firing the shot low and to the far post for a world-class goal for a three-goal win.
NOTES:
– This is the first time Austin Bold FC and El Paso Locomotive have clashed at Southwest University Park since 2019. Their last meeting El Paso ended in a 1-1 draw on October 10, 2019.
– Defender Andrew Fox scored his first goal of the season becoming the 9th Locomotive player to add his name to the goal-scoring tally in the 2021 season.
– Goalkeeper Logan Ketterer made two saves to earn a second straight clean sheet and the ninth of the season.
– Locomotive completed a perfect week at Southwest University Park, having played three home games within the span of 7 days. The 3-1 win over Real Monarchs, 2-0 win over San Antonio FC, and 3-0 win over Austin Bold FC provide nine out of a possible nine points for the El Paso side.
– With Phoenix Rising earning a 2-2 draw against Las Vegas Lights FC, El Paso Locomotive moves to the top of the league with 37 points.
Match: El Paso Locomotive vs Austin Bold FC
Date: August 7, 2021
Venue: Southwest University Park; El Paso, Texas
Weather: 92F and partly cloudy
Scoring Summary 1 2 F
El Paso Locomotive FC 0 3 3
Austin Bold FC 0 0 0
ELP – Andrew Fox (Nick Ross), 59’
ELP – Dylan Mares, 72’
ELP – Leandro Carrijo (Diego Luna), 90’+3
Lineups:
El Paso Locomotive FC (4-4-2): Logan Ketterer; Eder Borelli (Richie Ryan, 67’), Andrew Fox, Mechack Jerome, Matt Bahner, Yuma, Nick Ross, Chapa Herrera (Diego Luna,67’), Sebastian Velasquez (Jose Aguinaga, 88’), Aaron Gomez (Dylan Mares, 67’), Lucho Solignac (Leandro Carrijo, 67’)
Subs not used: Ben Beaury, Macca King
Austin Bold FC (4-4-2): Elliot Panicco; Kofi Sarkodie (Roberto Avila, 64’), Nicholas Hinds, Fabien Garcia, Gustavo Rissi, Collin Fernandez (Alasanne Ates Diouf, 52’), Juan Torres (Emilio Ycaza, 52’), Xavier Baez (Casey Walls, 75’), Omar Ciss, Stefano Pinho (Jorge Roncoso, 64’), Owayne Omar Gordon
Subs not used: Arshia Babazadeh, Jermaine Taylor
Stats Summary: ELP | ATX
Shots: 24 | 5
Shots on Goal: 9 | 2
Saves: 2 | 6
Corner Kicks: 7 | 2
Fouls: 12 | 15
Offside: 1 | 2
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
ATX – Fabien Garcia (Caution), 86’