New Mexico United defeated San Antonio FC 2-0 to advance to the USL Championship Western Conference Semifinals. The team will host Orange County SC on Saturday, November 8 at 7 p.m. Mountain Time, as announced by ESPN 101.7 "The Team."
According to the report, New Mexico United secured their victory in what was their fourth meeting of the season against San Antonio FC. Previously, United had lost all three encounters. Goals from Mukwelle Akale and Valentin Noel proved decisive in this closely contested playoff match held at The Lab.
The match began with both teams cautiously searching for weaknesses after their previous encounters. In the fifth minute, Valentin Noel nearly gave United an early lead with a long-range shot that hit the crossbar. His performance set an aggressive tone for the game, putting pressure on San Antonio's goalkeeper Richard Sanchez and hinting at his later success.
Akale opened the scoring in the first half by capitalizing on a fumbled save by Sanchez, giving United a 1-0 lead and energizing the crowd of 8,287 fans. Despite increased aggression and offensive pressure from San Antonio, United’s defense remained solid under the leadership of first-time playoff starter Kris Shakes.
In the second half, United extended their lead when Kipp Keller’s long pass found Noel, who scored from a tight angle to make it 2-0. Although Sergio Rivas came close to scoring for San Antonio during a late surge, they were unable to break through United's defense. This victory sets up a home semifinal for New Mexico United against Orange County SC following their opponent’s penalty shootout win over Sacramento Republic.
