Bounce back in Phoenix: United grabs 1-0 rivalry win

Mar. 30—What a difference a week makes.

Seven days after a dismal 4-0 loss in Charleston, South Carolina, New Mexico United was all smiles Saturday night after grinding out a 1-0 road victory over Phoenix Rising FC.

Dayonn Harris' first United goal, scored in the 16th minute, proved to be the game-winner as New Mexico improved to 2-1-1 and earned a solid bounce-back victory over the defending USLC champions — one of NMU's two most bitter rivals.

"I'm excited for the guys in the locker room and for the fans watching tonight — and the ones who showed up here," United coach Eric Quill said in a postgame interview. "I'm happy we were able to win in a hostile environment like this. That was New Mexico United soccer."

The win didn't come as easily as it might have. United dominated the action for much of the night, outshooting Rising FC 14-6 overall and 9-1 in shots on target.

NMU's Greg Hurst had a penalty shot turned aside and fired an open chance right into the arms of Phoenix goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo or the visitors might have been able to breathe easier through more than 12 minutes of second-half stoppage time.

Still, United got the three points it badly needed to cap a difficult run of three road matches in three weeks. New Mexico was the aggressor throughout on a night when 30-mile-per-hour gusts impacted play for both sides.

Rising FC (1-3-0) had a pair of early chances against NMU goalkeeper Alex Tambakis, who missed last week's match because of a stomach flu that rolled though United's locker room. Tambakis was up to the task Saturday, batting two early shots aside on his way to earning his second clean shot of the season.

New Mexico broke through in the 16th minute when Mukwelle Akale made a nifty move to get free in the right side of the Phoenix penalty area. He rolled a firm cross through traffic where it found Harris unmarked on the left side for a blast into the net and a 1-0 lead.

"That goal against the wind gave us confidence," Quill said. "Great goal."

It remained 1-0 through halftime despite some quality chances for United, but the visitors seemed prime to double their lead when Phoenix was guilty of a handball in the penalty area in the 57th minute. But Rios Novo guessed right on Hurst's penalty shot toward the left side, batting the ball over the end line to keep the margin at one goal.

The save seemed to spark Rising FC, which began applying more pressure over the final 30 minutes of regulation. Its best opportunity to equalize came in the 66th minute when NMU defender Talen Maples slipped to the turf, leaving two Phoenix attackers open in front of the net.

But New Mexico's Zico Bailey raced back to break up the chance, sliding to tap the ball to Tambakis. NMU's goalkeeper then preserved the win, punching three balls away on set-piece opportunities in the lengthy stoppage time.

"Unfortunately we missed that penalty," Quill said, "but I liked the resilience our guys showed after that. (Rising FC) had the momentum and our guys really fought back. Guys were giving themselves up for everything, doing whatever it took to get the win."

The final stretch did not end before things got testy, with pushing and shoving earning Rising FC a late yellow card as New Mexico attempted to burn the final minutes off the clock. Both teams got involved in the scrum before order was restored.

United returns home to face its other primary rival, El Paso Locomotive FC, on Saturday, April 6 at 7 p.m.