June 2 – Sunday could best be categorized as a missed opportunity for New Mexico United.
Despite dominating the second half and creating countless quality opportunities, United left empty-handed after a frustrating 1-0 defeat to hosts Monterey Bay FC.
How frustrating, you ask?
Try to outscore the opposition 12-4 in the final 45 minutes, generating two penalties and allowing just one shot on target – only to end up losing. United missed a goal on several quality chances, had both penalties disallowed and conceded on that one opportunity in Monterey Bay.
The result broke NMU’s three-game winning streak in the USL championship and five-game winning streak in all competitions. New Mexico (7-3-1) remained in first place in the USLC Western Conference but also was winless in three visits to Monterey Bay.
“We should have won the game,” NMU coach Eric Quill said in a postgame phone interview. “Football can be cruel sometimes, if you look at the statistics. We won two penalties, created a lot of chances and the fight happened in the second half. We should have won the game.”
United will no doubt be haunted by their two golden chances to equalize after Jesus Enriquez gave MBFC a 1-0 lead in the 64th minute. Zico Bailey’s penalty just two minutes later was muffed at the left post by Monterey Bay goalkeeper Antony Siaha.
The visitors had another penalty attempt in the 82nd minute but Siaha blocked Mukwelle Akale’s shot. It has become a chink in the armor of the Western Conference leaders, who have converted just once in five penalty attempts this season.
“We’re a young team and I don’t think the guys have ever been in those pressure situations,” Quill said. “Zico and Mukwelle are great players, but PKs in training are not the same as PKs in pressure situations. But losing them is unacceptable and these guys know that. It’s something we will address and work on until we get it right.”
The missed penalties were not the only source of frustration for NMU. The visitors made a slow start to the game in the first 30 minutes and were fortunate not to concede a goal on more than one occasion. Goalkeeper Alex Tambakis collided with a retreating defender in the ninth minute and was later caught venturing well outside the box in a United comeback.
MBFC could not take advantage. The ball went just wide of the left post before Monterey Bay’s Walmer Martinez was able to redirect it into the net on his first chance. United defender Talen Maples managed to block a shot in the open field in the 21st minute.
Siaha, who made seven saves to secure his fourth clean sheet of the season, turned away fierce shots from Avionne Flanagan, Greg Hurst and Jacobo Reyes late in the first half to keep the score goalless at half-time.
Monterey Bay, which hadn’t won a USLC contest since April 20, finally found success after a botched set piece in New Mexico. Siaha grabbed Bailey’s serve near the 6-yard line and quickly rolled the ball in to start a transition opportunity. Morey Doner sent a cross-ice pass to Enriquez, whose shot attempt was blocked by a Maples shot. The ball returned to Enriquez on the left wing and he fired the rebound into the right side of the net to make it 1-0.
It was the last legitimate scoring chance for MBFC, while New Mexico created numerous opportunities down the stretch. But in addition to the missed penalties, Daniel Bruce, Akale and Nannan Houssou missed the goal in possible draws.
United finished with a 16-9 overall shot advantage (6-3 in shots on goal) and finished with 57% possession. NMU returns home to host Hartford Athletic on Saturday at 7 p.m.
