GAME DAY: NM UNITED AT CHARLESTON BATTERY FC
PLAYERS TO WATCH New Mexico (1-0-1):
United departed Thursday for its second lengthy road trip in as many weeks. The club did not find last Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Rhode Island satisfying as it spent much of the match playing defense and ultimately conceded a tying goal in stoppage time. Still, NMU’s defenders largely rose to the occasion and have played well through two games. Zico Bailey (2 clearances, 6 interceptions, 5 tackles), Talen Maples (8 clearances) and Arturo Astorga (4 clearances, 4 tackles won) have been particularly solid. Goalkeeper Alex Tambakis had a career day against Rhode Island and narrowly missed a second straight clean sheet.
Tambakis’ nine saves eclipsed his previous best of eight from 2016 — set when playing for Charleston. United will endeavor to create more shots this week after managing just 14 in its first two contests. Charleston (0-0-2): A volume approach hasn’t produced much for the Battery attack thus far this season. Charleston has launched 30 shots (more than twice as many as United) but has just one goal to show for it in a pair of road draws. Nicholas Markanich got the lone tally last week versus Oakland. Still, there is quality on the Battery front line for playmaking midfielder Aaron Molloy to utilize. Molloy tends to dominate the ball and has seven chances created, a league-best 21 crosses and ranks second in the USLC with 176 passes. Talented forward Jake LaCava, who came over from Tampa Bay in the offseason, figures to find his range at some point. Charleston’s back line is a strength and has made life easy on goalkeeper Adam Grinwis thus far. Grinwis has faced just two shots through two games and has made just one save. NOTEWORTHY: Saturday will be United’s third straight home opener as Charleston makes its first appearance of 2024 at Patriots Point, where it averaged 2,797 fans per home date last season. Home field has not meant much in the series thus far. NMU won 2-0 in Charleston in 2022, and Battery FC took a 1-0 victory last year at Isotopes Park. United concludes its three-game road stretch next week at Phoenix before hosting El Paso Locomotive FC on April 6.