United gets battered by Charleston in 4-0 defeat
New Mexico is stung by a trio of second-half goals
Suffice it to say, Saturday’s visit to Charleston, South Carolina will not be one of New Mexico United’s most memorable road trips of 2024.
It was forgettable in every respect. United (1-1-1) largely survived a flat first half but was steamrolled after intermission in a 4-0 road loss to Charleston Battery FC at Patriots Point. Charleston put a cap on its home opener with three second-half goals and sent United home licking its wounds.
“Disappointing,” New Mexico coach Eric Quill said in a postgame phone interview. “I didn’t recognize the group tonight and that’s on me. I’ll take the blame. I didn’t prepare the group to play like we had in our first two games.”
Charleston (1-0-2) was the aggressor nearly throughout, outshooting NMU 19-6 overall with 10 shots on target to the visitors’ two. United was without normal starting goalkeeper Alex Tambakis, who was ill. As a result, Kris Shakes endured a rough evening in his first USL Championship start.
To his credit, Shakes made several impressive saves to keep his club in it through the first half. New Mexico was guilty of numerous giveaways and sloppy passes, helping Battery FC apply nearly relentless pressure.
The home team took the lead on one such breakdown as Nick Markanich came wide open off an inbounds pass near the top of United’s penalty area. Markanich slammed the ball past a diving Shakes and into the lower left corner to make it 1-0 in the 17th minute.
“That first goal came on an error that just can’t happen,” Quill said. “You have to be diligent on inbounds plays and they caught us with our pants down.
Charleston’s too good to give them charity.”
Battery FC’s Matt Myers had three chances to double the lead in the first half, but Shakes came up with big stops to keep the score 1-0. Despite being outshot 8-1 and not putting an attempt on target, New Mexico went to the locker room trailing by just a goal.
The visitors then came out firing in the second half, getting two quick chances to even the score. Greg Hurst’s shot from the right wing was kicked aside by Charleston goalkeeper Adam Grimwis in the 48th minute.
NMU’s Dayonn Harris had a golden chance one minute later, firing an open shot past Grimwis toward the right corner off a corner kick. But Battery FC midfielder Aaron Molloy stepped in to clear the ball off the line.
“We had two big chances to get back in it,” Quill said. “We didn’t take them, and then Charleston gets the second goal. That was really deflating.”
The second tally came on Arturo Rodriguez’s well-placed blast from the top of the box in the 56th minute. Malloy made it 3-0 in the 64th on a bending free kick, and Jackson Conway capitalized in the 90th when Shakes deflected a previous shot off the right post and the ball rebounded directly to Conway’s feet.
NMU will have a shorter road trip to face Phoenix Rising FC next Saturday at 8:30 p.m. United hosts El Paso Locomotive FC on April 6.