ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — New Mexico United extended its unbeaten run to four matches Saturday night with a 1-1 draw against Orange County.
Defender Kipp Keller gave United an early lead, scoring just two minutes into the match with a diving header — the fastest home goal in club history.
United controlled much of the match and created several scoring opportunities but was unable to convert on additional chances. Orange County later equalized, leaving both teams with a point.
“It feels like we let two points get away from us tonight,” Head Coach Dennis Sanchez said. “We felt like there was enough there to secure all three.”
Despite the result, Sanchez pointed to positives in the team’s performance. “In terms of the performance and the attitude, being on the front foot and being aggressive at the right moments, I liked a lot of what we saw,” he said.
Players echoed that sentiment, highlighting both frustration and momentum.
“I think it was a solid performance,” forward Greg Hurst said. “Obviously we’d like to score a couple more goals and get the three points, but I think we’ve got a lot of momentum.”
Keller also pointed to the team’s overall play despite the draw. “I felt like we were all over them, owned possession,” he said. “Of course it’s frustrating… but this is still a good step in the right direction.”
New Mexico United now heads on the road to face Sacramento Republic, with kickoff set for Saturday, June 20 at 9 p.m. Mountain Time.
