ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — New Mexico United and Orange County SC delivered a six-goal thriller Saturday night at Isotopes Park, ending in a 3-3 draw that kept United’s playoff hopes alive but left the home crowd wanting more.
Forward Greg Hurst led the charge with two first-half goals, bringing his season total to seven and taking over as United’s leading scorer. Defender Kipp Keller netted the second-half equalizer — his first goal with the club — heading home a redirected corner from Talen Maples.
Goalkeeper Alex Tambakis, returning to the starting lineup, made six saves, including two clutch stops in the second half to preserve the draw.
Despite the offensive fireworks, United couldn’t hold onto a 2-1 lead or capitalize on late chances. Head coach Dennis Sanchez didn’t mince words after the match.
“Up 2-1 at home should be game, set, match,” Sanchez said. “We took our foot off the pedal and paid for it. We’ve got to be sharper — mentally and physically — if we want to host playoff games and make a run.”
Key Match Stats:
- Possession: United 65.4% | OC 34.6%
- Shots: United 11 | OC 14
- Shots on Goal: United 4 | OC 9
- Saves: United 6 | OC 1
- Corners: United 7 | OC 8
- Fouls: 11 each
- Yellow Cards: Mukwelle Akale (NMU), Malik Pinto & Ashton Miles (OC)
Orange County’s Tristan Trager matched Hurst with two goals, while Chris Hegardt assisted on all three OC scores, including a pinpoint setup for Stephen Kelley’s rocket just before halftime.
With two matches remaining, United sits tied for second in the Western Conference. The club’s magic number to clinch a first-round home playoff game stands at three.
Next up: Oakland Roots SC, Sunday at 3 p.m., followed by Blackout Night against Rhode Island FC on Oct. 24.
