COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KTSM) – On the strength of two goals in the first 15 minutes of play, El Paso Locomotive FC secured a 3-2 win over Colorado Springs Switchbacks on Friday night on the road.
It was El Paso’s fourth consecutive victory and extended its unbeaten streak to six matches. Their last two wins have come over two of the top four teams in the USL’s Western Conference. Tonight’s win also pushed Locomotive into second place in the West, impressive considering they opened the 2023 season with three straight defeats.
Lucho Solignac opened the scoring in the 10th minute, slotting home a ball from Petar Petrovic, who put together an impressive individual effort to weave into the box and find Solignac.
El Paso’s second goal was just as good, just three minutes later. A fantastic build-up ended in Ricardo Zacarias finding Petrovic on the left side of the 18-yard box. Petrovic one-timed the pass from Zacarias into the back corner of the net and Locomotive’s 2-0 halftime lead was secured.
Colorado Springs would make things interesting in the second half. Jimmy Ockford scored in the 61st minute to cut El Paso’s lead in half, but the first goal of the season from Emmanuel Sonupe in the 74th minute gave Los Locos some necessary breathing room, because Colorado Springs made it 3-2 on a Romario Williams penalty kick in the 88th minute.
In the end, El Paso was able to see out the victory and move into second place in the west, just one point behind first-place Sacramento Republic FC.
El Paso will return home next Saturday, May 13, to host Loudon United at 7:30 p.m. MT at Southwest University Park.
