EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – El Paso Locomotive FC (0-3-0, 0 PTS) suffered a 3-1 defeat to Detroit City FC (1-1-0, 3 PTS) at Southwest University Park on Saturday.
With the result, El Paso Locomotive FC has opened up its 2023 USL Championship season with three straight losses. It was the team’s third game in a week.
In the first half, Los Locos were put on the backfoot early on. In the 9th minute of the match, a shot attempt from Detroit City FC’s Connor Rutz deflected off Yuma’s left foot and went by goalkeeper Benny Diaz into the goal. It was counted as an own goal by Yuma.
In the 17th minute of the first half, El Paso Locomotive FC struck back and equalized the game. Newcomer Denys Kostyshyn scored a header from the center of the box to tie the game, 1-1. It was Kostyshyn’s first goal as a member of the El Paso club.
The game remained tied 1-1 at halftime. El Paso Locomotive FC recorded 11 shots, 4 of them being on goal in the first half. Detroit City FC had 9 shots and 1 shot on goal in the first 45 minutes of the game.
In the second half, Detroit City FC came out of the gates and put immediate pressure on the Locos. It was in the 60th minute when Detroit City FC got its second goal of the game as they capitalized on a Locomotive turnover in its own half. Yazeed Matthews buried the ball into the back of the net with a right footed shot inside the box.
Things did not get any better for the Locomotive as they conceded another goal in the 78th minute of the match. Maxi Rodriguez knocked in a goal from outside the box to give Detroit City FC its third goal of the contest. The three goals conceded by El Paso Locomotive FC in Saturday’s match is a season high.
“I don’t think we are in a situation where we are allowing that much. Teams aren’t on the firing range on us. It is these split moments where they are capitalizing on it and we are not,” Locomotive FC head coach Brian Clarhaut said. “We have to learn from this, and we have to learn from this quick.”
Los Locos have now lost three straight matches to start the Brian Clarhaut era. The club will now look to regroup as its next two contests will be away from Southwest University Park. Los Locos will play at Louisville City FC on Saturday, Mar. 25 and at FC Tulsa on Friday, Mar. 31.
