Five key factors for United versus Charleston Battery

Saturday, 7 p.m., 101.7 FM, ESPN+ (streaming), Estrella TV

Guns blazing. That’s the only approach New Mexico United coach Eric Quill wants to see from his team Saturday night.

United hosts Charleston Battery in the finale of what’s thus far been a less-than-satisfying four-game home stand (1-1-1 in the first three games). A win could improve that perception, but that will require a more aggressive mindset.

New Mexico finished with 20 strong minutes in Wednesday’s 3-3 draw with Las Vegas Lights FC, but the ending could not erase a baffling, tentative start that helped Lights FC take a 3-1 lead. Quill knows a similar stretch against Charleston (13-7-7) won’t be good enough.

“What we did in the last 20 minutes (versus Las Vegas), that’s us. That’s who we need to be,” Quill said. “If we’re that team, nobody’s beating us here. It’s as simple as that. But we’ve got a good opponent coming in and we need that aggressive, attacking mindset for the whole match. We have to go for it.”

United (9-11-6) suffered several breakdowns against Las Vegas with turnovers and ill-advised passes leading to scoring opportunities for the visiting team. Even more inexplicable was NMU’s careful approach with the ball, particularly in the first half when it spent lengthy stretches passing in its defensive third instead of pressing the attack.

“Why are we protecting ninth place?” Quill said. “Go for it. Our careers are short. You don’t want to waste time like a gopher.”

United’s attack will face a stiff challenge against Charleston’s stingy defense. Battery has conceded just eight goals in its last 10 matches and goalkeeper Trey Muse has nine clean sheets to his credit this season.

Here are five key factors to consider for Saturday’s matchup.

New stopper: Fans could see a new face in goal for United, which added goalkeeper Andrew Thomas to its roster Friday. Thomas joins NMU on loan from MLS Seattle Sounders FC and will be eligible to play Saturday.

“I’m hoping to contribute however I can. I’ll give everything I have in training and on game days,” Thomas said in a release. “I’m super-pumped to get started, and to make this community proud.”

Thomas, 25, was born in Russia, grew up in England, played collegiate soccer for Stanford and has played professionally at the MLS, USLC and MLS Next Pro levels. He is on loan to New Mexico for the rest of the season.

United’s latest player move came after regular goalkeeper Alex Tambakis suffered a recent injury. Tambakis missed Wednesday’s match and it’s uncertain when he will return, Quill said. Backup Ford Parker played for NMU on Wednesday, making four saves with three goals conceded.

Long-shot bet: Despite going 1-0-1 in last week’s matches, United’s odds of qualifying for the USLC playoffs took a hit. NMU’s chances of making the postseason dipped from 32% last week to 26% as of Friday, according to the USLC. United is in ninth place, two points behind eighth-place El Paso and three back of seventh-place Colorado Springs. El Paso has a 76% chance to make the playoffs. Colorado Springs is at 84%.

Steep task: New Mexico’s slim hopes reflect a difficult schedule over its final eight games. Seven of United’s final eight foes have winning records (Birmingham is the exception at 11-12-8) and all are currently in playoff positions.

Finishing flurry?: Amando Moreno, who leads United with nine goals scored, will look to add to his total before departing to represent El Salvador in a pair of upcoming Concacaf Nations League matches. Moreno, who tallied two goals Wednesday, will miss NMU’s match at Birmingham on Sept. 10.

Looking back: New Mexico has history on its side Saturday, having defeated Charleston in both of the clubs’ previous meetings. NMU won 2-0 in Charleston last season and took a 2-1 victory at Isotopes Park in 2021.

Players to watch

Charleston (13-7-7): Battery’s key to success this season is not hard to identify: Defense. Despite scoring three fewer goals than New Mexico this season, Charleston sits comfortably in third place in the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference because it simply doesn’t concede many goals. Goalkeeper Trey Muse has played every game and is tied for second in the league with nine clean sheets. Still, he has fewer saves than NMU’s Alex Tambakis and has faced fewer shots thanks to a stout back line anchored by Derek Dodson and Deklan Wynne. Charleston’s attack can also be dangerous. Forwards Augustine Williams (10 goals) and Nicholas Markanich (7 goals) are accomplished scorers and midfielder Fidel Barajas is among the USLC’s top playmakers with a league-best 8 assists and 31 chances created to go with a pair of goals.

New Mexico (9-11-6): Consistency has been an issue for United of late, thanks to a combination of injuries, roster changes and, in some cases, performance. Wednesday’s 3-3 draw with Las Vegas was a prime example as second-half substitutes including Josh Suggs, Will Seymore, Sergio Rivas and Greg Hurst elevated what had to that point been a head-scratching and sluggish outing. Can coach Eric Quill find the chemistry needed to challenge for NMU to make a playoff challenge over its final eight games? If so, he’ll need more performances like those delivered by Zico Bailey, who has made an impact in three games since signing on Aug. 22. Bailey has been effective on both ends of the pitch, posting an assist, seven tackles and four chances created. Sergio Rivas and Justin Portillo share the club lead with four assists each.

NOTEWORTHY: United’s lineup could soon get a boost as midfielders Daniel Bruce and Chris Wehan are nearing a return from injuries, Quill said. Bruce, who has missed the club’s last three games, could be active Saturday. Wehan has not appeared in a match since June but has resumed full training and is expected to return during the team’s final push. Goalkeeper Alex Tambakis missed Wednesday’s match with an unspecified injury and is questionable for Saturday.