Jägermeister Cup: United expects stiff challenge from Union Omaha

Union Omaha at New Mexico United, 7 p.m., Radio: 101.7 FM; TV: KASY (English), Estrella (Spanish); Streaming: KRQE.com, ESPN+

New Mexico United will take its first-ever shot of Jägermeister Cup action Saturday night at Isotopes Park.

Will it go down smooth?

United players and fans certainly hope so as USL League One foe United Omaha visits Albuquerque to open group play in the 38-team tournament. USL Championship teams rank as favorites in the expanded event, which includes all 24 USLC squads and all 14 League One clubs. But Union Omaha, the defending League One champ, is an underdog with considerable bite.

Omaha has fared well against USLC foes (2-0-1 all time) and is coming off a 1-0 win over San Antonio FC in U.S. Open Cup play. United is tied with San Antonio atop the USLC Western Conference standings.

"What I'd say is that they're a winning club, they are a winning team," New Mexico coach Dennis Sanchez said of Union Omaha. "There's a reason why they've won two USL League One championships (2021 and '24). You know, we're definitely not taking them lightly by any means."

Union Omaha is an unfamiliar opponent for United but its roster features numerous players with USL Championship experience. Among them are midfielder Chelo Martinez, who played for New Mexico in 2021.

The tournament format for Jägermeister Cup play is something new for NMU, as well. Teams are divided into six groups and each will play four group matches between this week and the end of July. Six group winners and the two remaining teams with the highest point totals will advance to knockout play.

Jägermeister Cup matches are a bit different in that they do not end in draws. If the score is tied after 90 minutes, teams will settle the outcome in a penalty shootout. Points are awarded as follows: 3 points for regulation wins; 2 points for shootout wins; 1 point for shootout losses; no points for regulation losses.

Saturday's Jägermeister Cup match gives United a chance to wash down the sour taste of its recent U.S. Open Cup outing — a 2-2 draw against archrival El Paso that ended with Locomotive FC advancing on penalty kicks.

On the other hand, New Mexico's next USLC match comes next weekend in El Paso, which raises the danger of United getting caught looking ahead against Union Omaha.

Sanchez is confident his team will be focused and ready to compete.

"The main focus is really going to be on us," he said after Wednesday's 1-0 win over Monterey Bay FC. "(Union Omaha) has an advantage of coming in fresher, but we're a team with a lot of depth. We'll recover and just focus on executing the game plan."

HOT STREAK: NMU's current five-game USLC winning streak matches the longest in club history. United also won five straight in 2022. New Mexico has not allowed a goal in league play in 360 minutes dating back to Joe Gau's tally in the 90th minute of a week-two match at Las Vegas. NMU has not conceded a goal at Isotopes Park this season.

CHILLY ATTACK: While NMU shares the USL Championship lead in clean sheets (4) and goals conceded (4), United is just tied for 12th in goals scored (8) and ranks 17th in shots. New Mexico has played fewer games than all but two of its USLC rivals, however, and midfielder Ousman Jabang is not overly concerned about his team's relatively quiet offense.

"We know goals are gonna come," he said after scoring his first NMU goal on Wednesday night. "(With) the way we play, we're bound to get our chances. So, I always think it's a mark of a very dangerous team, when you when you can get goals from anywhere. And it's so hard to mark and prepare for a team when when you have goals coming from from anywhere."

ALIEN ALERT: Saturday is "UFO Night" at Isotopes Park, a promotion that will be used to generate money for local youth hospitals. Miniature stuffed United UFO plushies will be sold for $9 apiece and fans will have an opportunity to toss them onto the field at the final whistle. Plushies will be collected and donated to children's hospitals as will proceeds from all plushie sales.

GOAL KICKS: Saturday's Jägermeister Cup group-play match counts toward United's 34-game season total but it does not count toward USL Championship point totals. The same will be true of NMU's other three group matches against USLC foes Phoenix, Colorado Springs and San Antonio. As a result, New Mexico will technically play those clubs just once apiece in league play this season. United's Jägermeister Cup group (Group 2) also includes El Paso and League One's Texoma FC, but each club plays just four group matches.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Omaha (1-2-0 USL League One): It's been a slow start for Union Omaha in league play — shut out twice in three appearances — but those numbers are deceiving. The defending League One champions are 3-0 in U.S. Open Cup competition this season, including a 1-0 victory over USLC San Antonio FC in the third round. Union Omaha's roster is loaded with familiar faces for New Mexico fans, including midfielder Isidro "Chelo" Martinez, who played for United in 2021 and spent three seasons with Rio Grande Valley. Two of Omaha's top scoring threats, Aaron Gomez and Prosper Kasim, also put up impressive USLC numbers. Gomez racked up 34 goals in five years with El Paso Locomotive FC, while Kasim netted 26 over five seasons with Birmingham Legion. Union Omaha has rotated goalkeepers but Rashid Nuhu has been most effective.

New Mexico (5-1-0 USL Championship): United continues to do a lot with a little in terms of goal scoring, having won four straight 1-0 decisions in USLC play. The defensive-minded numbers are not a product of stacking the low block, as NMU continues to attack and play aggressively, dominating possession and limiting opponents' scoring chances in the process. Goalkeeper Alex Tambakis has moved to within two clean sheets of the USLC's career record (58 by since-retired Evan Newton), but Tambakis did not record a save in Wednesday's win over Monterey Bay. He's received plenty of help from a stout back line anchored in the middle by Kalen Ryden and Talen Maples, both of whom have been in top form. Ryden and Maples have combined for 46 clearances, 10 blocks, 44 duels won and 25 aerial duels won this season.