Lots of fireworks, no winner: United, Orange County play to 3-3 draw

No postgame fireworks were scheduled Saturday night at Isotopes Park and, as it turned out, none were needed.

New Mexico United and visiting Orange County SC accounted for plenty of blasts during a wild 3-3 draw that easily could have ended in a win for either side.

Greg Hurst netted a pair of goals for New Mexico, which pulled even with second-place Sacramento in the USL Championship Western Conference standings but failed to clinch a first-round home playoff game. United’s magic number to lock up a first-rounder at home stands at 3 with two games remaining.

Kipp Keller netted what proved to be the equalizer for United, which trailed 3-2 at halftime. It was Keller’s first goal since joining the club, but he and his teammates found it difficult to be satisfied with a draw.

“We didn’t lose but it still could’ve been better,” Keller said. “I thought we came out flat. We got a couple good goals but then we let (OC) back in. Just too many lapses in focus, concentration and energy.”

Hurst, who took over the club lead with his sixth and seventh goals of the season, agreed.

“Frustrating,” he said. “Obviously clinching (a playoff berth) ek takes some of the pressure off, but we want to keep pushing for as many home playoff games as possible. Tonight I thought we were a little bit complacent.”

Neither team was particularly sharp on the defensive end, but a crowd of 8,148 got plenty of action for its money. The clubs combined for 29 shots (16 by Orange County) and put 13 of them on goal.

United and Orange County traded heavy punches through an entertaining, occasionally sloppy first half. OC got things started in the 15th minute, capitalizing on a turnover near midfield. Tristan Trager converted in transition, blasting a shot just over sliding goalkeeper Alex Tambakis for a 1-0 lead.

New Mexico answered with back-to-back strikes by Hurst in the 33rd and 35th minutes. The first came after a steal and centering pass from Will Seymore. Dayonn Harris set up the second with a run up the left wing and a drop pass in front that Hurst one-timed into the net.

But United fans’ celebratory smoke had barely cleared when Orange County leveled the score. Chris Hegardt chipped a ball over NMU’s defense to an unmarked Trager, who headed it home in the 39th minute.

“I thought we took our foot off the pedal a bit after we got that 2-1 lead,” NMU coach Dennis Sanchez said. “Up 2-1 at home should be game, set, match.”

Instead, Hegardt picked up his third assist of the half early in stoppage time, finding Stephen Kelley open for a left-footed rocket after another United turnover near midfield. Orange County took a 3-2 lead to intermission after an eventful half that included 13 shots, eight of them on target.

United didn’t need long to respond in the second half, with Keller on the finishing end of a well-executed set piece. Mukwelle Akale zipped a corner kick toward the 6-yard box, where Talen Maples headed it back toward the far post. Keller then headed it home — just as he imagined.

“I’ve actually been doing a lot of meditation work,” he said. “I pictured that ball coming to me, saw it in my mind and it happened.”

Both teams had several golden chances to break the tie, but neither was able to finish. Tambakis, making his first start in several weeks, finished with six saves, including a pair of dazzling stops on open OC attempts.

New Mexico will have another shot to clinch a home playoff berth next week when it hosts Oakland Roots SC for a Sunday match at 3 p.m.

United vs. Orange County: Photos