NM United beats Cruizers FC in US Open Cup first round

Christian Nava’s waning-moments goal for New Mexico United turned what was looking like a disastrous opening game of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup into a hard-earned victory.

The late goal gave New Mexico a 3-2 to win over the National Premier Soccer League club Cruizers FC out of Modesto, California.

“Happy for the three points,” coach Dennis Sanchez said. “That’s the most important when you get to these single elimination tournaments. It’s a great welcome back for Christian Nava, as well.” 

Indeed, New Mexico did get the result and will advance to the round of 32, with the next draw set for April 2. But it sure didn’t come easy. 

“These can become trap games,” Sanchez said. “It’s their World Cup and credit them, they came out and worked hard.” 

But Nava’s goal from inside the six-yard area, which came off a headed service from Greg Hurst, helped United escape the trap.

“I’ve quickly gotten to know him as a person and as a player,” Sanchez said of Nava, an Albuquerque High alum who has battled back to the field after suffering ACL tears in his knees in 2023 and 2024 before stepping away from the game last season. “He has (that) dog in him. He’s going to push through. That was his first 90 minutes in I don’t know how long. Maybe he felt like he didn’t want to go to extra time and he found a winner.”

It was a first half to forget for New Mexico on the defensive end. Sure United scored twice — including on an own goal. But the Cruizers answered both times as the backline consistently let the opposing forwards get free on counterattacks.

While being knotted at 2-all after the first half was not exactly where United expected to be at the break, they came out in the second half looking quite a bit more prepared.

New Mexico thoroughly controlled play in the second half, compressing the field into the Cruizers’ defensive third. 

Moments before Nava scored, Luther Archimede’s headed a shot that appeared to be a winner, but glanced off the cross bar and out of danger. 

New Mexico took the early lead in the 12th minute, after United midfielder Jake LaCava smacked a shot that bounced around inside the goalkeeper’s area before it got swiped in by a Cruizers defender.

But just four minutes later, the Cruizers struck back on a goal by Ariel Mbumba. 

Then New Mexico’s Grady Gilchrist cracked a rising left-footed shot after taking a pass from Marlon Vegas in 36th minute, but the Cruizers tied it again, this time in first half stoppage time as Mbumba got free inside the penalty area. 

“I love Grady getting his goal as an academy player coming through,” Sanchez said. “But these are games, you give teams life, you can make the game a little bit more diffuclt. It was unfortunate that we let them back in the game. We scored the first goal and really, we should be looking for more at that point.”