Prime-time comeback: United shines in 2-1 win at Colorado Springs

New Mexico United brought the highlights to Colorado Springs on Wednesday night.

Playing in front of a national TV audience, United staged a dramatic second-half rally to pull out a critical 2-1 victory over host Switchbacks FC at Weidner Field.

Goalkeeper Kris Shakes saved a penalty kick that would have given Colorado Springs a 2-0 lead early in the second half, and the spark seemed to ignite a United comeback. Dayonn Harris and Carlos Moguel Jr. cashed in goals down the stretch, and New Mexico earned three points with an important road victory.

“So proud of the guys,” United coach Dennis Sanchez said. “So many things went against us tonight, whether it was goals waved, guys coming off with injuries, calls going against us. Whatever it was, the guys just responded. Huge three points for us at a difficult place to play.”

The win lifts United (11-10-4) into third place in the USL Championship Western Conference standings with five games remaining. Four of NMU’s final matches will be played at home.

Prior to Shakes’ game-changing save, it appeared Colorado Springs (8-10-7) might pull even with United in the standings and take the season tiebreaker with three points of its own. (The teams played to a 1-1 draw in their previous USLC meeting at Isotopes Park).

Instead, New Mexico fired up the highlight reel.

Harris scored the equalizer with a transition goal in the 64th minute, thanks to a well-placed lead pass from Greg Hurst. Harris got behind the Switchbacks’ defense and beat goalkeeper Christian Herrera to the ball just outside the Colorado Springs penalty area. He rolled a shot past Herrera and into the net to make it 1-1.

“We knew we could hurt them in transition,” Sanchez said, “and that’s exactly what that goal was. Good pass, good finish.”

It stayed 1-1 until the 83rd minute when Moguel blasted a 20-yard rocket off Herrera’s hand and into the upper right corner of the goal after a pass from Mukwelle Akale. Moguel’s first NMU goal came just two minutes after he entered the game as a substitute.

“What a great strike by Carlos,” Sanchez said. “He comes in and immediately changes the game, tells you everything about him.”

The match featured numerous dramatic moments, including apparent goals waved being waved off for each team. New Mexico’s lost goal was controversial as Jaylin Lindsey had his own blocked shot hit his chest and arm before tapping the ball home, only to be called for a handball. Colorado Springs’ Jonas Fjeldberg later sent a ball into the net and set off a stadium light show — only to have an offside call cancel the celebration.

Still, the play of the night was made by Shakes.

The Switchbacks led for most of the game after Yosuke Hanya tapped home a centering pass from former United midfielder Marco Micaletto in the third minute. The lead seemed likely to double when NMU’s Will Seymore picked up a penalty for taking Hanya down in the box in the 58th minute.

But Shakes anticipated Hanya’s shot, making a diving stop just inside the right post. Shakes was credited with three saves on the night, each of them with high levels of difficulty.

“Different guys have to step up at different moments, and Shakes really did it on the penalty,” Sanchez said. “Great game for Shakes overall.”

United, which outshot the Switchbacks 15-10, was short-handed Wednesday with Valentin Noel (ankle), Luther Archiméde and Thomas Amang unavailable. Archiméde and Amang were in concussion protocol after colliding on United’s late goal in Saturday’s 1-1 draw at Monterey Bay, Sanchez said.

United returns home for another nationally televised match at 4 p.m. Sunday against Lexington SC.