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Waggoner's goal lifts United over Detroit City
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There’s certainly a lot to be said for happy endings.
Just days after watching an apparent win evaporate in the closing seconds, New Mexico United finished on a high note Saturday night at Isotopes Park.
Santa Fe High alumnus Alex Waggoner headed home a crowd-pleasing goal in the 83rd minute, and United made it stand for a 1-0 victory over Detroit City FC in front of an announced 9,495 fans. United improved to 4-2-2 at home and 3-1-2 since Eric Quill took over as head coach.
The win vaulted New Mexico (7-7-4) into a tie for seventh place — above the playoff line — in the United Soccer League Western Conference standings and got the second half of the season off to an encouraging start.
United was the aggressor for most of the contest and narrowly missed finding the back of Detroit City’s net several times in the first half. Amando Moreno hit two shots off the crossbar, and Daniel Bruce had a golden chance stopped by a sliding defender on the line after he maneuvered around goalkeeper Nathan Steinwascher.
But in spite of outshooting the visitors 10-4 and holding 62% of the possession, NMU went to halftime in a scoreless tie against one of the USLC’s better defensive teams.
“We came out guns blazing and had four or five great chances in the first half,” said Quill. “The scary thing about a half like that is you get a false sense of security and the game’s still tied. I told the guys, ‘Stay in it.’ Fortunately we kept that attacking mentality and Waggs scored a great goal.”
Le Rouge (4-10-4) did begin to apply more pressure in the second half, taking advantage of a few wayward New Mexico passes and creating transition opportunities on the left wing.
United goalkeeper Alex Tambakis, who enjoyed an uneventful first 45 minutes, had to scramble several times to keep the game scoreless. He came up with a strong kick-save on a shot by Detroit’s Yazeed Matthews to stop a solid scoring chance in the 61st minute.
But unlike Tuesday, when NMU spent most of the second half playing defense in a 2-2 draw in Las Vegas, Nevada, United regained the upper hand late.
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It paid off when Daniel Bruce lofted a perfect cross from near the end line right of the goal. The ball just cleared the head of a Detroit defender and found Waggoner on the far post. His header zipped into the left side of the net, setting off celebrations on the field and in the stands.
Detroit, which ranks last in the USLC in goals scored with 12, very nearly found an equalizer two minutes after Waggoner’s tally. Tambakis was forced to make a diving stop on a long shot from near midfield and scrambled to secure the rebound just before Detroit’s Dario Suarez could knock it into the goal.
“I saw Brucey get the ball and I was running to the back post. I didn’t want to change that so he’d know where I was,” Waggoner said. “Once the ball got to me, I just thought, ‘This is my time.’”
But from that point on, New Mexico was in control, working its way through four minutes of stoppage time without allowing another serious threat.
Tambakis was credited with three saves in securing his third clean sheet of the season and second in the past three matches.
In addition to the win, New Mexico fans celebrated a double milestone for Las Cruces native Josh Suggs, who entered the game as a second-half substitute. It was Suggs’ 100th appearance with United and his 250th overall.
United has two weeks before its next USLC match, at home versus Sacramento, but hosts Sunderland AFC in an international friendly on July 19 at Isotopes Park.
