Colorado Springs Switchbacks dominate rival New Mexico, earn shutout and first place in group standings
A Switchbacks team with extra rest is a dangerous thing. Just ask New Mexico United.
The Switchbacks crushed their rivals at Weidner Field on Saturday night, beating New Mexico by a 4-0 margin. The win snaps a seven-match winless streak against United for the Switchbacks and vaults them into the top of the group standings in the Prinx Tires USL Cup.
The four scores were a welcome sight but the headline for the team was the shutout. In recent matches, Colorado Springs conceded goals to opponents despite allowing a low volume of total shots. United did not register a shot on target on Saturday.
With an extra day in between last week’s Friday-night match and Saturday, the Switchbacks focused on cleaning up the defense.
“We were very, very particular on what we were working on,” Switchbacks coach Alan McCann said of his team in training this week. “It showed up in so many ways tonight with lads blocking shots top of the box where maybe a week ago that wasn’t going to show up. People covering on the weak side where we were exposing our heart and that’s where all those goals were leaking to.”
Saturday saw a strong showing from forward Jonas Fjeldberg, who had a hand in three first-half goals for Colorado Springs. In the 31st minute, he received a pass from midfielder Tyreek Magee and sprinted toward the 18-yard box. He sent in a cross that was misplayed by New Mexico defender Kipp Keller for an own-goal.
Four minutes later, Fjeldberg sent a ball upfield to forward Yosuke Hanya who beat New Mexico’s defenders and sent a strike past United keeper Kris Shakes into the top corner of the goal. The score marked the second goal in three games for Hanya.
In the 45th minute, Shakes made a diving save on a shot from Magee but Fjeldberg corralled the rebound and put it in.
The Norwegian forward earned Man of the Match honors for his play on Saturday despite the fact that the contest began with some frustration between himself and Magee. Both men threw their hands in the air at each other on previous scoring opportunities before the club’s first goal.
“Me and Tyreek since he was here in 2024 we’ve always had a great connection,” Fjeldberg said. “We love finding each other. We read the game the exact same way so there’s a little bit of frustration when those things don’t quite work out because we know we’re able to do this with our eyes closed. Tyreek is getting back into rhythm … it’s never hostile, it’s always just like, ‘Hey let’s get it right next time.’”
After the duo regrouped, they formed important pieces of a deadly counterattack for Colorado Springs, which led to the club’s first two goals. In recent weeks, it’s been Colorado Springs that has been susceptible to the counter.
“Last couple of weeks we’ve been talking about playing direct so that’s our tactics,” Hanya said. “That was part of the game plan tonight.”
“We hammered it all week, they’re going to give us opportunities to counter,” Fjeldberg said. “Having Brennan (Creek) having Sam (Williams) in there, they hunt like animals all the time, they can probably play two 90-minute games every day, they’re absolute machines. Having those guys in there that will hunt for you makes it a lot easier for us to have energy going forward.”
That trend continued in the second half as midfielder Frank Daroma and forward Juan Tejada played the ball up to forward Sadam Masereka on a counter. Masereka dribbled into the box and crossed it to trailing midfielder Aidan Rocha who tapped it in for the Switchbacks’ final score in the 82nd minute.
Colorado Springs will close the month on the road, where the club has struggled to find success. The Switchbacks play at Las Vegas Lights FC next week.