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Switchbacks prepare for 2-match week with Wednesday-night contest at Rio Grande Valley FC

hugh johnson, the gazette (colorado springs, colo.)
·2 min read

Jun. 20—Following two convincing wins at home, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks head out on the road for two contests this week.

The first is a Wednesday-night tilt at Rio Grande Valley FC in Edinburg, Texas, which kicks off at 6 p.m. MDT. The match is the first midweek league game for Colorado Springs since its season opener March 15.

The Switchbacks are once again level in wins and losses at 7-7-1 on the season, for seventh place in the USL Championship's Western Conference. Both Rio Grande Valley and New Mexico United — Colorado Springs' Saturday opponent — have losing records, with the Toros at 2-5-7 and United sitting at 4-6-3.

Switchbacks forward Jonas Fjeldberg, who joined the team in May, was a leading scorer for the Toros a season ago. The Norwegian footballer began this year with Indy Eleven but was since acquired by Colorado Springs.

Perhaps Switchbacks fans will see Fjeldberg make his debut against his old club Wednesday, but that is unknown as he has been recovering from a lower-body injury.

Another new face is forward Juan Tejada, who also came to Colorado Springs by way of Indy Eleven. He made his debut Saturday in the Switchbacks' win over Las Vegas Lights FC. Tejada is poised to expand his role with the club in the weeks to come, as head coach Stephen Hogan said that the Panamanian forward was a player he and former coach Brendan Burke had been scouting for years.

The additions of the two forwards couldn't come at a better time for Colorado Springs, as the club has outscored opponents 6-1 in its last three outings, quelling some of the uncertainty about the team's ability to score during the earlier five-game losing streak.

Colorado Springs forward Romario Williams is having a great campaign with six goals, the most on the club. Forward Deshane Beckford leads in assists with four. Forward Wilmer Cabrera leads Rio Grande Valley in goals, while defender Taylor Davila and midfielder Christiano Francois lead in assists with two apiece.