United keeps rolling with 3-1 win at Loudoun

May 17—Eighteen hundred miles. Three points. And much-appreciated jump in the standings.

New Mexico United made the most of its rare midweek, cross-country match on Wednesday, thumping host Loudoun United FC 3-1 in Leesburg, Virginia, to extend their unbeaten streak in USL Championship matches beyond a month (their last loss in a league game was April 22 in Colorado Springs, and their next match is May 27 at San Antonio FC).

"We just keep moving up in the table," a mostly satisfied NMU coach Zach Prince said, referring to United's three points pushing them to 4-3-2 on the season with 14 points and seventh place in the standings of a league that advances its top eight teams to the postseason.

"We're within striking distance of fourth."

The night that went almost as well as anyone on United could have scripted — minus a late red card that a frustrated Prince was confident will be overturned on a team appeal, but for now cost his team a clean sheet and could cost them team leader Kalen Ryden for the next match.

"We started a little slow — built into the game," Prince said. "... But once we got to about the 12th minute or so, we found some spaces against them."

Making his second-consecutive start, 19-year-old Alex Waggoner, the Santa Fe High product, made his presence felt again in the 37th minute. When Loudoun failed to cleanly gather a pass near midfield, Waggoner took possession and dished off to Santi Moar before sprinting down the left flank. Moar got the ball back to Waggoner, who sent a pass across the box to Chris Wehan, who tapped a pass back to Amando Moreno for an easy goal and a 1-0 lead.

NMU hardly let up after the break.

"The second half, it was full throttle for us," Prince said.

Wehan added a goal of his own, off a Moar assist that Prince described as a "classic transition goal" for a 2-0 lead in the 51st minute.

Sergio Rivas made it 3-0 in the 67th minute for a goal in his fourth consecutive match. The Rivas goal was off a deflection from Loudoun keeper Hugo Fauroux, who did all he could to stop the hard strike from the right side of the box by Moreno.

In the 87th minute, Loudoun's Wesley Leggett got behind the United defense — a rarity on the night — and Ryden, sitting on a red card from earlier in the match, made what appeared to be minimal contact on Leggett in the box, leading to a penalty kick, a second yellow (and thus a red card) on Ryden and an ensuing Thomas Williamson penalty kick goal for the final 3-1 score.

"All of our guys deserved that clean sheet," Prince said of the call, adding the team will appeal the call and he doesn't expect Ryden to miss the next match, which he'd have to by rule if the red card is upheld.

For now, it is the third red card of the season for NMU, the most in USL Championship.

Prince said the team will rest a couple days before getting back to work ahead of their May 27 match at San Antonio FC.

NEW MEXICO UNITED 3, LOUDOUN UNITED FC 1

New Mexico 1 2 — 3

Loudoun 0 1 — 1

Scoring: N, 37th, Amando Moreno (Chris Wehan asssit); N, 51st, Wehan (Santi Moar); N, 64th, Sergio Rivas; L, 87th, Thomas Williamson (penalty kick). Shots: N 11; L 13. Corner Kicks: N 8; L 2. Saves: N 4; L 3.

May 27

New Mexico United at San Antonio FC, 6:30 p.m., 101.7 FM, espn+ (streaming)

(United Soccer League Championship division standings)