El Paso Locomotive FC Fall 2-0 to Phoenix Rising FC

EL PASO, Texas (KVIA) -- On a hot night in the Sonoran desert, El Paso Locomotive FC fell 2-0 to Phoenix Rising FC on Friday night.

El Paso would start the match playing a defensive low block, hoping to catch Rising off guard in transition and that was on display on a few occasions early on from Amando Moreno and new signing Robert Coronado.

The hosts would find the opening goal in the first half after goalkeeper Jahmali Waite came off his line in an effort to punch the ball away but mistimed his run, leaving the Locos with an uphill battle to face in the second half.

Coming into the second 45 minutes, Locomotive pushed to find an equalizer but Phoenix continued to deny the Locos a breakthrough. As he has done all season, Waite kept the Locos in the match with his efforts and made a highlight-reel save in the 71' to keep the team's fighting spirit alive. However, Rising's Papa Mar Boye would double the lead late on in the match and ultimately secure three points for the defending champions.

NOTES

• New signings Robert Coronado and Ricky Ruiz made their Locomotive debuts, both getting the start tonight. Ruiz played the entire match whereas Coronado subbed off in the 88'. 
• Locomotive Academy's Raul "Chapo" Vasquez (18) made his professional debut tonight, coming on for Coronado. 
• Veteran defender Yuma registered his first start of the year.
• Midfielder Eric Calvillo hit a milestone 10,000 USL Championship minutes after his performance tonight, contesting the full match.

FORECAST: 102ºF, clear skies
ATTENDANCE: 6,544

SCORING SUMMARY

• ELP – N/A
• PHX – JP Scearce (Renzo Zambrano) 43', Pape Mar Boye (Dariusz Formella) 87'

LINEUPS 

ELP – (4-1-4-1) Jahmali Waite, Ricky Ruiz, Noah Dollenmayer, Yuma-C, Lucas Stauffer, Petar Petrovic (Ricardo Zacarias 56'), Eric Calvillo, Emiliano Rodriguez (Miles Lyons 65'), Robert Coronado (Raul Vasquez 88'), Amando Moreno, Joaquin Rivas

Subs Not Used: Ramon Pasquel, Brandan Craig, Finnley O'Brien

PHX – (3-4-3) Rocco Ríos Novo, Alejandro Fuenmayor (Charlie Dennis 53'), Pape Mar Boye, Laurence Wyke, Emil Cuello (Jose Hernandez 69'), JP Scearce, Renzo Zambrano, Federico Varela (Giulio Doratiotto 84'), Gabi Torres (Edgardo Rito 69'), Dariusz Formella, Juan Carlos Azócar (Damien Barker John 84')

Subs Not Used: Patrick Rakovsky, Jamison Ping, Zachary Smuck, Braxton Montgomery

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY

• ELP – Ricky Ruiz (Yellow) 80', Noah Dollenmayer (Yellow) 85'
• PHX – Alejandro Fuenmayor (Yellow) 28', John Scearce (Yellow) 36', Patrick Rakovsky (Yellow) 73'

MATCH STATS: ELP | PHX

GOALS: 0|2
ASSISTS: 0|2
POSSESSION: 41|59
SHOTS: 8|15
SHOTS ON GOAL: 2|7
SAVES: 5|2
FOULS: 7|8
OFFSIDES: 1|1
CORNERS: 0|0

UP NEXT: It's Derby Week for El Paso Locomotive FC as they play host to archrival New Mexico United on Saturday, July 27! The Locos are encouraging fans to pack Southwest University Park in blue gear for Blue Out to help create a strong home environment for the reverse fixture of the Derby Del Camino Real! Gates open at 6 p.m. MT and kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. MT, available to watch on ESPN+ and El Paso-Las Cruces CW.