San Antonio FC snaps New Mexico’s 13-match unbeaten streak with 2-1 road win

San Antonio FC defeated New Mexico United 2-1 in Albuquerque, snapping the Western Conference contender’s 13-match unbeaten streak and giving San Antonio a much-needed boost entering the final stretch of the regular season.

Why it matters: San Antonio has spent much of the season fighting for position in the Western Conference playoff picture.

• Taking down New Mexico and sweeping both games against one of the conference’s top teams on the road gives SAFC some momentum, with eight regular-season matches remaining.

What happened: San Antonio struck almost immediately, setting the tone for the match.

• Emil Cuello sent a dangerous cross into the penalty area in the seventh minute, where New Mexico defender Kipp Keller redirected the ball into his own net to give SAFC a 1-0 advantage.
• New Mexico answered back after halftime as Dayonn Harris scored in the 46th minute, pulling United even.
• SAFC responded seven minutes later when Mikey Maldonado lofted a ball behind New Mexico’s defense for Nicky Hernandez, who beat the goalkeeper and slid home the eventual winner.

What they’re saying: Head coach Carlos Llamosa pointed to San Antonio’s patience and defensive organization as keys to containing New Mexico.

• “It was a great win against a good team. I think the guys had a great performance tonight for the entire game,” Llamosa said. "Defensively, we were patient. We were defending in a block. For the most part, we controlled the rhythm that they had with the guys in the middle, and I think we did a pretty good job, and going home with three points is fantastic.”

The big picture: The result looks even better considering the circumstances of the packed Western Conference standings.

• New Mexico entered Saturday riding a 13-match unbeaten streak, including a 10-0-3 stretch that had propelled the club into a tie atop the Western Conference before the weekend. San Antonio entered the match on a three-game winless streak and was shut out in their last two matches.

By the numbers:

• 4: Road wins for SAFC this season.
• 4: Consecutive away matches in which San Antonio has scored.
• 7-1-1: SAFC’s record when leading at halftime.
• 2: Straight victories over New Mexico, the first time San Antonio has beaten United in consecutive meetings since 2023.

Between the lines: Perhaps more important than the standings was the response.

New Mexico’s goal just seconds into the second half could have been the moment the match turned. Instead, Santiago Patiño hit the post shortly afterward before Hernandez restored the lead.

Llamosa’s emphasis on patience was evident down the stretch. San Antonio didn’t need to dominate possession to control the match. SAFC stayed compact, limited New Mexico’s ability to dictate play through the middle, and protected its advantage when it mattered most.

For a San Antonio side trying to find consistency as the postseason approaches, that sequence: concede, respond, and then close out the match, may be the most encouraging part of the night.

What’s next: SAFC returns to Toyota Field on Saturday, Sept. 5, to host FC Tulsa at 7:30 p.m.

With eight games remaining, San Antonio isn’t simply trying to stay above the playoff line anymore.

Saturday’s result offered a reminder that SAFC may still have something to say about how the Western Conference shakes out.