Switchbacks FC Earn Historic First Win Against El Paso, Clinch Home Playoff Advantage
October 5, 2022 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC News Release
Switchbacks FC Celebrate Win
(Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC)
Colorado Springs, CO – The Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC had an incredible night in El Paso Texas, defeating Locomotive for the first time in the club’s history after a hat trick from #11 Michee Ngalina brought the final score to 4-1.
The Switchbacks were looking to lock in a 4th place or better finish with tonight’s win, and in doing so have guaranteed themselves at least one playoff match on home turf. The match started tight, and it took the Switchbacks 14 minutes to get a shot on goal while they struggled to take hold of possession. Things seemed like they might turn around in the 22nd minute however, as a surgical pass from #34 Michael Edwards outside the team’s own 18 yard box crossed two thirds of the pitch to land on the boot of #11 Michee Ngalina, who netted it in in almost casual fashion.
The hosts would earn their own goal only six minutes later after a cross pass from the 18 yard box winged into the bottom left corner of the net.
The tides would change in the second half, when just nine minutes in Ngalina attempted a shot that was deflected by El Paso right into the path of #8 Zach Zandi who was able to control the touch and squeeze the ball past the goalkeeper into the bottom right corner of the net.
El Paso conceded a penalty in the 59th minute after #4 Andrew Fox drew a foul. Ngalina would take the penalty and earn his second goal of the night in textbook fashion.
Not content to stop there, Ngalina earned his third goal of the night, a hat trick, in the 69th minute as #14 Jairo Henriquez passed to Ngalina after flying up the field in a move too fast to stop by defenders.
In their first ever franchise win against El Paso, the Switchbacks have also earned themselves another chance to play at Weidner Field this season in the playoffs. The team heads back on the road next week for their final match of the regular season against New Mexico on October 15th.
Game Statistics:
Man of the Match: Michee Ngalina
Goals – COS: Ngalina (22′)(A”Edwards); Zandi (54′); Ngalina (59′); Ngalina (69′)(A:Henriquez) | ELP: Solignac (29′)(A: Rose)
Discipline – COS: YC: King (26′); Lindley (45′); Anderson (90+’) | ELP: Ryan (23′); Bahner (30′); Yuma (37′); Fox (58′); Solignac (62′); Rose (73′); Garcia (83′)
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