The 2022 New Mexico United season was the fourth season for New Mexico United in the USL Championship, the second-tier professional soccer league in the United States.The 2022 USL Championship season was set to begin on March 12, with New Mexico United set to play their first competitive game against Las Vegas Lights FC.
Off-season and pre-season The club concluded its 2021 season with a 3–1 win over Real Monarchs on October 30. Finishing 5th in the Mountain Division, New Mexico failed to qualify for the USL Championship playoffs. Following the conclusion of the season, Saalih Muhammad's loan spell ended, and he returned to Oakland Roots SC.
Six days later, on November 5 the club announced the departure of inaugural head coach Troy Lesesne after three seasons. His successor, Zach Prince, was announced on November 15, having served as Lesesne's assistant for the past three seasons.
In December, Justin Schmidt and Juan Pablo Guzmán left the club, with the former retiring from playing to join the US Army. December also saw 5 players join the club. Justin Portillo joined from Real Monarchs on December 18, followed by the signing of Haitian youth international Carl Sainté on December 22 from Haitian side Violette AC, and Comorian international Alexis Souahy on December 28 from Louisville City FC. United finished the calendar year by announcing the signings of Tabort Etaka Preston and Neco Brett on December 29 from Hartford Athletic and December 31 from Birmingham Legion FC, respectively.
In January, midfielder Will Seymore joined the club from Finn Harps F.C. On January 8, New Mexico announced the signing of Raddy Ovouka from Ghanaian side Accra Hearts of Oak. Second-choice goalkeeper Philipp Beigl left the club on January 10, moving to El Paso Locomotive. Forward Brian Brown left the club on January 25 in a player transfer with FC Tulsa for Jerome Kiesewetter. Isidro Martinez left the club on January 27, followed the next day by the announcement of the club's 2022 roster, which did not include Will Palmquist, David Najem, Alex Touche, Andrew Tinari, or Devon Sandoval.
March On March 1, the club announced the signing of goalkeeper and Albuquerque native Ford Parker from Birmingham Legion. New Mexico United began its competitive season on March 13, winning their home and season opener 2-0 over Las Vegas Lights. The team was unbeaten in their 4 competitive matches in March, beating El Paso Locomotive away on March 19 before consecutive home draws to Orange County SC and Oakland Roots on March 26 and 30, respectively.
Club roster
No.NameNationalityPosition(s)Date of birth (age)Season signedPrevious clubApps. Goals Goalkeepers1Alex TambakisGK2021 North Carolina FC35012Ford ParkerGK2022 Birmingham Legion FC2024Cody MizellGK2022 New York City FC580Defenders3Austin YearwoodLB2019 Richmond Kickers7315Josh SuggsLB/CB2019 Colorado Springs Switchbacks7646Alexis SouahyCB2022 Louisville City FC6015Rashid TettehCB2019 High Point Panthers69022Kalen RydenCB/LB2020 Real Monarchs47226Raddy OvoukaLB2022 Accra Hearts of Oak S.C. (on loan)41Midfielders4Sam HamiltonDM/CB2019 Colorado Rapids57211Sergio RivasAM2021 Reno 186835616Will SeymoreCM2022 Finn Harps F.C.7018Carl SaintéCM2022 Violette AC4123Micheal AziraCM/DM2021 Chicago Fire FC32125Daniel BruceRW/RM2019 UNC Charlotte 49ers76533Harry SwartzRB/RM2021 Hartford Athletic19243Justin PortilloCM/DM2022 Real Monarchs80Forwards7Neco BrettCF2022 Birmingham Legion FC749Devon SandovalCF2019 Atlanta United 2822510Amando MorenoLW/RW/AM2020 Chicago Fire361114Ilija IlićCF2021 Indy Eleven25317Jerome KiesewetterCF2022 FC Tulsa4219Tabort Etaka PrestonLW2022 Hartford Athletic8141Chris WehanAM/CM/LM2021 Orange County SC742945Cristian NavaCF2021—80
Transfers out Pos.No.PlayerTo clubExit dateRef.CB17 Justin SchmidtRetiredDecember 7, 2021DM/CM8 Juan Pablo GuzmánFree agentDecember 10, 2021GK27 Philipp Beigl El Paso Locomotive FCJanuary 10, 2022CF99 Brian Brown FC TulsaJanuary 25, 2022DM/CM7 Isidro MartinezReleasedJanuary 27, 2022GK12 Will PalmquistFree agentJanuary 28, 2022RB/RM/LB6 David NajemFree agentJanuary 28, 2022CB16 Alex ToucheFree agentJanuary 28, 2022CM20 Andrew TinariFree agentJanuary 28, 2022CF9 Devon SandovalFree agentJanuary 28, 2022CF14 Ilija IlićreleasedJuly 18, 2022
Transfers in Pos.PlayerFrom clubDateRef.CM/DM Justin Portillo Real MonarchsDecember 18, 2021CM Carl Sainté Violette ACDecember 22, 2021CB Alexis Souahy Louisville City FCDecember 28, 2021LW Tabort Etaka Preston Hartford AthleticDecember 29, 2021CF Neco Brett Birmingham Legion FCDecember 31, 2021CM Will Seymore Finn Harps F.C.January 2, 2022CF Jerome Kiesewetter FC TulsaJanuary 25, 2022GK Ford Parker Birmingham Legion FCMarch 1, 2022CF Devon Sandoval Free AgentMay 19, 2022CF Romario Williams Al-QadsiaJuly 14, 2022FWD Kevaughn Frater Hapoel Nof HaGalil F.C.August 8, 2022
Loans in Pos.PlayerFrom clubDateUntilRef.LB Raddy Ovouka Accra Hearts of Oak S.C.January 8, 2022End of seasonGK Cody Mizell New York City FCApril 15, 2022April 24, 2022
Competitions
Friendlies
In January, New Mexico United announced a series of three pre-season friendly matches in San Diego in February against San Diego Loyal SC, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, Orange County SC. Followed by a friendly in El Paso against El Paso Locomotive, before finishing up the pre-season schedule at home versus USL League 1 expansion side Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC at United's home training facility.
Results
USL Championship
On December 21, the USL announced the competition format for the 2022 season. New Mexico United was placed into a 13-team Western Conference, and will play 34 games in the regular season; a double round robin against conference opponents with an additional 10 games against various opponents from around the league. New Mexico United and the USL announced the full schedule on January 13.
Conference table
Results summary
Results by matchday
Matches
source:
USL Championship playoffs
Results
U.S. Open Cup
New Mexico United will enter the U.S. Open Cup in the Second Round, to be played between April 5 and April 7. The Second Round draw took place on February 11, 2022, where it was announced that United would face the winner of the opening round match between Park City Red Wolves SC and Las Vegas Legends. After defeating the Park City Red Wolves in the first round, Las Vegas Legends were defeated by United in the second. For the third round, New Mexico United were placed into the Mountain regional draw, along with fellow USL Championship member Phoenix Rising, USL League One side Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC, and MLS side Real Salt Lake. Along with Northern Colorado, United declined to host in this round, so they were drawn to determine who would visit Wild Horse Pass, and who would visit Rio Tinto Stadium. As it happened, United were drawn away to Phoenix. This made their third round match their second consecutive match-up with Phoenix.
Statistics USL Championship
Outfield players NameGoalsAssists3DF Austin Yearwood3320700004MF Sam Hamilton6548001005DF Josh Suggs2112300006DF Alexis Souahy4436000107FW Neco Brett65474300010FW Amando Moreno000000011MF Sergio Rivas52224100014FW Ilija Ilić206000015DF Rashid Tetteh44356000016MF Will Seymore55450004017FW Jerome Kiesewetter2019001018MF Carl Sainté3167000019FW Tabort Etaka Preston65359102022DF Kalen Ryden1190010023MF Micheal Azira2049000025MF Daniel Bruce65451021026DF Raddy Ovouka2019001033MF Harry Swartz66514201041MF Chris Wehan66522002043MF Justin Portillo66540042045FW Cristian Nava11900000
Goalkeepers Name1 Alex Tambakis44360969.2%41.00010012 Ford Parker0000—0—00024 Cody Mizell22180571.4%21.000000
U.S. Open Cup
Outfield Players NameGoalsAssists3DF Austin Yearwood2113400004MF Sam Hamilton214200006DF Alexis Souahy2213600007FW Neco Brett1190101011MF Sergio Rivas1179000014FW Ilija Ilić1158000015DF Rashid Tetteh1179000016MF Will Seymore22180000017FW Jerome Kiesewetter21109201018MF Carl Sainté1190100019FW Tabort Etaka Preston2097000023MF Micheal Azira21122000025MF Daniel Bruce22136001026DF Raddy Ovouka21134100033MF Harry Swartz1171010041MF Chris Wehan22142100043MF Justin Portillo211010000
Goalkeepers Name12 Ford Parker22180571.4%21.00100
Notes
References