COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Jonas Fjeldberg scored the second-half winner as Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC took a 2-1 victory against El Paso Locomotive FC in Group 2 of the Prinx Tires USL Cup at Weidner Field on Saturday night, securing the Switchbacks’ berth in the knockout stage after their third win in as many games in the group stage.

After a lightning delay of almost three hours, the Switchbacks began the game on the front foot and went up a player in the 25th minute when El Paso’s Ricky Ruiz was sent off after bringing down Sadam Masereka as he broke in on goal. The hosts took advantage seven minutes before halftime when Juan Tejada was in the right place to turn home an effort by Sam Williams, heading home into the left side of the net.

Tejada had a chance to add a second when he intercepted an attempted backpass only for El Paso goalkeeper Abraham Romero to make a sharp stop, but Locomotive hit back despite being down to 10 players in first-half stoppage time when Tony Alfaro’s back-post header off a corner kick from the left found its way into the net. The Switchbacks asserted themselves in the second half, however, with Patrick Burner volleying just over on the hour-mark. With 20 minutes to go, Fjeldberg put the hosts back on top with a first-time finish to the bottom-right corner off Adrien Pérez’s pass into the left side of the penalty area, and while Colorado Springs had chances to add to its lead late, the Norwegian’s goal proved enough to send the Switchbacks into the knockout stage.

NEW MEXICO UNITED 4, PHOENIX RISING FC 0: Niall Reid-Stephen scored late in the first half to launch a big second-half performance that guided New Mexico United to a 4-0 victory against Phoenix Rising FC in Group 2 of the Prinx Tires USL Cup at Isotopes Park, keeping United alive in its bid to advance to the knockout stage.

Both teams had chances in the first half, including a big opportunity for United’s Valentin Noël after a quarter of an hour that the French playmaker sent off target, but the hosts took the lead in the first minute of first-half stoppage time when Chris Gloster’s low cross through the penalty area from the left found Reid-Stephen at the back post for a first-time finish. New Mexico broke the game open after the break, however, with Ousman Jabang scoring in the 53rd minute as he put home a finish at the second attempt after his initial shot off a cross by Noël was partially blocked at the top of the six-yard area.

Noël then got his name on the scoresheet after a hustle play by Cristian Nava kept an opportunity alive on the left side as his low shot was saved only for Noël to clean up on the rebound with 20 minutes to go. Dayonn Harris then capped the scoring in the 85th minute as he broke onto a pass by Nava in behind the Rising back line, putting home the second opportunity after Phoenix’s Chituru Odunze parried his initial effort.

AV ALTA FC 2, ORANGE COUNTY SC 1: Goals in either half by Collin Anderson and Ilias Aoumaich proved the difference as AV ALTA FC fought back to defeat Orange County SC at Lancaster Municipal Stadium in Group 2 of the Prinx Tires USL Cup.

The hosts went close to taking the lead in the 22nd minute, but Osvaldo Lay’s finish got called back for offside. Five minutes after that, Orange County opened the scoring when Chris Hegardt’s teasing cross found captain Tom Brewitt, who nodded in his first goal for the club.

The AV ALTA comeback started with an equalizer that came from almost nothing. In the 42nd minute, 16-year-old USL Academy signing Elliott Jahng picked up the ball from goalkeeper Djibril Djoumbia in his own half and played a long pass over the top to Anderson, who outpaced the back line, stayed composed and nutmegged OCSC goalkeeper Tetsuya Kadono to tie the match. 

In the second half, the winning goal came in a moment of individual brilliance from Aoumaich as the 20-year-old received a pass from Jimmie Villalobos, dribbled past two Orange County players, and tucked the ball into the back of the net for his second goal of the tournament. The home side hung on to take all three points to remain undefeated against their Southern California rivals in all competitions.