El Paso Locomotive FC Heads to Laredo Heat FC in Round 1 of Lamar Hunt US Open Cup
USL El Paso Locomotive FC

El Paso Locomotive FC Heads to Laredo Heat FC in Round 1 of Lamar Hunt US Open Cup

Published on March 18, 2026 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
El Paso Locomotive FC News Release


EL PASO, Texas - El Paso Locomotive FC begins its 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup campaign on the road Thursday, March 19, traveling to face Laredo Heat SC in the first round with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m. MT.

Watch: YouTube

Be sure to follow @eplocomotivefc on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook for live updates of the match. Additionally, fans are encouraged to download the team's official mobile app on the Apple App Store or Google Play for instant access to mobile tickets, team content, and match notifications.

KEY STORYLINES

LOOKING BACK

El Paso Locomotive FC opened its 2026 road slate in dominant fashion with a 3-0 victory over Monterey Bay FC, marking the club's first win in a road opener since March 25, 2023, when Los Locos defeated Louisville City FC by the same scoreline. In that match, three different players found the back of the net for El Paso: Marc Navarro, Ricardo Zacarias, and Petar Petrovic. The performance mirrors Saturday's result, which also featured three separate goal scorers in Alex Méndez, Rubio Rubín, and Amando Moreno.

FULL STEAM AHEAD

El Paso Locomotive FC hits the road for the second time in as many weeks as they take on Laredo Heat SC in the final match of the first round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Kickoff is set for Thursday, March 19 at 6:30 p.m. MT at PEG Energy Stadium in Laredo, Texas, with the match streaming live on YouTube.

WIPE IT CLEAN

Abraham Romero recorded his first clean sheet of the season. It marked the club's first clean sheet since Sebastian Mora-Mora recorded one in a 0-0 draw on the road at Orange County SC on October 4, 2025. Including Saturday's match at Monterey Bay FC, Locomotive have registered five clean sheets in road openers since the inaugural 2019 season:

Real Monarchs SLC vs EPL, 0-0

Orange County vs EPL, 0-0

Sporting Kansas City II vs EPL, 0-0

Louisville City FC vs EPL, 3-0

Monterey Bay FC vs EPL, 3-0

OPEN CUP COMPETITION

El Paso Locomotive FC returns to U.S. Lamar Hunt Open Cup action Thursday, facing Laredo Heat SC in Round 1 of the nation's oldest soccer competition. The match marks just the second time Locomotive will play in the tournament's opening round. El Paso earned a 5-1 victory over Harpos FC at Southwest University Park on March 19, 2025, the most goals scored by Los Locos in an Open Cup match. Locomotive advanced to the fourth round in 2025, the farthest in club history, before falling 3-2 to Austin FC at Q2 Stadium.

RACKING UP HONORS

El Paso Locomotive FC continues to earn league recognition early in the 2026 season. A week after forward Rubio Rubín was named USL Championship Player of the Week and earned Team of the Week honors, midfielder Alex Méndez has been selected to the USL Championship Team of the Week. Méndez netted his first goal of the season in the 3-0 win over Monterey Bay FC, finishing with two shots on target while creating three chances in a standout performance.

EARLY ATTACKING OUTPUT

El Paso Locomotive FC has scored five goals through its first two matches of the 2026 USL Championship season. The Locomotive attack has produced 21 total shots with 12 on target, while generating 21 key passes and 20 chances created, highlighting the club's ability to consistently create opportunities in the final third.

RUBÍN LEADS THE ATTACK

Forward Rubio Rubín leads the team with three goals through the opening two matches. He has recorded five shots, with four on target, accounting for the majority of the club's early scoring output. All three of his goals have come inside the box, with a 60% conversion rate across 180 minutes of play. Rubín has also contributed one assist, won three fouls, and conceded just one.

MIDFIELD CONTRIBUTIONS

Midfielder Alex Méndez has been a key offensive contributor with one goal and three shots on target while helping drive the attack from midfield. Méndez also leads the team in chance creation with four through two matches.

DEFENSIVE WORK RATE

Defensively, El Paso has recorded 27 tackles, 11 interceptions, and 58 clearances through two matches. The defensive group has played an important role in regaining possession and allowing the team to transition quickly into attack.

DEFENSIVE ANCHOR

Defender Noah Dollenmayer continues to anchor the back line for El Paso Locomotive FC, recording a team-high 14 clearances and 12 duels won - nine of which are aerial duels won. His 12 clearances are one of two players in double-digit numbers (Ricky Ruiz has 10).

POSSESSION & PASSING

El Paso Locomotive FC showcased strong buildup play in its last two matches, finishing with 25 total shots and 12 on target, with the majority of those opportunities generated through structured possession in midfield. Midfielder Alex Méndez played a key role in orchestrating the attack, recording four shots and contributing to chance creation.

Locomotive's offensive buildup featured contributions from across the lineup, with 11 different players recording at least one key pass and six players registering multiple shots.

GETTING THE CALL

El Paso Locomotive FC will be represented on the international stage during the March FIFA international window, with multiple players receiving national team call-ups:

Noah Dollenmayer - Dominican Republic

Carl Sainte - Haiti

Nicolás Cardona - Puerto Rico

The call-ups highlight Locomotive's growing international presence and the club's continued development of players competing at the international level.

HOBAN MAKES HISTORIC DEBUT

Academy product Kenneth Hoban made history for Los Locos on Saturday, earning his first professional start at just 16 years old. With the appearance, Hoban becomes the second player in club history to make his professional debut at age 16. A native of El Paso, Texas, Hoban also became the first player to progress through the club's youth academy system and make his professional debut with the first team. Hoban joins Luis Moreno, who made his professional debut at age 16 against Miami FC on August 5, 2024.

RECENT LOCOMOTIVE QUOTES

HC Junior Gonzalez on the Open Cup and facing a team from a different division:

"Our focus is on consistency, showing that we can perform at a high level no matter who the opponent is. We expect Laredo to bring in some quality players, so we have to approach this like a league match and maintain that standard. We're not taking them lightly at all. These are the types of games where we need to start strong and perform even better than we did in the previous match to keep advancing in the Open Cup. I have a lot of experience in this competition, and there are always upsets. That's why our mindset and mentality have to be strong going into this one."

HC Junior Gonzalez on defense, and what's been the difference-maker:

"So much of defending and keeping clean sheets comes down to mentality. There's never a game where you won't get broken down at times, so it's about how well you defend your box in those moments. We had a lot of last-ditch efforts and blocks that helped limit shots on goal. t's also about having a strong structure in attack so that when we lose the ball, we can recover it quickly higher up the field and reduce counterattacking opportunities."

GK Abraham Romero on the team's defensive performance:

"I think first and foremost, it's their willingness to run. Defense is often seen as the defenders' job, but not enough credit goes to our wingers, our nines, our interiors, and our six, the guys who press higher up the field. It all starts with our nine and their willingness to run."

MF Alex Méndez on meshing well and the team's identity:

"I think we're an attacking, possession-based team. We want to dictate the game in every aspect and show that we can attack well, maintain possession, and defend at a high level."

MF Alex Méndez on what's working so well up front:

"It really comes down to understanding each other. The more time we spend together, both on and off the field, the more it shows in our play."

Check out the El Paso Locomotive FC Statistics

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from March 18, 2026


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