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USL El Paso Locomotive FC

El Paso Locomotive FC Set for Copa Tejas Match at San Antonio FC

June 5, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
El Paso Locomotive FC News Release


EL PASO, Texas - El Paso Locomotive FC hit the road for its CBS Sports Network debut, facing off against in-state rival San Antonio FC as Head Coach Wilmer Cabrera looks to lead the Locos to victory.

HOW TO WATCH EL PASO LOCOMOTIVE FC AT SAN ANTONIO FC - WEDNESDAY, JUNE 5, 2024 @ 7 P.M. MT - TOYOTA FIELD

Watch: CBS Sports Network

Listen: SiriusXM FC Channel 157

Watch Party: The Palomino Tavern (205 Cincinnati Ave)

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.

ALL-TIME SERIES

This will be the 12th time that the two clubs face off and El Paso will arrive not only looking to get back in the win column but also snap a six-game winless streak against SAFC that dates back to 2021. Of those six winless matches, three were at San Antonio's Toyota Field, which is one of the most difficult venues in the league for opponents to win at (SAFC have only lost twice at home in league play since the start of 2022).

EL PASO LOCOMOTIVE FC

Last week's result against Birmingham Legion FC was far from the welcome to fans Head Coach Wilmer Cabrera would have wanted, but it gave the 56-year-old a better understanding of the team he is working to strengthen. In the post-match press conference, Cabrera said he looks at the quick turnaround against a bitter rival as a blessing since the Locos do not have to wait long to return to the field and work on finding solutions as well as injecting a bit of extra motivation.

For someone like Justin Dhillon - who scored El Paso's lone goal in the match against Legion -, Cabrera's mentality and how he is looking at things drives the team to want perform better.

"You can see it in every single session, every single game," Dhillon stated. "At halftime, he wants more from us. At training, he wants more from us. After the game, you can just feel that there's more that's desired for each and every one of us. He will get more and more out of us every single week. Obviously, he just came, it's still fresh and new. He brings his ideas but again, he's a very well-respected coach and has tons of experience. I think all of us are very grateful to be working with someone like that."

It will no doubt be a difficult match at a difficult venue, a venue Dhillon is extremely familiar with. He spent three seasons at SAFC and left as the club's all-time assist leader (17). He was a key figure in San Antonio's historic 2022 season, in which the club lifted its first USL Championship trophy, but told media that he is ready to put up a stronger performance for El Paso in front of familiar faces.

"I know personally, I want to perform in front of all those great fans that have done a wonderful job of supporting me all these years but now I'm wearing these colors, so I want to be able to represent our club with a championship mindset and play for this city I'm currently in," he said in his post-match press conference. "It's a quick turnaround, but I know I'm personally excited. The whole group after this performance wants to show more than what we gave tonight. That's kind of the blessing of this sport, when you don't do everything you wanted to do on a night, having the opportunity to [fix things] a couple days later is important."

SAN ANTONIO FC

Though form as of late hasn't been reflective of the SAFC of old, the home win last week against Memphis 901 FC provides San Antonio with a boost of confidence ahead of the Copa Tejas match. SAFC will also see the return of midfielder Jorge Hernandez, who was out last week serving a red card suspension. The 23-year-old playmaker has been an attacking force for San Antonio, registering a league-leading 33 chances (3.1 per 90) as well as five assists so far this season.

On the flip side, several players will be unavailable for San Antonio due to injury and international duty. Six players who are frequently in action for SAFC were called up to represent their countries in 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers and at least five others were listed questionable for action on Wednesday. El Paso has some absences in its roster too, but Wilmer Cabrera and the Locos have stronger depth heading into this match and must take advantage of this opportunity to get a result.

ADDITIONAL INFO

El Paso Locomotive FC single-match tickets for all 2024 regular season matches are on sale now and are available for purchase online at eplocomotivefc.com/tickets. El Paso's USL Championship schedule can be found at eplocomotivefc.com/schedule.

For the best prices and priority seating for every Locomotive home match in 2024, become a Season Ticket Member today! Season Ticket Memberships for the 2024 Season are available now and can be secured online at eplocomotivefc.com/seasontickets, calling (915) 235-GOAL or texting (915) 666-2005.

Check out the El Paso Locomotive FC Statistics

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