The USL Championship’s Western Conference has some intriguing matchups this weekend, including some notable rivalries and key games in both the Mountain and Pacific Division playoff races. Here’s a look at five storylines to watch as the action unfolds.

NEW MEXICO FACING TREND AS DRAW STREAK PERSISTS

If New Mexico United is to reach the USL Championship Playoffs this season, it’s going to have to buck a trend that has hit the four prior teams to have recorded at least five consecutive draws in a season, a run United currently finds itself on after Monday night’s 1-1 draw with Austin Bold FC. Of those four prior instances, none of the teams – Ottawa Fury FC and Orlando City B in 2017, and Rio Grande Valley FC and FC Tulsa in 2018 – reached the postseason.

Orlando’s run reached six consecutive games, in fact, before it came to an end, a USL Championship record for most consecutive games with a draw that New Mexico could equal on Saturday night as it visits Phoenix Rising FC at Wild Horse Pass looking for its first victory since a 2-1 result against the Charleston Battery on July 12. More bad news for United? Only Orlando of the four prior teams to reach this point broke out of it with a win, with the other three having suffered defeat. With Phoenix smarting after its own 3-1 loss on Wednesday night against Oakland Roots SC, Saturday’s fifth all-time meeting between the teams should prove another compelling chapter in the meetings between the sides.

SACRAMENTO CAN BUILD PRESSURE AS SAN DIEGO VISITS

Sacramento Republic FC proved plenty to onlookers – and maybe to itself – last weekend as it had the better of the game in a 0-0 draw against Phoenix Rising FC. This Saturday night, though, the side knows that victory would ramp up the pressure on its opponent at Heart Health Park, San Diego Loyal SC, as the season enters its final third and the race for postseason places starts to build.

Sacramento enters the game trailing San Diego by five points in the Pacific Division after building a seven-game undefeated streak since the middle of July. On top of that the side also holds two games in hand on SD Loyal, meaning a win would not only put Republic FC within two points but then have two chances to overtake Head Coach Landon Donovan’s side as it goes through the stretch run.

Where Republic FC will have to watch out, though, is defensively. After curtailing Phoenix’s potent attack a week ago it will now face a SD Loyal lineup that has bolstered its ranks in the past week, acquiring proven forwards Augustine Williams – a 2020 Championship All-League selection – on loan from the LA Galaxy and Douglas Martinez Jr. – a 2019 Championship Final-winner – on loan from Real Salt Lake. Should Sacramento come through, it would only add to the potential race for the postseason that’s building out West.

SOLIGNAC PROVING CENTERPIECE LOCOMOTIVE FC NEEDED

When El Paso Locomotive FC acquired Argentine forward Luis Solignac at the start of the season, he was viewed as potentially the final piece of the puzzle and as someone who could provide a more consistent scoring threat in front of goal for the side. That’s proven to be the case, as Locomotive FC has gone from in its first two seasons being a side that underperformed its Expected Goals total to one that is now exceeding that mark with 30 goals compared to a 26.19xG mark for the season as Solignac has seven goals to lead the team.

That total includes a goal in the side’s first visit to face his former club San Antonio FC this season at Toyota Field, where El Paso will return on Saturday night looking to extend its 10-game undefeated streak and add to its 12-point lead at the top of the Mountain Division standings. But while Solignac has performed well individually – including his equalizer last Saturday night against Rio Grande Valley FC in Locomotive FC’s 3-1 victory – the way other players have stepped up has also been key for Head Coach Mark Lowry.

“We have a squad of players and I want to use all of them,” said Lowry this week. “I want to give them all the respect that they deserve. If you’re on the bench for us, we don’t see you as a sub or a bench player – we see you as a guy that’s going to come win us the game.”

SWITCHBACKS’ ATTACK CONTINUES TO EXCEED EXPECTATIONS

When he brought forwards Hadji Barry and Michee Ngalina to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC as part of an overhaul of the club’s attack, Head Coach Brendan Burke was optimistic he would be able to put both players in a place to succeed after difficult 2020 campaigns.

That belief has been rewarded handsomely with Barry sitting as the runaway leader in the Championship’s Golden Boot race with 19 goals in 19 games and Ngalina tied for the league-lead on eight assists while also having notched seven goals, both individual season highs in the 21-year-old’s young career. As the Switchbacks welcome Austin Bold FC to Weidner Field on Saturday night, Burke couldn’t be happier with the way the season has gone so far, and is hopeful both have a bright future awaiting them.

“It’s all to their credit – they work their socks off, they’re always tuned in, they do everything they need to in order to take care of themselves to be available every night,” said Burke. “All of those boxes are checked and they’re getting rewarded for it. You can only hope it continues because, honestly, it’s fantastic to watch. I certainly think that both could play in most leagues in Europe and could most certainly play in MLS without any problem, depending on the city. The sky is the limit for them. Michee is a lot younger, but Hadji is still dead in his prime. There is nothing stopping those guys from climbing the proverbial ladder – and more than a few rungs.”

OAKLAND, TACOMA ENTER SHOWDOWN IN POSITIVE FORM

After moving off the bottom of the Pacific Division on Wednesday night after its 3-1 victory against Phoenix Rising FC, Oakland Roots SC can lay claim to being one of the in-form teams in the Championship’s Pacific Division and might still have an outside chance at a playoff berth, even with a 10-point gap still to make up on the teams above the playoff line.

Saturday evening’s game against Tacoma Defiance brings one of those sides Roots SC is chasing to Laney Stadium and will be another good barometer for where Oakland’s aspirations lie. While the side is now on a five-game undefeated streak, Tacoma has gone without a loss in its last seven games and has won three in a row after its last outing, a 3-0 victory against Orange County SC. With the Defiance the last team to hand Roots SC defeat in a 3-1 result on August 8 at Cheney Stadium, the hosts are going to have to turn the tables this time around to keep their positive run up the standings going.