Wednesday night’s action in the USL Championship’s Western Conference shook up the standings – and the race for the best record in the conference – while adding even more intrigue to what this weekend’s slate holds. Here’s five things to know over the next two days of action.

SWITCHBACKS, EL PASO OFFER CONTRAST, URGENCY COULD MAKE DIFFERENCE

When Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC last played host to El Paso Locomotive FC, it marked only the second time the side had been held scoreless at Weidner Field this season as the top two teams in the USL Championship’s Mountain Division played to a 0-0 draw on September 15. For Switchbacks midfielder, that was a reminder of the contrast with which the sides typically approach the game, with El Paso often aiming to control the tempo and possession and the Switchbacks trying to fire forward quickly to create one-on-one matchups for its talented attacking corps led by Championship Golden Boot leader Hadji Barry.

“[We] have pretty different styles of play,” said Switchbacks midfielder Zach Zandi. “El Paso are more of a possession-based team, and we like to counterattack. El Paso try to minimize us countering against them by possessing and sitting back, so I think that game [on September 15th] was just two really good teams that cancelled each other out. But I think the games against them have been good and entertaining and very high quality. When you play against a team that’s as good as El Paso, it’s hard to break them down, so it’s normally a pretty cagey affair.”

The notable part of the team’s numbers this season is the Switchbacks have held more average possession per game than El Paso, with Colorado Springs averaging 56.4 percent per game to Locomotive FC’s 54.7 percent, but what may make Saturday’s encounter at Weidner Field more compelling than the first is the urgency for points both sides face. In the Switchbacks’ case, holding off San Antonio FC for second place in the division is front of mind, while Locomotive FC has a chance to at least finish with the best record in the Western Conference – if not the Championship overall – if it can string together a run of victories. That could make for an intriguing conclusion if the game remains tight with both teams in need of three points.

PHOENIX LOOKS TO REBOUND, END ORANGE COUNTY HEX

Phoenix Rising FC’s 3-0 defeat by the LA Galaxy II on Wednesday night brought to an end a dominant run that Rising had produced against Los Dos over the past five seasons, with the victory the first for the Galaxy II in the series between the clubs since Rising FC’s rebrand for the 2017 campaign.

Now, Phoenix will try to produce a response on Saturday night against an Orange County SC side that has had a similar record on its home turf against Rising FC in that same span. Since the start of the 2017 season, Phoenix has gone 0-2-4 at Championship Soccer Stadium in the regular season including a draw and a defeat in its visits a season ago. With the race still on to finish with the best record in both the Western Conference and the league, that would need to change if Rising FC is to avoid giving a greater opening to El Paso Locomotive FC and the Tampa Bay Rowdies.

If there are a pair of results Phoenix could take inspiration from, though, it’s the club’s two wins away to Sacramento Republic FC earlier this year. Prior to this season, Rising FC had never taken victory at Heart Health Park in seven prior regular-season visits. After winning both of those encounters this season, Head Coach Rick Schantz’s side will try to earn a similar result at Orange County as it wraps up its two-game week in Southern California.

TAMBAKIS FILLING MIZELL’S GLOVES COMFORTABLY IN NEW MEXICO

There was no question Cody Mizell became a fan favorite during New Mexico United’s first two seasons in the Championship before his transfer to New York City FC last offseason, but Alex Tambakis has proven more than an adequate replacement this season and is playing a key role in the club’s drive for a third consecutive postseason berth. The Greek shot-stopper’s seven-save shutout on Wednesday night was another excellent display as United took a third consecutive win with a 2-0 victory against Rio Grande Valley FC, which also set an individual club record with his seventh clean sheet of the season.

“I always feel confident,” Tambakis told the Albuquerque Journal’s Ken Sickenger. “To me, I play behind the best team in the league so it’s all about just communication and being ready.”

Tambakis’ overall numbers stack up well compared to Mizell’s in the past two years. His save percentage of 73.1 percent is 13 points higher than Mizell recorded in his two seasons, and he currently sports a 1.04 goals-against average while sitting third in the Championship in American Soccer Analysis’ of goals prevented (-5.61xGA), having conceded 24 non-own goals compared to an Expected Goals Against mark of 29.61xGA. As New Mexico faces another big test at Louisville City FC on Sunday afternoon on ESPN2, Tambakis will be a key figure again for the side and could grab the national spotlight.

FORMELLA PROVING FORMIDABLE AGAINST DEFIANCE

If there was a player you could bank on to make an impact when Sacramento Republic FC last faced Tacoma Defiance at Cheney Stadium on September 22, it was Dariusz Formella, and with his 78th-minute winner in Republic FC’s 1-0 victory it proved to be the case. You see, the Defiance have been the favorite side the Polish forward has faced since joining Sacramento prior to the 2019 season with five goals in five games, the most of any individual Republic FC player against a single opponent in that span and tied for seventh in the league against an individual club.  

Formella’s finishes have arrived at an average of a goal every 58 minutes against Tacoma, which is likely to make him a key figure in Saturday’s rematch between the two sides, both of whom are now fighting for their playoff lives. After Sacramento’s setback against the LA Galaxy II last Sunday afternoon, it cannot afford more dropped points as the Defiance visit, lest if fall further back of Oakland Roots SC – which hosts Las Vegas Lights FC – or the LA Galaxy II – who host San Diego Loyal SC in the Pacific Division standings.

TOROS NEED PERSISTANCE IN MUST-WIN AGAINST MONARCHS

You could forgive Rio Grande Valley FC for getting the feeling it might not be its year to return to the playoffs after Wednesday night’s 2-0 defeat to New Mexico United as one of the club’s best overall attacking performances of the season was stymied by an even better display from United goalkeeper Alex Tambakis. As the Toros return home to face Real Monarchs SLC on Saturday night at H-E-B Park, though, it needs to focus on the positives recent games have produced in the final third and keep pushing for a breakthrough.

Including its game on August 29 against OKC Energy FC, the side has compiled a 9.40xG mark across six games. It’s not the highest in the league in that span, certainly, but had the Toros been able to capitalize on the chances they were creating it would have seen the side take more than one victory in that span. Whether it’s Elvis Amoh, recent El Salvador international call-up Christian Sorto or loanee Frank Lopez, RGVFC needs someone to step up in the final third to get the side the goals it needs to stay in the playoff race.