ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Both New Mexico United and Hartford Athletic held the lead but both sides had to settle for a point after playing to a 2-2 draw on Wednesday night at Isotopes Park as Danny Barrera recorded a goal and assist for the visitors.

Both teams exchanged half-chances early on as both Hartford’s Juan Carlos Obregon Jr. and New Mexico’s Kalen Ryden just missed the target with headed finishes from close range. The hosts took the lead in the 26th minute, however, as off a well-worked set piece, Chris Wehan found space on the left to cross for Sergio Rivas, whose header was parried initially by Hartford goalkeeper Matt Lampson but crossed the line before he could clear at the second attempt.

Hartford tried to respond a minute later as Danny Barrera attempted a bicycle kick off a headed attempt to clear by United that went high above the penalty area, only for his shot to slide wide of the left post. In first-half stoppage time the visitors were awarded a penalty kick as Austin Yearwood was ruled to have handballed an attempt to head into the penalty area by Hartford’s Sebastian Elney, and Barrera stepped up to the spot and shot to the right corner past the dive of United’s Alex Tambakis.

Three minutes into the second half Barrera added his 10th assist of the season to his goal as he delivered an in-swinging free kick from the right that Obregon glanced on into the left corner of the net to put the Athletic ahead. In the 55th minute New Mexico responded as Devon Sandoval got on the end of a good, angled delivery by Yearwood from the right that the forwarded headed back into the right corner of the net to level the game up again.

New Mexico had a pair of chances inside the final 20 minutes to regain the lead as first the ball fell kindly for Wehan to strike after a corner kick only for Hartford defender Thomas Janjigian to block the ball behind. Soon after David Najem set up Daniel Bruce for a shot from a narrow angle on the right that was comfortably handled by Lampson. There would be no late winner for the hosts, however, as they fell behind Austin Bold FC in the battle for fourth place in the Mountain Division.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Danny Barrera, Hartford Athletic – Barrera recorded a goal and assist for the visitors, including his league-leading 10th assist of the season, and finished with three shots and three key passes as the visitors earned a point.

Scoring Summary
NM – Sergio Rivas (Chris Wehan) 26’
HFD – Danny Barrera (Penalty Kick) 45+5’
HFD – Juan Carlos Obregon Jr. (Danny Barrera) 48’
NM – Devon Sandoval 55’

Full Box Score