ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Mukwelle Akale found the winner with five minutes to play as New Mexico United rallied from a second-half deficit to take a 2-1 victory against defending title holder Phoenix Rising FC on Sunday night at Isotopes Park to advance in the Western Conference Semifinals of the 2024 USL Championship Playoffs presented by Terminix.

In the first postseason edition of El Clasico del Desierto, United brought Rising’s reign to an end, and will now face Las Vegas Lights FC at Isotopes Park next weekend in the Western Conference Semifinals.

Both sides looked to find a passing rhythm throughout the first half but it was Rising that created the better opportunities of the two. Emil Cuello forced a good low save from United goalkeeper Alex Tambakis in the 10th minute, while Fede Varela couldn’t get enough purchase on a header just before the half-hour mark to challenge the shot-stopper.

New Mexico, meanwhile, managed only one official shot before the break on a speculative if well-struck effort by Zico Bailey that flew high of the crossbar. The hosts quickly rectified that at the start of the second half, opening brightly as Akale cut in from the right to force a save from Rocco Ríos Novo with a low shot.

Phoenix responded and found the opening goal. Jearl Margaritha cut in from the left to create space for a shot at the top of the penalty area, and while Tambakis was able to parry the effort to the right corner, the ball came to Varela for a first-time finish on the rebound that found the back of the net.

Nine minutes later, New Mexico found its response. After holding possession in the attacking third looking for an opening, Marco Micaletto’s attempt to center was deflected by Rising defender Pape Mar Boye to Will Seymore, who pulled the ball onto his right foot 13 yards out and blasted a shot off the underside of the crossbar that was adjudged to have cross the goal line by the Assistant Referee to level the score.

Then with five minutes to go, New Mexico hit the front as Akale struck. Moving upfield on a counterattack, Avionne Flanagan moved into space patiently on the left side, allowing support to arrive, and his cross through the top of the six-yard area picked out Akale at the back post, who had the simplest finish to tap home from close range.

Akale almost iced the game as the clock ticked into stoppage time as he cut in off the right toward the top of the penalty area for a left-footed shot to the top-left corner which Ríos Novo clawed behind for a corner kick. Phoenix, meanwhile, created one late chance in stoppage time to try and match their late-game heroics a season ago, but moments after Darius Johnson’s effort was held by Tambakis, the final whistle blew, sending United through.

Three Things That Mattered

1. AKALE PROVIDES SPARK: Throughout the first half, New Mexico had possession but little in the way of attacking penetration. While the hosts entered the attacking third 22 times, it recorded only two touches inside the penalty area with its lone shot coming from more than 30 yards out. That changed for the better in the second half as the side looked to become more vertical, with Mukwelle Akale at the center of the plan. The 27-year-old provided the first serious threat on goal for the hosts shortly after the break, and while Rising took the lead soon after, New Mexico continued to feed him on the right side. It paid off, first on the equalizer where his chipped cross from the right found Marco Micaletto, whose attempt to center came to Will Seymore to crash home off the crossbar, and then on the winner, where Akale got onto the end of Avionne Flanagan’s teasing cross to get the winner. We had Akale pegged as New Mexico’s X-Factor this week, and he lived up to the billing on Sunday night.

2. UNITED’S DEFENSE HOLDS UP: Phoenix produced the sort of focused display it was going to need to win on the road, but while it found some success in attack through Jearl Margaritha in particular, the back line of New Mexico held firm well enough to earn a result. Adding in contributions from holding midfield pair Zico Bailey and Nanan Houssou, United won 56.4 percent of duels overall while defenders Talen Maples, Will Seymore and Anthony Herbert all recorded seven clearances apiece. Bailey also notched a game-high 4 of 4 tackles won to help keep rising at bay to ensure there would be no late drama this time around.

3. RISING LETS WIN GET AWAY: Overall in the regular season, Phoenix Rising FC was solid when it held the lead. It took 10 victories when scoring the opening goal, and dropped only 11 points from winning positions, better than the league average of 13.46. But when things went wrong for Rising, they went really wrong, and that was the case on Sunday night. For the fourth time this season, Phoenix fell after holding the lead. That’s tied for second-most in the league after Miami FC in a list that also includes two other sides eliminated in the Conference Quarterfinals in Sacramento Republic FC and North Carolina FC. After a tumultuous title defense, this offseason will be an interesting one for the 2023 title winners as they look to find the right chemistry to return to success.

USLChampionship.com Player of the Game

Mukwelle Akale, New Mexico United – The right winger provided the attacking spark for United in the second half, recording four shots and one chance created before scoring the late game-winner to send New Mexico through.

Scoring Summary
PHX – Fede Varela 49’
NM – Will Seymore 58’
NM – Mukwelle Akale (Avionne Flanagan) 85’

Full Box Score