New Mexico United scored in second-half stoppage time to grab a 3-2 victory against Las Vegas Lights FC on Saturday night at Cashman Field in a thrilling contest that saw all five goals come in the second half as United claimed its first win of the new season.

Here are three things we took away from the contest.

1. NEW MEXICO’S RAISED INTENSITY DELIVERED

New Mexico United was regularly aiming to put pressure as the Lights were in possession in their defensive third, aiming to play out from the back into midfield, but in the first half the combination of good spacing by the hosts and a lack of full intensity by United saw those efforts come up empty-handed, unable to win possession once in the attacking third in the first half. By contrast, the raise in level of intensity by New Mexico late in the first half and into the second proved impactful as each of the first two goals for the visitors came as they capitalized on Las Vegas’ errors.

The Lights certainly played their way into trouble on the first, but the manner in which McKinze Gaines and Sergio Rivas bracketed Las Vegas midfielder Chris Pearson as the ball arrived saw the Jamaican attempt a flicked pass that Rivas picked off before firing across goal. A missed clearance came straight to Gaines, who tapped home easily for his first for the club. The second, meanwhile, was a matter of Marlon Vargas’ persistence as both the Lights’ defender and goalkeeper hesitated, allowing the midfielder to steal possession and set up Greg Hurst for another simple finish.

New Mexico has the players to make its pressing style work, and as it becomes more coordinated it could deliver more positive outcomes.

2. VALENTIN NOËL NEEDS A MORE ATTACKING ROLE

Valentin Noël was one of the key players in Las Vegas’ turnaround during the 2024 season, bagging a team-high 17 goal contributions on 10 goals and seven assists. Under new Head Coach Antonio Nocerino, however, he’s been moved into a deeper role, one which the French playmaker can certainly fulfill, but also one that may not take full advantage of his abilities to drive the Lights’ attack.

Only three of Noël’s 31 passes on Saturday night were into the final third with most of his on-ball action coming in the left side inside his own half. It should be instructive that when Las Vegas was chasing the game after going two goals down, one of those passes – a teasing, angled cross from the right – set up Johnny Rodriguez’s first goal for the side to begin Las Vegas’ comeback. That was one of four passes that connected between the two on the night, and it feels like that partnership should be one the Lights take more advantage of moving forward, primarily by moving Noël further forward in its system.

3. CHAOS BECOMES NEW MEXICO

As the title of the club’s 2024 documentary declared, New Mexico can be the Kings of Chaos when it comes to on-field performances. While the side was a +5 on the ledger in 2024 when it came to the difference between its points gained from losing positions (16) and points dropped from winning positions (11), it looked like Saturday night was going to fall on the wrong side after Joe Gyau’s spectacular goal pulled the Lights level in the 90th minute.

Instead, United pulled another rabbit out of the hat in the fifth minute of stoppage time. Whether Marlon Vargas’ attempted Olimpico off the corner kick from the right crossed the line before it caromed to Will Seymore, who made sure the ball was home for New Mexico’s winner will probably be reviewed, but that’s for another day. What mattered most was that it delivered an important victory for New Mexico on the road, and gave Head Coach Dennis Sanchez the result he was looking for in his first meeting against his former club.