There might be no better rivalry in the USL Championship currently than that between El Paso Locomotive FC and New Mexico United.

With the way the two sides have played the opening third of the 2025 USL Championship season, we could see the Derby Del Camino Real adversaries dueling it out for the top spot in the Western Conference over the course of this campaign.

With each taking road victories on Saturday night – New Mexico claiming a 3-0 win at Oakland Roots SC, and Locomotive a 2-1 result against Las Vegas Lights FC – the two sides are now sitting 1-2 in the West while also looking among the most consistent sides in the conference.

• PUSHING ON: That New Mexico is first shouldn’t be a surprise. United earned top spot in the West a season ago thanks to a breakout season led by former Head Coach Eric Quill. Following the appointment of Dennis Sanchez this offseason after his success in Las Vegas, the expectation was the side would continue to progress, and that’s proven the case. United is currently averaging 2.1 points-per-game compared to 1.7 last year.

• LOCOS REVIVAL: Expectations weren’t necessarily as high for Locomotive after finishing in last in the West a season ago. Having started his reorganization of the squad after his appointment just over a year ago, however, Head Coach Wilmer Cabrera’s side is playing sparkling soccer again. It’s a throwback to the club’s first three seasons, when former manager Mark Lowry’s side reached two Western Conference Finals and set itself as a contender for top spot.

• EYES ON THE PRIZE: Now we have the potential for these two clubs – who entered the league side-by-side in 2019 and quickly built a mutual distaste – to be prime contenders in the West in the same campaign for the first time. They’ve already split the regular season series – each won on home turf, with Locomotive holding the head-to-head tiebreaker on goal differential – which means each will likely keep a close eye on how the other is doing as they vie for top spot.

There are some tremendous individual stories emerging for each side so far this campaign.

For Locomotive, the transformation of an attack that finished with a league-fewest 27 goals a season ago is at the forefront. With nine goals already this season – including two against Las Vegas in the club’s first comeback victory since 2023 on Saturday – Andy Cabrera has a chance to set a club single-season scoring record, while offseason arrivals Frank Daroma and Beto Avila are also making an impact.

In New Mexico, the defense led by center back Talen Maples is becoming one of the best in the Championship, while goalkeeper Alex Tambakis is putting together his best season since his first campaign for United in 2021 as he pursues the Championship’s all-time shutouts record.

But the fact these two sides could be going blow-for-blow in pursuit of potentially a Players’ Shield, or at least homefield advantage in the postseason, is something to look forward to.

We’ve seen some great battles at the top of the standings in the Championship over the years. If the protagonists in one of its deepest rivalries are engaged in that battle, it should be memorable.