New Mexico United gets player on loan

NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – New Mexico United and Oakland Roots have reached a loan deal to bring midfielder Saalih Muhammad back to New Mexico and send forward Brian Brown to Oakland for the remainder of the season. Both players still have one year of contract and will have to return to their respective clubs after the season.

Muhammad is excited to be back in New Mexico and is expected to make a defensive and other contribution. “I also want to be a voice that the guys on the ground can lean on when the going gets tough, to help us through tough times and tough situations and not just be a voice, but be someone whose plague when you’re on the spot, ”Muhammad said. “The other team, I want them to feel me for 90 minutes.”

New Mexico is on the road this weekend at Phoenix Rising FC. The team try to avoid a sixth consecutive draw and leave town with a more favorable result, which would be a win and three points. “It’s okay to say we’re frustrated because we’ve put ourselves in a position to win games,” New Mexico United head coach Troy Lesesne said. “So we have to look at it though, objectively, to get the emotion out of it and say what we’re doing well. Let’s continue on what we’ve done really well in those five games.

In other sports news, the UNM women’s football team beat Adams State in a 10-1 exhibition game on Friday morning. The game started on Thursday night but was suspended due to the weather.

Lobos quarterback Terry Wilson and center Kyle Stapley have gone out of their way to ensure the snap is solid when the team sets up their first home game on Thursday against Houston Baptist. “Me and Terry started getting pictures as soon as he got here,” Stapley said. “You know, we would stick around for a bit afterwards and start working on that chemistry a little bit just to get a feel for each other, and then off the pitch we have a good relationship as well. Terry is a great person. He’s a great soccer player so it’s easy to get along with him.

New Mexico State University has not named a starting quarterback for its home opener on Saturday against rival UTEP. Jonah Johnson and Weston Eget are in a tight competition for the job. “They’re both going to play and again in the COVID age they both have to play,” head coach Doug Martin said. “You know, you see it coming. You’re surprised all the time when you take a test and all of a sudden this guy is positive, you know, and we’ve even had a couple of them that tested positive that got vaccinated.

This game starts at 7:30 p.m. at Aggie Memorial Stadium.