Devon Sandoval never doubted his fellow Albuquerqueans would turn out in numbers for New Mexico United games. And the local striker has been proven right as the first-year USL Championship club has consistently drawn 12,000-plus crowds to Isotopes Park
“As for the community support, I did expect it,” Sandoval said. “I knew if the organization is run the right way, the way a professional sports team should be run, the support would be there. It always was when I was young. At UNM, we had 7,500 at an NCAA tournament game. There is a big soccer community here, and a pro team is something people have wanted for a while.”
On Top out of the Gate
A hard fought VICTORY!🙌@NewMexicoUTD takes the win over @PHXRisingFC in penalties 4-3 and will move on to face @SwitchbacksFC!
— U.S. Open Cup (@opencup) May 16, 2019
NM 4-3 | Final | #USOC2019
📺 Highlights ⤵ pic.twitter.com/vpsFQzqyba
“Last year in Atlanta, it was a different philosophy,” Sandoval, now 27, said. “The team was set up for developing players, getting young players minutes. Our goal here is to win. Once I got here and saw the culture they were building, and the player personnel they were bringing on, reality started setting in.