ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Three Lexington Sporting Club men made the first starts of their LSC careers Wednesday night in the club’s 2-1 loss at New Mexico United. Center-back Marqes Muir highlighted the bunch as the 23-year-old scored his first professional goal in the affair to become the 11th Green to find the back of the net this season.
Sixty minutes before the match kicked off, Lexington head coach Mac Hemmi rolled out a heavily rotated Starting XI featuring four changes from the club’s identical lineup in each of its last five matches. The decision constituted the first league starts in green for forwards Malcolm Fry and Tarik Scott, along with the former University of Kentucky Wildcat Marqes Muir.
An energetic first 45 minutes of play showcased both clubs taking turns streaking up and down the pitch at a rapid pace. Despite neither scoring, the two sides combined to post 1.46 expected goals, but two exceptional saves from Lexington’s Oliver Semmle and one from New Mexico’s Kris Shakes kept things level.
Muir made the most of his debut by scoring the opening goal of the match in the 51’ minute. An Aaron Molloy corner kick was softly punched away by the New Mexico keeper, but only as far as Muir, lurking at the back post, who headed it in.
The LSC lead lasted just over 20 minutes until the hosts responded with an equalizer of their own in the 73’ minute to reset play. They doubled up in less than five minutes to swipe all three points.
Lexington moved to 10W-8L-4D on the season with the result and await Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Saturday at the Stables, a fortress where it has won four consecutive matches and posted a 7W-3L-1D record this season.
GOALS
51’ LEX: Marqes Muir
73’ NM: Kipp Keller (assist: Greg Hurst)
78’ NM: Niall Reid-Stephen (assist: Dayonn Harris)
LINEUPS
LEX: Oliver Semmle, Jacob Greene, Marqes Muir, Kendall Burks, Xavier Zengue (84’ Milo Yosef), Aaron Molloy, Noble Okello, Marcus Epps, Nick Firmino (75’ Patrick Seagrist), Malcolm Fry (45’ Blaine Ferri), Tarik Scott (56’ Javain Brown)
NM: Kris Shakes, Christopher Gloster (67’ Tyler Blackett), Niko Hämäläinen, Kipp Keller, Jake LaCava (67’ Cullen Wilkerson), Zico Bailey, Ousman Jabang (67’ Gedion Zelalem), Dayonn Harris (85’ Cristian Nava), Justin Rennicks, Niall Reid-Stephen, Greg Hurst (85’ Luther Archimède)
UP NEXT
Lexington plays its third match in eight days on Saturday, Aug. 29, at 7 p.m. ET vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. The match is the second of a doubleheader with the LSC women, who kick off at 1 p.m. ET from Lexington SC Stadium. It will be $1.50 Beer Night and the first 2,000 fans in attendance will receive an LSC pennant. The day will also feature fan-favorite Vintage Market, which opens at 3:30 p.m. ET.
