There’s a new Colorado Springs Switchbacks hype video that perfectly sums up the 2024 season.
In the video coach James Chambers can be heard imploring his team to enjoy the success, but to stay level and humble, recalling how the club got off to a franchise-worst 0-5 start to begin the season.
Now, with just six games remaining in the regular season, Colorado Springs sits tied for second place in the USL Championship Western Conference with 44 points on a 13-10-5 record. On the line is a top-two finish in the conference, which comes with the potential for at least two home playoff games.
For Chambers and the Switchbacks, the only thing that matters this week is the club’s road match at bottom-of-the table El Paso Locomotive FC.
“(The 0-5 start is) a good reference point of hey if you don’t do your work and you’re not diligent in everything that you’re trying apply yourself to. You can end up there pretty quickly with the teams that are at this level,” Chambers said. “It’s easy to go anywhere, or anyone come here, and beat anybody so we gotta make sure that we stay humble to ourselves and keep growing.”
Colorado Springs’ match at Locomotive at 7 p.m. on Saturday presents such a challenge. El Paso (5-16-6) is last in the 12 team conference.
A contender in years past, El Paso has had a frustrating 2024. The Texas club didn’t pick up a win until its 10th match of the season, and just last month won its first contest at home. Locomotive appointed Wilmer Cabrera as the fourth head coach in team history midseason after parting ways with Brian Clarhaut following a 1-8-2 start.
Chambers isn’t taking his foot off the gas. El Paso’s prior woes are no indication that the Switchbacks will be able to claim an easy win.
“I see a team fighting for their lives, fighting for their playoff lives. I see a team that’s kept three clean sheets (shutouts) in the last four games, unbeaten in the last two games at home,” he said. “So I see it completely different than a bottom-of-the-table team, I don’t really see it like that. It’s a really difficult test for us.”
The Switchbacks will have a bit of an advantage Saturday as both Locomotive FC players Miles Lyons and Robert Coronado received red cards in second-half stoppage time of El Paso’s 3-1 loss to Indy Eleven last week.
Saturday’s contest will be one of familiar faces and familiar places as Colorado Springs face off against former defender Wahab Ackwei, who was traded to El Paso last month for forward Justin Dhillon. Dhillon conversely, will square off against his old team.
“They had three clean sheets. Obviously we’re aware of Wahab being there, the center of the back three. Fantastic defender, fantastic person and he’ll be putting his best foot forward, there’s no doubt about that,” Chambers said. “For us, it’s making sure that we manage the game, we employ what we’ve been doing over the last number of weeks and we keep just going back to the basics as the start of the game and making sure that we can implement what we’re trying to do. Last weekend was all about hard work and we’re going to need that plus more this weekend.”
As Locomotive seeks to improve their home record, the Switchbacks will look to be better in the away column. Colorado Springs has won just three games on the road this season.
Game analysis and insights from The Gazette sports staff including columns by Woody Paige and Paul Klee.
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Switchbacks forward Ronaldo Damus leads the club in goals with 12. Midfielder Zach Zandi leads in assists with four.
El Paso forward Amando Moreno leads the club in goals with six. Lyons and forward Tumi Moshobane are tied for Locomotive’s assist lead with two apiece.
Stoppage time
Echevarria returns after long injury layoff for crucial stretch of season
Last week, Switchbacks veteran midfielder Steven Echevarria returned to the club after an injury sidelined him for several months.
Echevarria, who has been one of the few players on Colorado Springs’ roster since 2021, said the team feels different this time around.
“Throughout the years I’ve been here since this staff took over, we’ve not had a group that’s as together as this one is,” he said after the club’s win over Charleston Battery on Sept. 14. “We’ve gotten all the people out of the building that don’t need to be in the building and we have a group of guys that are fighting for each other.”
Huerman still a couple weeks away from return
Switchbacks forward Quentin “Quenzi” Huerman has been dealing with a lower body injury since the beginning of August.
Chambers said he’s still a little ways away from a return.
“Probably another couple of weeks. He’ll be a little bit closer as the next couple of games come on,” Chambers said.
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Publish date : 2024-09-20 12:30:00
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