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ALBUQUERQUE 鈥� Despite the obstacles, like giving up two penalty-kick opportunities, New Mexico United was absolutely determined to come away from Saturday鈥檚 home-opening matinee at Isotopes Park with some points in USL Championship league play. And thanks to some last-moment heroics from Ousman Jabang and Dayonn Harris, United (1-2-0) made sure it was three points that got added to their total.

Jabang鈥檚 banger with about a minute of stoppage remaining gave New Mexico a 3-2 win over Colorado Springs (1-2-1) and it came moments after the Switchbacks tied it on the second of Khouri鈥檚 Bennett鈥檚 two penalty kick conversions.

鈥淲e can fight, we can play, we can do whatever is needed to be successful,鈥� United coach Dennis Sanchez said. 鈥淎nd I think that you saw that in the group, you know, it had been very easy to be deflated after the second PK, and we were hoping that there鈥檇 be one more opportunity. And, fortunately for us, it came, and Ous was composed and took his chance.鈥� 

Jabang had his chance because Harris, who came on as a substitution in the 60th minute, was able to slide a service into the middle that slithered about until it fell into a dangerous spot.

鈥淚t鈥檚 tough, because you feel like it鈥檚 not a PK and you feel like you鈥檙e getting screwed and all that,鈥� Jabang said. 鈥淏ut I think it was Valentin (No毛l) that said, 鈥楾wo minutes left, so that鈥檚 more than enough time.鈥� And as soon as he said that, we all walked back in and we knew we鈥檇 get at least one more. So luckily, it fell to me, and I just finished the job from there.鈥� 

That鈥檚 just the mentality New Mexico brings into the games, said Harris, who scored United鈥檚 first goal and assisted on the second. 

鈥淲e were taught to never, never give up, and that鈥檚 just the mentality that all the guys have,鈥� he said. 鈥淪o after that, we didn鈥檛 put our heads down. We kind of just went right back at it, and we were looking for the next one.鈥� 

That鈥檚 the attitude that Sanchez loves to see out of his players. 

Saturday鈥檚 鈥渕essage to the group was find a way,鈥� he said. 鈥淎nd they did that. 鈥� Our response as a group when those things happen was fantastic. So it doesn鈥檛 always have to be perfect. And I think this is going to be a game that we build momentum off with.鈥� 

For late-arriving fans, that was probably not such a bad thing as there was not much going on in the opening 45 minutes. 

The second half, however, more than made up for the lackluster first half. After Bennett cashed in Colorado Springs鈥� first penalty kick chance in the 57th minute, Harris came in and got on the end of an exquisite through ball from Greg Hurst to equalize in the 62nd minute. 

Harris then set up the go-ahead score two minutes later, feeding it into No毛l, who slotted it in. After scoring just one goal in its first two games, United was due to put a couple away.

鈥淥bviously we haven鈥檛 been as prolific as we should be, but we know we have the potential to create so many chances,鈥� Jabang said. 鈥淪o it鈥檚 all about the next one. I think if you get caught up in the misses, stay in that moment, then you kind of lose yourself 鈥� when your teammates need you.鈥� 

And then it鈥檚 a matter of taking advantage of those opportunities, Harris said. 

鈥淛ust to be a difference maker when I come on, just to bring that spark,鈥� he said. 鈥淥bviously, it was just maybe a little bit flat from both sides, but just to bring that spark, and that鈥檚 just what all the guys coming on did.鈥�