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New Mexico, meet Mexico 鈥� once again.

United is hosting another team from south of the border for an international friendly on Wednesday. This time, Mexico City鈥檚 Atlante FC will be the one to determine whether United is keen on playing gracious host on the pitch or more willing to show some American sportsman hospitality.

Here are some things to note:

Free kicks

1. SOME MORE INTERNATIONAL FLAIR: United is no stranger to hosting a foreign club. After all, this will be the fifth international friendly New Mexico has hosted since its first season in 2019. 

And the results? Well, they鈥檝e been mixed.

United tied Welsh club Cardiff City 1-1 in 2019 and then lost to English side Sunderland FC 3-2 in 2023. Both teams were members of the EFL Championship, the UK鈥檚 second soccer tier, during their respective visits. 

New Mexico then hosted Liga MX鈥檚 FC Juarez in 2024 and 2025. United lost the first matchup 4-2 and won the second 1-0. 

Each of the four friendlies have taken place in the middle of New Mexico鈥檚 season and served as a preseason match for the visitors. 

It鈥檚 no different for Atlante FC, which is also a member of Liga MX (more on that below). The contest against United is its lone announced preseason date.

2. WELCOME BACK, WELCOME BACK: Not Atlante visiting sa国际传媒官网网页入口. That is a first-time thing for a friendly. Instead, this refers to Atlante鈥檚 place in Mexico鈥檚 top soccer league.

Atlante spent the last 12 years in the country鈥檚 second flight 鈥� Liga de Expansi贸n MX 鈥� where it placed eighth in the regular-season standings last season. But Mexico suspended promotion and relegation to/from Liga MX in 2020. 

So, how did Atlante end up back in Liga MX? Good question. 

Essentially, through purchasing power. It acquired Mazatl谩n鈥檚 place in the league. Mazatl谩n folded April 25, a little more than a month before the sixth anniversary of its founding. 

But Atlante does have a history in Mexico鈥檚 top division and being successful. Founded 110 years ago, it鈥檚 won the league three times (1946-47, 鈥�92-鈥�93 and 2007) to go along with its three Liga de Expansi贸n MX titles (2021, 鈥�22 and 鈥�24) and two CONCACAF Champions Cup/Champions League championships (1983 and 2008-09).

Atlante begins Liga MX play against Club Necaxa on July 16.

3. BREAKING FROM THE BREAK: United last played on June 20 鈥� an away USL Championship match at Sacramento Republic FC. New Mexico won 1-0. 

There will have been 11 days between that game and the matchup against Atlante FC thanks to a mandated bye. The USL Championship requires its clubs to take a mental health break before starting the second half of the season. For United, that begins Saturday against Oakland Roots SC.

New Mexico closed its first half with a five-match unbeaten streak 鈥� if one includes USL Cup competitions 鈥� and moved itself up to fifth on the . 

Wednesday鈥檚 friendly can be viewed through a 50-50 lens. There are some benefits to the match, and some drawbacks.

It could help United get into a rhythm for Saturday after its layoff. It can also take away prep time and some more rest heading into the Oakland matchup.

Forward Niall Reid-Stephen, forward/defender Jake LaCava and midfielder Valentin No毛l each missed time before the break with leg injuries.

4. PLENTY OF TIME, SOME TIME OR NO TIME: It won鈥檛 matter much if United loses to Atlante. It will if New Mexico does to Oakland. 

And with a two-match week on the schedule, it will be interesting to see how United manager Dennis Sanchez will go about arranging his starting lineups and substitutions. 

Sanchez has shown in the past that he鈥檒l lean more on the club鈥檚 backups in inconsequential midweek matches. Some starters still earned minutes, but not as many as they usually would. It鈥檚 a strategy the manager used during the U.S. Open Cup against Cruizers FC and El Paso Locomotives FC, and in the second match of the USL Cup group stage at Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. 

For the record, New Mexico won the first of those matchups implementing that strategy and lost the second two. Both losses were 4-0. 

Key matchup

United forward/defender Jake LaCava vs. Atlante midfielder Hardy Meza

Whether LaCava plays remains to be seen, but if he does, it will be a good reentry point for potentially some quality minutes. Meza, should he play, tied for the Atlante lead last season with nine goals. 

Player of the match

United鈥檚 substitutions

Why not go ambiguous? There are plenty of players to choose from in a manner of speaking. The backups will play against Atlante. It鈥檚 just a matter of how early and how much. But it will be interesting to see who plays well if Sanchez鈥檚 strategy stays the same.

By the numbers

59: The number of goals Atlante scored . It was good for second in Liga de Expansi贸n MX, as was the club鈥檚 goals per match (1.8).

2: United has never scored more than two goals in any of its international friendlies. It hit that number against Sunderland and the first Juarez matchup. 

12: The number of clean sheets Atlante posted last season in 32 league matches. 

1-2-1: United鈥檚 record in Wednesday matches this season.

David Glovach covers New Mexico United and other sports for the Journal. Reach him at dglovach@abqjournal.com or via X .