He also got his first taste of the Open Cup in Cincinnati – on the wrong side of a 5-1 hammering in Massachusetts by Carles Gil and the New England Revolution in 2022.
New Albuquerque Home
Now he’s standing out in the crowd for New Mexico United, who pulled off one of the biggest upsets in the 2024 Open Cup so far with a 4-2 win over Real Salt Lake, MLS’ western conference high-flyers. “We wanted to get that first big momentum play,” he said of the game-plan laid out by head coach Eric Quill.
The stylish Bailey provided it in the 17th minute, with his first goal for his new club. He added another two minutes later in a man-of-the-match performance. The crowd, fans he calls “among the best in American soccer” were on their feet. They were seeing first-hand the kind of style and excitement that caused club sporting director Itamar Keinan to sign Zico up at the start of the current season from San Antonio FC for what he calls his “obvious talent, skill, speed, and dedication.”
Bailey outshone RSL’s star man Diego Luna on that night.
“It was a really big night for the club,” Bailey said of the win, one that sets up a Round of 16 game where New Mexico United will be favorites – on paper at least – against New York City FC II in Queens on May 21. “Everyone in the team was on that night, and we all get that value of the Open Cup
“This is a chance to win a trophy and we’re taking that responsibility very seriously,” said Bailey, giving the fans hope of their club following in the footsteps of the 1999 Rochester Rhinos, who became the only non-MLS tournament winner (1999) since the top-flight league’s founding in 1996.
Bailey has taken to the Albuquerque-based club fast. And those fans who call Isotopes Park home, many of whom remember vividly the club’s debut run to the Open Cup Quarterfinal in 2019, have taken him to their hearts. “Cup games can be tricky,” said Bailey, adjusting to life at his new club in spectacular ways. “We were the underdogs then but we’ll have expectations on us now.
“You have to respect your opponent,” he said, knowing better than most how the script flips with ease. “If you don’t, you can get surprised.”
Fontela is editor-in-chief of usopencup.com. Follow him at @jonahfontela on X/Twitter.
