Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC held off a persistent El Paso Locomotive FC side to claim a 2–1 victory in USL Championship action on Friday night. Juan Tejada and Jonas Fjeldberg scored for the hosts, while Tony Alfaro pulled one back for El Paso just before halftime.

The opening exchanges were scrappy, with bookings for Sadam Masereka in the ninth minute and El Paso's Ricky Ruiz in the 25th setting an early tone. Colorado Springs broke the deadlock in the 38th minute when Tejada finished from a Sam Williams delivery to give the Switchbacks a deserved lead. Abraham Romero picked up a yellow card for El Paso a minute later as frustrations grew, but the Locomotive responded almost immediately. In second-half stoppage time of the first period, Alfaro headed home — or otherwise converted — from an Alex Méndez set piece to level the score at 1–1 heading into the break.

The second half belonged largely to the Switchbacks. Fjeldberg restored their advantage in the 70th minute, latching onto an Adrien Pérez pass to make it 2–1. El Paso pushed for another equalizer but could not find a way through, and the closing stages turned tetchy. Three yellow cards were shown in stoppage time — Guillermo Diaz for El Paso, then Garven-Michee Metusala and Speedy Williams for Colorado Springs — as the match threatened to boil over.

The Switchbacks held firm, though, collecting all three points in a result that strengthens their position in the Western Conference standings as the season approaches its midway point.