New Mexico United dismantled Lexington SC 4–1 on the road Wednesday night in USL Championship action, with Greg Hurst bagging a brace and Valentin Noël and Joseph Quiah each finding the net. Phillip Goodrum scored a late consolation for the hosts.
The first half was scoreless for long stretches but unraveled for Lexington in the closing minutes. Hurst opened the scoring in the 43rd minute, and Noël doubled the lead in first-half stoppage time, finishing from an Ousman Jabang feed to send New Mexico into the break up 2–0. The damage came after Arturo Ordoñez had already been booked for Lexington in the 40th minute, and Jacob Greene picked up a yellow of his own deep in added time as frustration crept in.
New Mexico kept their foot down after the restart. Hurst grabbed his second in the 62nd minute, converting a chance created by Quiah. Six minutes later, Quiah got on the scoresheet himself, set up by Noël, to make it 4–0. The link-up play between Noël and Quiah was the story of the match — the pair combined for a goal and an assist apiece in a devastating second-half spell.
Goodrum pulled one back for Lexington in the 70th minute, but it was little more than a footnote. The hosts' discipline continued to fray as the match wore on, with Blaine Ferri and Javain Brown also collecting cautions.
The comprehensive victory strengthens New Mexico United's push in the USL Championship standings, while Lexington will need to regroup quickly after a bruising night at home.
USL Championship