On May 3, 2014, Albuquerque Sol F.C. opened its season on the road against the
Las Vegas Mobsters in
Las Vegas, Nevada. The Sol lost its first ever game 1–0.[2] The following week, they traveled to
Highlands Ranch, Colorado for a two-match series against the
Real Colorado Foxes. The first match resulted in a scoreless draw, but the second match featured the Sol's first ever goal (a tally from Ricardo Perez in the 60th minute) and first ever win, a 2–1 victory over the Foxes on Saturday, May 10.[3][4] The Sol opened their home slate at Ben Rios Field on May 24, 2014 against the
Midland/Odessa Sockers, a 1–2 loss before a crowd of 1,318.[5]
The 2014 edition of the Sol were competitive, obtaining a result in nine of their fourteen matches, but they were only able to secure 15 points and finished outside the USL PDL Mountain Division playoffs.
On April 19, 2018, Ron Patel stepped down from Albuquerque Sol F.C. to pursue another in-state project. Co-founder and general manager Espinoza announced that he would double as President in an interim capacity with anticipation that a new full-time club manager would be filled by the end of the 2018 season.[7]
Albuquerque Sol FC's official supporters group is the Sol Mates. In addition to the Sol Mates, there is an unofficial supporters group, the Sandianistas, which formed shortly after the club's inception in late 2013. The supporters sit in the west end of Ben Rios Field for all home matches.
Rivalries
The Sol compete with
FC Tucson in the
Southwestern Showdown, an annual series for the right to hold the "Golden Rattler" trophy for the following year.[8] Albuquerque has also competed with FC Tucson and
Las Vegas Mobsters for the Copa Frontera, a supporter-created trophy for clubs in the PDL Mountain Division with active supporter cultures.
Current roster
As of May 5, 2018[9]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under
FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
At halftime of the Sol's home finale on July 12, 2014, the club retired its No. 4 jersey in commemoration of Grange's impact on local soccer as well as to raise awareness for ALS (
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), the disease which claimed Grange's life in 2012.
Patrick Grange (
Forward)
[10]
[11]
Chris Cartlidge (2014)
