In the arid stretches of New Mexico, soccer is more alive than ever. A desert rose, they say. We witnessed it this past week in NMU’s Open Cup duel against their El Paso neighbors. Wrestling masks, custom flags, plastic swans, you name it—the stands were a beautiful mosaic of what this underrated soccer destination has to offer. For years, the pristine, timeless desert has been the perfect canvas for a vibrant soccer culture to emerge and bloom in gorgeous splendor. As the players took the field for this midweek Open Cup duel, the diehards in attendance conjured up a thundercloud, stomping and cheering with a force that echoed far across the land. It almost chilled you to the bone. And even though in the end it wasn’t the final result we all wished for, it didn’t matter. We all left having experienced the oldest tournament in America, in one of the oldest deserts in our continent. A bucket list for any lover of this heartbreaking, yet, undeniably beautiful game. 📸: nmvisuals2 #usop...