Melto scores first official goal as young talent shines in USL Cup

Joseph Melto scored his first official goal for New Mexico United in a Derby Del Camino Real match against El Paso Locomotive FC, and that breakthrough anchored a Week 19 Young Player Spotlight that put nine young talents in the frame across the Prinx Tires USL Cup and USL Championship. Cesar Bahena’s performance for AV ALTA FC was the other clear marker, with the young attacker starring in a result against USL Championship opposition.

Melto’s moment carried extra weight because it came in a rivalry game that already had real bite for New Mexico and El Paso. New Mexico had just beaten El Paso in the derby on July 12 with late goals, and Melto’s first official finish added another layer to a stretch in which the club’s younger players were not just filling minutes but deciding results. The 21-year-old joined New Mexico on February 12, 2026 after his first professional season with Toronto FC II, and he arrived with the pedigree of All-America honors from Dayton in 2024. A first goal in that setting can change the way a coach uses a forward, especially in a tight summer race.

Bahena’s showing carried a different kind of value. AV ALTA FC, based in Lancaster, California and playing home matches at Lancaster Municipal Stadium under coach Brian Kleiban, got a standout contribution from a player young enough to fit the league’s development lane but decisive enough to tilt a big game. The club’s roster context matters too: AV ALTA signed winger Walmer Martínez on February 7, 2025, and Martínez had spent the previous three seasons in the USL Championship with Monterey Bay FC. That mix of established experience and emerging talent gave Bahena room to make a case for a larger role against higher-level opposition.

The week’s broader picture was the point of the spotlight. With nine young players singled out across league play, the USL’s midseason stretch showed that youth is no longer a bench story or a long-term project. It is showing up in derby wins, cup matches and results that carry playoff and scouting consequences, and the pipeline was reinforced again on July 16 when USL Championship and League Two players were named to the U.S. squad for the Concacaf U-20 Championship.