After deservingly earning their first point in the Devin Rensing era and breaking a four-match losing streak, the Lights head to New Mexico with a clear path to victory.
Read on to discover the keys to victory for this Saturday’s rivalry match in Albuquerque.
Match: Las Vegas Lights FC (5-4-10, 12th in Western Conference) vs New Mexico United (8-1-8, 5th in Western Conference)
When: Saturday, August 16
Where: Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Kickoff: 6:00 p.m. PT
How to Watch: Antenna 5.4, Cox Cable Channel 125, ESPN+
Familiar faces. Similar results.
It’s no secret that games between the Lights and New Mexico are intense, with their rivalry becoming one of the spiciest in the Southwest. This time, there are even more elements than in previous matches to take things to another level. It’s time to up the ante for both sides.
Former Lights head coach Dennis Sanchez and team captain Valentin Noël now represent the team from ABQ, and McKinze Gaines and Anthony Herbert, once important members of the United squad, play for Vegas. All of them arrive to this match with the burning desire to defeat their former club, making things all the more interesting beyond the “simple” pursuit of three points.
But recent form has been poor for both sides. In fact, both clubs arrive to this game with an identical record in their last five matches across all competitions: four defeats and one draw. Only one point out of a possible 15.
Las Vegas has had a rollercoaster of a campaign, going from winning streak to losing streak, unable to build a coherent team philosophy. This instability and lack of structure led to the hiring of head coach Devin Rensing, who is slowly building a competitive team that fights for playoffs as all clubs head into the final stretch of regular season matches.
New Mexico is a different story. After an incredibly strong start that saw them leading the Western Conference with authority, they have been slowly deflating and are now in fifth place. The Albuquerque side has only won one of their last ten matches, losing five and drawing four in that same stretch. Their last two performances, a 4-0 defeat at Hartford and a 5-2 rout at Tulsa, are proof that New Mexico is far from being the Western Conference-leading side they were just a few months ago.
Keys to the Match
Here are three keys to look out for on Saturday night in Albuquerque.
Devin Rensing 2.0
Last Saturday’s match against San Antonio FC was Devin Rensing’s first as Lights head coach. And while it was not a victory for the Vegas side, the conclusions derived from the club’s performance should bring some cautious optimism to Lights fans.
The team played in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Stefan Stojanovic acting as the target man and Johnny Rodriguez roaming around the box as a second forward, attacking spaces left by opposing defenders when necessary. The team also looked a lot more compact and not as stretched as in previous matches.
But beyond the formation, the highlight of the match was the Lights’ press. After playing many matches in a low block structure to lure the rival in and then counter-attack, the Lights now actively pressed their rivals while they were in the buildup phase. The idea is simple: win the ball as fast as possible and attack relentlessly when the opposition’s defense has lost its shape.
Now, with more training sessions on their shoulders and a better understanding of Devin Rensing’s style of play, it’s certain that we will see greater improvement in the Lights’ functioning, and with that the probability of making a statement and winning in Albuquerque goes up significantly.
History
As strange as it might sound, the Lights have gotten better results against New Mexico United in Albuquerque than in Las Vegas. The last time New Mexico beat the Lights in ABQ was in March 2022. From that point onward they’ve played three times, with the Lights winning twice and drawing once. In fact, one of those victories sealed the Lights’ qualification for the Western Conference Final last year in their historic 2024 campaign.
And, New Mexico haven’t lost in Vegas since 2019, drawing and winning twice. Yes, it’s strange.
It’s clear that Rio Grande Credit Union Field suits the Lights well. And it’s also true that history does not repeat itself.
But boy, does it rhyme. And it’s in the Lights’ interest for history to rhyme more than a Pablo Neruda poem on Saturday night.
Error 404: Defense not found
New Mexico’s defense is every striker’s dream: a back line that lacks consistency and solidarity and is involved in the silliest turnovers. This has become evident in their last two matches, as they’ve conceded nine goals (an insane 4.5 per match) and could’ve allowed a lot more in.
New Mexico usually start in a 4-2-3-1 formation, but stand in a back three when attacking to allow one of the full backs to more forward and collaborate with chance creation. But things get messy whenever a team regains possession and faces New Mexico’s defense. Even in scenarios of numerical superiority, New Mexico can’t seem to find the way to stop their rivals’ attacks, standing passive and unorganized. They currently possess the worst tackle success rate (59.6%) of any team in the entire league, making it clear that defense is not their forte.
They also don’t clear the ball when necessary, having the lowest clearances per match in the league (340). This unwillingness to risk possession in the first stages of buildup ironically increases the risk of turnovers near dangerous areas, allowing the opposition high quality scoring chances.
This defensive chaos is the perfect victim for the Lights’ new and improved press. If Vegas can win the ball quickly and take advantage of their attacking players’ speed as they head into the massive space New Mexico always seems to allow, then victory is clearly within reach.