The Lights arrive in the Land of Enchantment with the express purpose of earning three valuable points on the road.
Match: Las Vegas Lights FC (2-3-2, 9th in Western Conference) at New Mexico United (2-3-1,10th in Western Conference)
When: Saturday, May 9
Where: Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park, Albuquerque, New Mexico
Kickoff: 6:00 p.m. PT
How to Watch: SSSEN, ESPN+
It’s time to play the game.
The Lights have arrived in Albuquerque to face New Mexico United for the club’s eighth USL Championship regular season match.
The start to the season has been somewhat underwhelming for both sides, as they currently stand a few points shy of playoff qualification positions.
The Lights stand in ninth place with eight points, and New Mexico in tenth with seven.
But it’s still way too early to count these teams out; previous regular seasons have made it clear to us and to all USL Championship sympathizers that things can change very quickly in this league. Very quickly.
New Mexico’s latest match ended in a 2-2 draw at home against El Paso Locomotive. The Albuquerque side were close to earning three valuable points in front of their fans, but an acrobatic finish from Mexican striker Diego Abitia with only a few minutes left on the clock silenced Isotopes Park and allowed the Locomotive to snatch a point on the road.
Meanwhile, the Lights won 2-1 in a hard-fought match against Western Conference rivals Lexington SC at Cashman Field. Goals from star striker Johnny Rodriguez and captain Christian Pinzon earned Vegas its first win in over a month, boosting the team’s confidence for what lies ahead.
It’s a face-off full of familiar faces for Lights fans, as former Vegas players Valentin Noël, Maliek Howell, Raiko Arozarena, and Ousman Jabang will be there tonight at Isotopes Park. However, this time they’ll be representing The Black and Yellow.
And that just makes this new edition of an always-intense Southwestern duel all the more interesting…
A Blast From The Past
The Lights and New Mexico faced each other twice last season.
The first match took place at Cashman Field on March 15. New Mexico enjoyed a comfortable 2-0 lead over the Lights, but Johnny Rodriguez and Joe Gyau struck twice to make things level right before second half stoppage time. To Vegas’ misfortune, a venomous corner kick by Will Seymore found its way into Nicholas Ammeter’s goal to earn New Mexico three valuable points in former Lights Head Coach Dennis Sanchez’ return to Cashman Field.
Their second encounter took place at Isotopes Park on August 16. Valentin Noël gave New Mexico an early lead with an elegant chip over Raiko Arozarena, but the Lights quickly responded through center back Anthony Herbert’s aerial dominance to equalize. Nighte Pickering would give the Lights the advantage in the second half, only for Thomas Amang to score in the dying moments of the match to snatch what would’ve been a massive win from Vegas’ hands.
The Lights conceded late twice against New Mexico and lost valuable points at the hands of Dennis Sanchez’ squad. But things could be different this time, and here’s why…
Keys to the Match
Here are the keys to victory (and to not conceding painful last-minute goals) in Albuquerque.
Oalex Anderson: A Cheat Code
Nobody could’ve said it better than Giorgio Probo on this week’s episode of the Lights Lounge: Oalex Anderson is a cheat code.
The Vincentian winger’s blistering speed makes him an unstoppable force for any defense in the league. Last Saturday’s match against Lexington SC was a tremendous showcase of his power and skill on the ball. Anderson was directly involved in both of the Lights’ goals: recovering the ball and serving a key pass to Christian Pinzon in the first, and precisely assisting Pinzon in the second goal.
This match offers another formidable opportunity for Anderson to take control of the wing and put up another commanding performance against a rival that has struggled defensively this season.
An illuminated Oalex Anderson will bring the Lights closer to success. That’s what cheat codes are for.
Johnny Rodriguez: Close to six (in) seven
Johnny Rodriguez is on fire, and that’s no secret.
The Lights’ goleador has scored five goals in his last six appearances, becoming a key element in an attack that’s producing scoring opportunities and goals at a much higher rate than last season.
If Johnny scores tonight, he would have six goals to his name in his last seven matches across all competitions, paying homage to his iconic brainrot-inspired celebration.
If Johnny’s run of form continues tonight in Albuquerque, then three six-seven-powered points are a tangible possibility.
Exploit New Mexico’s Defensive Vulnerability
New Mexico has had a rough defensive start to their season.
As of this matchday, the Albuquerque side have the highest xGA (expected goals allowed) in the Western Conference (1.71), meaning that they allow their opposition many high-quality goalscoring opportunities.
New Mexico also have the highest number of saves per match (4.3), which speaks highly of their goalkeeper Kristopher Shakes but also highlights their defensive fragility.
To make matters worse, New Mexico has conceded the most penalties in the league (4) alongside Monterey Bay FC. Their marking and tracking within the box is not the best, allowing rivals the opportunity to score from the spot.
New Mexico’s backline has proven to be vulnerable, and the Lights must do everything within their reach to exploit those vulnerabilities in their favor. If they manage to do so, then Vegas can surely leave the city of Albuquerque with three points in the bag.
