The Lights return to Cashman Field to face the always difficult Phoenix Rising FC for Aces Night
Match: Las Vegas Lights FC (6-7-3, 11th in Western Conference) vs Phoenix Rising FC (5-6-6, 10th in Western Conference)
When: Saturday, August 1
Where: Cashman Field, Las Vegas, Nevada
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. PT
How to Watch: FOX5, 5DRVtv 5.4, ESPN+
After three weeks on the road, the Lights are (finally!) back at Cashman Field.
The team will face Phoenix Rising FC on Saturday evening for Aces Night, seeking three points that can catapult them to playoff positions against a direct Western Conference rival.
Vegas is currently on a tremendous run of form away from home, winning their last four matches across all competitions against solid rivals in their stadiums: Birmingham Legion (2-1), Monterey Bay FC (3-2), San Antonio FC (2-1), and Detroit City FC (1-0).
Not only did the Lights earn important victories away from home; they also snapped two of the longest home unbeaten streaks in the league, slowly becoming one of those teams that no one wants to host.
As for Phoenix Rising, things aren’t going tremendously well up to this point of the season. Phoenix has only been able to win one of their last eight matches across all competitions (a 3-2 comeback victory over Western Conference last place Monterey Bay FC), earning a single point in their last match against Hartford Athletic following a 0-0 draw.
Both teams arrive at this match hungry for victory, as three points could propel them upwards in an ever-tightening Western Conference table.
Back to 2025…
The Lights and Phoenix played against each other on two occasions last season.
The first time took place on May 28 at Cashman Field, with Phoenix earning three points in a 1-0 victory courtesy of midfielder Noble Okello. The Lights had a golden opportunity to make things level in stoppage time via a penalty kick, but goalkeeper Patrick Rakovsky came in clutch and made the crucial save.
The last time both teams faced each other in an official match was on September 5 at the Phoenix Rising Soccer Stadium, with the Southwestern showdown ending in a goalless stalemate.
While both teams have not played each other in an official match this year, they did play a friendly match in preseason. The Lights won 1-0 over Phoenix in Arizona, with Somali international Handwalla Bwana scoring the solitary goal for Vegas.
Keys to the Match
Here are the keys to victory as the Lights return to Cashman Field.
Stop Ihsan Sacko
Ihsan Sacko is one of the best players in the USL Championship.
That’s not coming from us. He was recently chosen as the league’s Mid-Season Player of the Year.
Sacko’s impact on Phoenix’s attacking output is undeniable. The Arizona-based team has scored 23 goals this Championship season, and the Frenchman has been directly involved in more than half of them (13) through his goals and assists.
Sacko is also second-best in the league in chances created (41), only behind San Antonio FC’s Jorge Hernandez (47).
If the Lights are serious in their intention of keeping the three points in Vegas, they must find a way to stop the most threatening player in Phoenix’s lineup.
Can Triston Henry Do It Again?
Life comes at you fast.
Following Charlie Lanphier’s unfortunate collision at Detroit City, Triston Henry made his debut as the Lights’ goalkeeper.
And what a performance it was.
Henry made five incredible saves, all of them inside the box, to shut out the Championship’s best forward and help the Lights earn three points in one of the toughest venues in the league. His athleticism and reflexes were on full display last Saturday, and the Lights will require another top-tier performance from Henry this Saturday to seal three points at home.
Goalex and the Goleador
The Johnny Rodriguez-Oalex Anderson attacking tandem is hands down one of the most dangerous in the league this season.
With one goal contribution every 121.5 minutes, Rodriguez and Anderson are a guarantee that the Lights will score in almost every single match.
Rodriguez’ clinical finishing and Oalex’s blistering speed provide the Lights with a wide array of attacking possibilities, dramatically increasing the team’s probability of generating chances and scoring.
If both forwards sustain their current state of form and show out against Phoenix, then don’t be surprised if the Lights earn three points on their return to Cashman Field.
