FC Tulsa defeated Las Vegas Lights FC 3-1 on Saturday night at Cashman Field in Las Vegas behind goals from Stefan Stojanovic, Phillip Goodrum and Milo Yosef. Ricki Alba scored the lone goal for Lights FC.
FC Tulsa, which was playing its opening match of the 2024 USL Championship season, found the back of the net just 11 minutes in when Stojanovic headed home a cross from Arthur Rogers.
Tulsa doubled its advantage in the 26th minute when Goodrum capitalized off a turnover in Vegas’s defensive third and rifled a right-footed shot into the top corner.
The best chance of the first half for Vegas came in the 38th minute when Edison Azcona chipped a ball to Coleman Gannon, who flicked a header on for Emrah Klimenta, who then back-heeled a pass for Khori Bennett, but his chance was cleared away.
Tulsa nearly scored its third goal in the 51st minute when Blaine Ferri’s one-timer off a corner kick rang the crossbar and deflected out of play.
Milo Yosef found Tulsa’s third just five minutes later when he beat his man to the end line 1-v-1 and fired a left-footed shot inside the far post.
Alba offered Vegas a lifeline in the 60th minute, just three minutes after entering as a second-half substitute. Azcona’s neat footwork opened space on the left side of the box, and Alba tapped in Azcona’s cross at the back post.
Tulsa goalkeeper Michael Creek denied Alba from recording a brace in the 81st minute when he slid to his right to deny Alba’s shot at the far post to force a corner.
Vegas almost cut the deficit to one in the 85th minute when Gaoussou Samake’s cross was deflected off the foot of defender Rashid Tetteh and caromed off the crossbar.
Las Vegas Lights will return home next Saturday, March 23, to play host to El Paso Locomotive FC. Tickets to the 5:00 p.m. PT kickoff are available now at lasvegaslightsfc.com/tickets or by clicking here.
THREE TAKEAWAYS
Alba opens his account
It took just three minutes for Alba to get on the score sheet in his Las Vegas debut. The Oslo native joined Lights FC this past offseason from Norwegian side Fredrikstad FK, where he scored 34 goals and added 12 assists in 112 appearances.
Something to build upon
Las Vegas dominated much of the possession and tempo of the match. Lights FC finished with 70% possession, had nearly three times as many passes as Tulsa and outshot Tulsa 13-12.
Back home next week
Las Vegas will return to Cashman Field next Saturday when it hosts El Paso Locomotive FC (5 p.m. PT; Watch on ESPN+ | TICKETS).
SCORING SUMMARY
TUL – Stojanovic 11’
TUL – Goodrum 26’
TUL – Yosef 56’
LV – Alba 60’
