Las Vegas Lights FC is visiting Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Saturday in the 2024 USL Championship’s Western Conference Final. Here is everything you need to know:
WHEN AND WHERE: Kickoff is at 6:00 p.m. PT at Weidner Field in Colorado Springs, Colo.
WHERE TO WATCH: The match will be televised on SSSEN and streamed nationally on the CBS Sports Golazo Network.
HOW THEY GOT HERE
Las Vegas: Defeated Sacramento Republic FC 3-2 on penalties after a scoreless draw in regulation in Round One, defeated New Mexico United 1-0 in the Western Conference Semifinal.
Colorado Springs: Defeated Oakland Roots SC 2-0 in Round One, defeated Orange County SC 2-1 in the Western Conference Semifinal.
2024 RECORDS AND STANDINGS: Lights: 13-10-11 (50 points, 4th West), Switchbacks: 15-12-7 (52 points, 2nd West)
FORM GUIDE (all competitions, most recent first): Las Vegas: WWLLW, Colorado Springs: WWWWL
PREVIOUS MEETINGS: The Lights and Switchbacks played to two draws this season. They drew 3-3 at Cashman Field on June 18 before tying 1-1 in Colorado on July 26.
END-OF-YEAR HONORS: Las Vegas and Colorado Springs each had a member selected to the USL Championship’s All-League Teams. Switchbacks defender Matt Mahoney earned First Team honors while Lights midfielder J.C. Ngando was named to the Second Team.
MAN ON A MISSION: Lights forward Khori Bennett added to his already impressive debut campaign in Las Vegas with his match-winning goal in the Western Conference Semifinal. The Jamaican bagged his 15th goal in all competitions.
BRICK WALL: Las Vegas goalkeeper Raiko Arozarena has recorded back-to-back clean sheets to start the postseason. The Cuban international has made nine total saves plus an additional three stops in a penalty kick shootout win over Sacramento Republic in Round One.
EARLY START: The Switchbacks have scored 12 goals in the opening 15 minutes of matches this season, which led the league. Seven of those goals came at Weidner Field.
PLAYER TO WATCH: Ronaldo Damus, F
Damus led Colorado Springs with 13 goals this season, including a last-gasp 89th-minute equalizer in the teams’ 3-3 draw in June.
WHAT THEY’RE SAYING
Las Vegas Lights FC Head Coach Dennis Sanchez
On getting results in a variety of different ways…
When we created the team, we wanted to have tactical flexibility, different guys who can do different things. As a coach, to have a bench and Starting XI that can provide you different solutions within different games is a great asset to have. For me, it’s also the mark of a championship team. Football is an imperfect game. We can’t expect that every time we step out onto the field that things are going to go our way. To be able to come back, to have that confidence, to go up in games, close games out, if you look back at [the Western Conference Semifinal win over] New Mexico, we had limited opportunities, but to take our chance and really be sound defensively and suffer at the right times together, to me is the mark of a really great team.
On J.C. Ngando’s season after being named to the USL Championship All-League Second Team…
J.C. has come in and you could see that he was a talented player right away. Any time a player is coming from an MLS environment, they can have different perspectives and choose their ways differently, but J.C. has come in super humble, hardworking. We challenged him off the ball and how we can add a defensive mindset to what he already has. For me as a coach, there’s no doubt that he has an uncanny ability to relieve pressure, find the final pass, make goals, create goals. It’s up to me as a coach to put him in the most dangerous positions possible. That’s happened over the course of the season.
On the Western Conference Final against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Saturday…
First off, we’re excited. We’re grateful to be here. Part of the messaging is to always have a balance with our approach, be present. We’re not going to change what we’ve been doing, but also to enjoy the moment and celebrate the small victories along the way. We’re full of confidence, but we respect Colorado. They’re organized. They’re going to ask and pose different questions. Having faced them twice gives us a good idea of what to expect. We’re going to have to nullify their strengths and exploit their weaknesses.
