The Lights did not have a good night in Sacramento, suffering their worst defeat of the 2025 season.
Attempting to come back from a 3-0 halftime deficit proved too much of a challenge for a Lights team that never found itself on the pitch and ended up falling 5-0.
What initially seemed like a match-up between equal forces dematerialized into a one-sided affair after the first half hour of play, when three Sacramento goals in fourteen minutes sealed the deal for the Californian side.
Head Coach Antonio Nocerino made some substitutions and structural changes to attempt a comeback in the second half, but luck did not favor the Lights after hitting the post twice on either side of halftime. Two goals from Nick Ross and Trevor Amann certified Sacramento’s victory.
What They’re Saying
DEFENDER GENNARO NIGRO
On his overall thoughts on the match…
Difficult one away from home. Obviously, conceding five goals is never a positive thing. But it’s a quick turnaround for next week. We have three really important matches, where we have to come back here in just two weeks time, and then El Paso and Phoenix between. Obviously, we understand games like this can happen, and we need to analyze critically and be able to bounce back. We still have a lot of time to identify ourselves as a team, and we all need to look at ourselves in the mirror.
On what it takes to bounce back from a result like this one…
All of us need to take a good look in the mirror, and analyze what’s going on from the exterior. We need to make sure that training is at a high quality, at a standard that is pushing every single one of us to get better and to compete because when the level of training is high, then the match comes easy. You can go through it almost as if it is a training session, and that’s going to be pivotal for us moving forward. Henceforth, the importance on being able to get in the right mindset as fast as possible and having a short memory.
Summary
Las Vegas Lights FC Starting XI:
Arozarena (GK) (Ammeter, 74′), Nigro, Howell, Gartig, Singer (Jones, 46′), Brewer (Gyau, 46′), Leal (Pearson, 63′), Noël (c), Azcona, Rodriguez, Pickering (Covil, 85′)
Sacramento Republic FC Starting XI:
Vitiello (GK), Timmer, Kleeman, Desmond (c), Gurr (Edwards, 80′), Ross (Lopez, 71′), Willey (Fernandes, 46′), Benitez, Parano (Kimbrough, 85′), Jamieson, Herrera (Amann, 71′)
Goals:
Sacramento Republic FC – Herrera– 30′
Sacramento Republic FC – Gurr– 36′
Sacramento Republic FC – Jamieson – 44′
Sacramento Republic FC – Ross – 66’
Sacramento Republic FC – Amann – 86′
Discipline:
Sacramento Republic FC – Yellow, Willey – 10’
Sacramento Republic FC – Yellow, Ross – 28’
LVFC – Yellow, Arozarena – 64’
LVFC – Yellow, Azcona – 80’
Sacramento Republic FC – Yellow, Timmer – 81’
Next Up
The Las Vegas Lights will play against El Paso Locomotive FC on Saturday, May 24 at 7:30 p.m. Cashman Field will host a Card Collector Night theme night which includes a Collectibles Buy/Sell/Trade Expo and a Card Giveaway.
Head to lasvegaslightsfc.com/tickets to buy your tickets for Saturday’s match.