Following a four-match winless streak in the Championship, the Lights head back to Sacramento for the second time in two weeks: this time, for a must-win Jägermeister Cup match-up against “The Quails.”
Read on to discover our keys to tonight’s potentially group-defining Jägermeister Cup duel against Sacramento Republic FC.
Match: Las Vegas Lights FC (2-0-0, 1st in Jägermeister Cup – Group 1) at Sacramento Republic FC (1-0-0, 3rd in Jägermeister Cup – Group 1)
When: Wednesday, May 31
Where: Heart Health Park, Sacramento, CA
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. PT
How to Watch: FOX5, ESPN+
Hard Times.
The month of May has not been good to the Lights. After a promising start with a strong victory at home over then Eastern Conference leaders Loudoun United FC, things have only gone downhill.
A draw vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC and three consecutive defeats against Sacramento Republic FC, El Paso Locomotive FC, and Phoenix Rising FC have meant that the Lights have only earned one point in their last four USL Championship matches, scoring a scarce two goals during that same stretch.
The Lights’ anemic attack has also been unfortunately accompanied by defensive fragility, with the club conceding eight goals in their last three matches. Five of those eight goals came against today’s rivals: Sacramento Republic. Not a good sign for things to come.
But…
There is a glimmer of hope. While the Lights did end up losing their last match at home against Phoenix, the club’s performance, especially during the second half, was one of the best of the season.
Vegas out-possessed Phoenix with intentionality, blocked any potential attempts from the visiting side with defensive order and discipline, and generated multiple high-quality scoring opportunities that didn’t make it to the scoresheet because of a brilliant performance from Phoenix goalkeeper Patrick Rakovsky.
If the Lights can build on that second half vs. Phoenix, then there can be no doubt that things will be very different from the last time the team visited Sacramento.
Keys to the Match
Here are the three keys to look out for on Saturday night as the team seeks to return to victory.
Fortitude.
Coming back from losing three matches in a row is not easy.
The circumstances under which the Lights lost to Phoenix make it even more difficult. The team played well, was statistically superior to their opponent according to most relevant indicators, and had a last-minute golden opportunity to make things level in a penalty that was ultimately denied by an illuminated Rakovsky. Pain. It seems as if luck is currently not on the Lights’ side.
But to win tonight, it’s imperative for the team to build on that which is working and fix what is not. The Lights must have short-term memory for results, and long-term memory for those defensive and attacking synergies that have previously worked and earned the team valuable points.
For that to happen, the team must be focused throughout the match’s 90 minutes. The players must have the mental fortitude to bounce back, regardless of what happened two weeks ago in this stadium. The Lights have done it before, and can do it again.
Endurance.
Since their last encounter vs. Sacramento Republic, the Lights have played two matches at home against El Paso and Phoenix. They’ve actually taken place in the last 7 days.
Meanwhile, that match against Las Vegas was Sacramento Republic’s last game. Seriously. Sacramento has not played a single match in two weeks. Fourteen days.
It will not be easy for the Lights to play against a team as fresh and rested as Sacramento. But to leave California with three points and half a ticket for the Jägermeister Cup knockout stages in the bag, the Lights must slow the pace of the game with intelligence… or keep Sacramento’s same rhythm in a massive display of endurance. Any of these options would work.
Defensive Order.
Last match against Sacramento, the Lights’ defense did not have a good night. “The Quails” scored five goals out of five shots on target. That’s 100% effectiveness (Well, not really… they shot more than five times but were off target on four).
Was it a fluke? A one-off? A bad night for the Lights and a great night for Sacramento? Who knows. What’s important for Vegas is that such a night does not repeat itself.
The Lights’ defense must maintain an ordered structure during the build-up and attacking phases of the game, considering the obvious fact that Sacramento have a physical advantage due to being well rested. Errors must be minimized, as players like Juan Herrera and Trevor Amann coming off the bench represent a serious threat for any team’s back line.
If the Lights are to leave California victorious, then Raiko Arozarena and the team’s defensive structure must have another one of those solid defensive performances that they are known for throughout the USL.