After a resounding victory at home over Monterey Bay FC, the Lights now head to Indianapolis with the mission of building on this positive momentum with a first win on the road.
Read on to discover the keys to victory for this Saturday’s match!
Match: Las Vegas Lights FC (4-6-3, 8th in Western Conference) at Indy Eleven (3-3-5, 8th in Eastern Conference)
When: Saturday, June 21
Where: Michael A. Carroll Stadium, Indianapolis, Indiana
Kickoff: 4:00 p.m. PT
How to Watch: ONLY on CBS Sports Golazo Network, available for FREE on CBSSports.com and the CBS Sports App
Vibe Shift
The evening of June 14 was a memorable occasion for Giovanni Troise. Under the hot Vegas sun, the Lights’ 28-year-old Interim Head Coach made his debut at the helm of a club… a huge responsibility for such a young manager. Perhaps too much responsibility, some would argue. And yet, he passed the test assigned to him with flying colors.
The Lights won for the first time in six matches and scored for the first time in three. A Johnny Rodriguez brace was enough to bury Monterey Bay FC and earn three valuable points at Cashman Field. But beyond the positive result, the team seemed to finally “click” on the pitch for the first time in the regular season. Things had changed.
From that point onward, the vibes at training have been immaculate. The connection between Giovanni, the technical staff, and the players is at an all-time high, and this away match in Indianapolis presents the perfect opportunity to continue building on that regained confidence with eyes set firmly on the prize: playoff qualification.
How Things Stand
Curiously, the Lights and Indy Eleven are both eighth in their respective conferences. The Lights have earned 15 points in 13 matches and stand seven points away from conference leaders New Mexico United. Meanwhile, Indy have earned 14 points in 11 matches and are 17 points behind Louisville City in an Eastern Conference that has proven to be very top-heavy.
Both teams arrive at this matchday victorious, having won their previous matches at home: Vegas defeated Monterey Bay 2-0 courtesy of a Johnny Rodriguez brace, and Indy Eleven beat Pittsburgh Riverhounds 1-0 thanks to a powerful shot in the box from midfielder Jack Blake.
It is of vital importance for both clubs to go after the win on Saturday, as a draw or, even worse, a defeat, could represent leaving playoff qualification positions in a moment where the fight for the highly sought-after playoff slots has just started to intensify.
Keys to the Match
Here are the three keys to look out for on Saturday night for the team to leave Indianapolis with three points in the bag.
Johnny Rodriguez: A Hitman Unleashed
Johnny Rodriguez is, without a doubt, one of the best strikers in the USL Championship. The Madera, California native has phenomenal association skills, a powerful and precise shot, and top-tier movements on and off the ball. Even when the team was not performing well offensively and generating few chances, his quality and presence were always felt on the pitch. He is a difference maker.
Now, for the Lights fortune, Johnny is on fire. Rodriguez has been solely responsible for all four of the Lights’ last goals in the Championship and is showing signs of continuous improvement. He has scored six goals in 16 matches this season and, if he keeps performing as in the last few matches, should easily blow past his personal record for goals per season (12). Yes: Johnny Rodriguez has been unleashed.
A clinical Johnny Rodriguez is great news for Vegas and terrible news for any other USL Championship club. If Rodriguez can equal his great performance against Monterey Bay in Indianapolis, then victory is within reach for the Lights.
Raiko Arozarena’s Clutch Factor
Cuban goalkeeper Raiko Arozarena authored his sixth shutout of the season against Monterey Bay FC, leading the USL Championship in clean sheets.
Arozarena was an important factor in the Lights’ victory, making five saves, especially in the first half when the Californian side were pressing high and generating high-quality chances near the box.
Beyond the acrobatic saves, Arozarena is also an important element within the club’s defensive system, leading coordination efforts with the team’s backline and assisting with build-up when needed.
For the Lights to leave the Hoosier State with three points in the bag, Raiko must have another one of his clutch nights and leave Michael A. Carroll Stadium with his third clean sheet on the road.
Stay Comfortable With (And Without) the Ball
Indy Eleven are a different team from others the Lights have faced: the Indianapolis side do not like possession. In fact, they have the second lowest average possession per match in the entire league, with 43.4%. Only FC Tulsa keeps less possession.
Their “directness” of play also manifests itself in their insistence on long balls, as they’re second in the league for accurate long balls per match with 33.9. Defensively, they lead the league in clearances per match, with 30.9 clearances per 90.
More data: Indy Eleven are third to last in the league when it comes to accurate passes per match (265.4) and have one of the lowest pass success rates in the Championship (75.9%).
In synthesis, Indy Eleven are a very direct team that privilege long balls over traditional build-up. While this means that they lose possession very often, it also means that their play has a “shock factor” that can lead to interesting goal scoring situations.
For the Lights to win against a side like this one, it’s important to read the match and how Indy Eleven structure themselves with and without the ball appropriately. They don’t need possession to do significant damage; all they need is space and precise long balls. And Vegas needs to keep an eye on that.