The Lights head to El Paso with the express purpose of earning three valuable points that keep their playoff hopes alive in an increasingly competitive Western Conference.
Read on to discover the keys to victory for this weekend’s match at the border.
Match: Las Vegas Lights FC (5-9-3, 11th in the Western Conference) at El Paso Locomotive FC (6-5-5, 7th in Western Conference)
When: Saturday, August 2nd
Where: Southwest University Park, El Paso, Texas
Kickoff: 6:00 p.m.
How to Watch: Antenna 5.4, Cox Cable Channel 125, ESPN+
Reacquainted
El Paso’s Southwest University Park will witness this season’s second encounter between the Locomotive and the Lights. In their first match, played on May 24 at Cashman Field in Las Vegas, El Paso dominated and won 2-1 thanks to a brace from Wilmer Cabrera Jr.
This Saturday’s game is crucial for both teams’ playoff-qualifying intentions, as a victory could mean climbing important positions in the pursuit of the conference leaders. A defeat, however, would condemn either team to remain in the ever-tightening brawl for the last few playoff slots; a soccer purgatory of sorts, where salvation is no guarantee.
But what has changed since both teams faced each other at Cashman Field?
The Only Constant Is Change
To say that the 2025 USL Championship season has been a rollercoaster for the Lights would be an understatement. It has been extremely volatile, with marked ups and downs. And things didn’t get any smoother after that match at home against El Paso.
That game would represent the second in a string of five consecutive defeats that ended with the club parting ways via mutual agreement with Head Coach Antonio Nocerino. Soon after, Interim Head Coach Giovanni Troise would take over and lead the team to three consecutive wins in all competitions vs. Monterey Bay (2-0), at Indy Eleven (1-0), and vs. Spokane Velocity (2-0). The Lights were winning, and their attack was on fire.
However, things have gone a bit south as of late for the Vegas side. The Lights arrive at El Paso following three consecutive defeats vs. Sacramento Republic (0-2), at FC Tulsa (3-4), and at Orange County (0-4) and a final matchday elimination from the USL Jägermeister Cup after an unfortunate combination of results. The club’s attack wasn’t as clinical as in June’s victorious stretch, and the defense allowed ten goals in three matches for a set of underwhelming collective performances.
Nevertheless, these results propelled the club to bring in two reinforcements from New Mexico United: Anthony Herbert and McKinze Gaines. Herbert is a strong center-back of Trinidadian origin who was key in helping New Mexico lead the Western Conference in the 2024 season. Meanwhile, McKinze is a versatile, speedy winger with a powerful mid-range shot and significant MLS experience on his shoulders.
As for El Paso, things haven’t gone that well for them either since that hot and dry Vegas night at Cashman. The Locomotive have only won two of their last eight matches, with only one of them being a USL Championship victory (Monterey Bay, 2-1). In those same eight matches, they’ve conceded twelve goals and scored only six.
In response to this lack of finishing power, El Paso has brought in experienced USL forward Christian Sorto from Loudoun United as their sole reinforcement in attack.
Keys to the Match
Here are the three keys to look out for on Saturday night in El Paso.
A Compact Defensive Block
The Lights’ defensive performances have not been up to par as of late, with the team conceding ten goals in their last three matches. That’s 3.3 goals per game; an unsustainable number.
In front will be a rival that has the fifth highest xG in the entire USL Championship (1.47) and is seventh in shots on target per match, with 4.2. El Paso is not known for their goalscoring prowess, but they’re a talented team that can generate important goal opportunities through skillful, pacy players such as Wilmer Cabrera Jr, Amando Moreno, and Beto Avila. Cabrera is the fourth top scorer of the league with ten goals, only behind Abdellatif Aboukoura, Cal Jennings, and Francisco Bonfiglio, and is someone who every defense should be concerned about.
But to every problem, there is a solution. The addition of Anthony Herbert to Vegas’ defensive repertoire can offer serious advantages in one-on-one situations and set pieces thanks to his physicality and adequate reading of the game. His attributes combined with those of Elias Gartig, Nate Jones, Younes Boudadi, or any other of the team’s center backs can form a very solid defensive line.
The mission for Vegas is clear: to maintain a compact defensive block that does not allow El Paso’s wingers, strikers, and talented midfielders (such as Frank Daroma and Gabriel Torres) to get close to the box, where they are at their most threatening. If they manage to control El Paso’s swift attack and take control of key passing lanes, then the three points are within reach.
Reignite the Attack
Despite Johnny Rodriguez’s great season (6 goals in 17 matches), the Lights have not been able to score many goals in general. With 13 goals in 17 games, the club has the lowest offensive output in the entire USL Championship.
Another unfortunate statistic: in the club’s last three matches, the Lights have only been able to shoot on goal five times. Four of those shots were against FC Tulsa in a 4-3 away defeat.
If the three points are to go to Vegas, it is necessary for the team’s buildup efforts to be swift and for the attack to seize every opportunity to score. The team’s problem is not solely finishing; it’s generating opportunities that the strikers can slot in the net with relative ease. It’s taking advantage of the rival’s defensive vulnerabilities and creating high quality chances.
To win, you need to score. The Lights’ attack needs to go back to its second-half-of-June form if they aim to win in the Lone Star State.
Transitions. Transitions. Transitions.
El Paso loves attacking transitions. In fact, they are probably one of the best counter-attacking teams in the league. They have the players to bring about chaos if the opposition keeps a high defensive line: fast, agile, and with an eye for goal.
But they are not good at defensive transitions. They are often surprised by their opponents when they turn over the ball while attacking, keeping an unorganized defensive line that allows for too much space. Space that needs to be taken advantage of.
The Lights must take advantage of how uncomfortable El Paso feel whenever they return into a more defensive shape, for it’s at that moment that they are at their weakest. That is the major key to the game. Whoever wins the transition game, wins the match.