After three consecutive defeats, the Lights will look to return to winning ways against San Antonio FC in Devin Rensing’s first official match as head coach.
Read on to discover the keys to victory for this Saturday’s matchup at Cashman Field.
Match: Las Vegas Lights FC (5-3-10, 12th in Western Conference) vs San Antonio FC (8-3-6, 3rd in Eastern Conference)
When: Saturday, August 9
Where: Cashman Field, Las Vegas, NV
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. PT
How to Watch: FOX 5, ESPN+
Tickets: Buy your tickets now!
New Coach, New Era
On Monday, August 4, Las Vegas Lights FC announced Devin Rensing as the club’s new Head Coach.
Rensing brings over two decades of coaching experience to the table, including the previous five seasons in the USL Championship (three with the Charleston Battery and two with Memphis 901 FC).
He’s gotten straight to work with the squad through four days of training on the practice field. Now, he gets his first opportunity to implement his style of play.
Gabriel Palacio took a look at Rensing’s past work, especially at the Battery and Memphis, to analyze what his tactics might look like on Saturday. For a deep dive on his coaching philosophy, read more below!
Keys to the Match
New Coach Bounce
As previously mentioned, Devin Rensing will be making his debut at the helm of the Lights this Saturday. And for some reason, most teams with a debutant coach tend to win. Rationalize it however you want: call it luck or credit it to the motivation players feel to impress the new man in charge. The reality is that… it happens. And the Lights have witnessed it.
When Giovani Troise took over as interim head coach, his first match ended in a resounding 2-0 victory for the Lights over Monterey Bay. The Lights went from a five-match losing streak (where they only scored one goal), to defeating a Monterey Bay side that had won its last three matches and had the best goalkeeper in the league protecting their goal.
If the “luck of the debutant” is also on Rensing’s side this Saturday and the players follow his instructions and perform as expected, then the Lights can dream with a three point night despite the past games’ negative outcomes.
No Space Allowed
In the last few matches, the Lights have been suffering with giving rivals too much space to maneuver. Opponents build up from the back practically undisturbed and move up the pitch, arriving in numbers to risky territory and creating high quality chances with relative ease.
Devin Rensing believes that this space is the result of an uneven press from the Lights, with many players not assuming their role in the team’s collective press efforts. This lack of coordination has been present in most of Vegas’s matches this season, but has become more noticeable whenever the team concedes early and is forced out of their low block. This has to change.
If the Lights manage to present a more coordinated press and cover strategic areas of the pitch against a very dangerous San Antonio side, then victory is within reach.
Coleman Gannon is Back!
Ladies and gentlemen, Coleman Gannon is back! After struggling with injury, Gannon has been slowly returning to activity, coming into matches as a substitute. During last weekend’s disappointing loss at El Paso, his evident return to peak physical form was one of the few positive highlights for the team.
Gannon was a key player for the Lights throughout the historic 2024 season, participating in 34 matches, scoring five goals, and giving out three assists for a total of eight goal contributions. Beyond the stats, he was a force on the wings, tirelessly winning duels and pushing the team forward.
A healthy Coleman Gannon is phenomenal news for the Lights. A fan favorite and an important element of the team, Gannon and his intensity on the wing will be key for the Lights to switch up the pace of play and lean closer to victory against San Antonio.