The Lights fought hard for a late winner but were forced to settle for a point at home in scoreless draw.
Las Vegas Lights FC earned a hard fought point at home against FC Tulsa on Saturday night.
After a stalemate of a first half, the Lights pushed hard for a late winner as Tulsa defended deep to protect their road point.
Head Coach Devin Rensing made aggressive substitutions late in the second half, including inserting midfielders Giorgio Probo and Carson Locker alongside wingers Ben Mines and Abraham Okyere.
Those substitutions nearly paid off in stoppage time, as Probo served in a pinpoint cross that found Okyere on the back post. Unfortunately, the Ghanaian’s header flashed just over the crossbar, and the Lights’ best chance at a game-winner passed by.
Las Vegas will now prepare to face Oakland Roots SC in the USL Cup on Saturday, June 6.
What They’re Saying
GOALKEEPER MASON STAJDUHAR
On how he’s settling into Las Vegas and overall thoughts on the match…
I’m definitely settling [in] a lot more. This game felt a lot more comfortable, and I’m getting to know guys and the way the team plays and everything like that.
Disappointed we couldn’t pull out a win there. I feel like there was goals in that game for us. But the guys fought their butts off, so I was really happy with that. Guys showed a lot of effort and a lot of fight.
We just move on to next week, find some more goals in our game, and keep solid at the back.
On whether he’s getting in a good rhythm in his third game in a row for Vegas…
A lot of it, like you said, has to do with rhythm and feeling comfortable with the guys and the play.
I definitely felt like I took a step forward with that game. Looking forward to taking more steps and hopefully picking up some more points here in the near future.
On what it feels like to play at Cashman Field…
It’s been a great environment, I loved it. It’s loud! It’s been really fun to play here in a great atmosphere.
It’s a very wholesome gameday environment. My wife loves it too, so it’s been very nice.
HEAD COACH DEVIN RENSING
On his overall thoughts on the win…
It’s good to get another clean sheet and be undefeated at home; I’m proud of that.
I think that we needed to play with a little more urgency in the first half. We were a little bit flat. I think the urgency was a little better in the second half, but we needed to bring that for 90 minutes starting from the beginning.
On playing the same starting eleven two matches in a row for the first time this season…
It’s certainly building relationships and continuity on the field is extremely important. Whether that’s two guys up top with Manu[el Arteaga] and Johnny [Rodriguez], the guys in the middle, fullbacks and wingers. It’s so important to build those relationships and that continuity for sure.
On what Manuel Arteaga brings and what he needs to do to break through…
He’s got a big game mentality. He’s a great personality. I have the utmost confidence in him that the goals are going to come.
It’s a weird thing scoring goals. Sometimes they come in bunches, and sometimes they just don’t fall for you. I think he just needs to get that one.
He also needs to continue to build that relationship with Johnny, and we need to get him the ball in the box more often, for certain.
Summary
Lights Starting XI:
Stajduhar (GK), Pope, Jones, Guillen, Antonoglou, Pinzon (C), Scott, Ybarra, Anderson, Rodriguez, Arteaga
FC Tulsa Starting XI:
Tambakis (GK), Ian, Clarke, Batista, Stauffer, Webber, Kocevski, Robinson, Sparks, Pierre, Lapa
Next Up
The Lights will be back at home for Donate Life Night on June 6th against Oakland Roots SC in the USL Cup. Get tickets NOW at lightsfc.com/tickets.
