Las Vegas Lights FC lost to Oakland Roots SC on Saturday night at Cashman Field in the club’s third USL Cup match.
With both teams rolling out rotated starting lineups in the cup competition (which both teams were already unlikely to advance in due to previous results), the match took a while to find some juice. Late on in the half, though, Oakland’s Jesus de Vicente whipped in an Olimpico, scoring directly from a corner kick.
In the second half, Head Coach Devin Rensing made some aggressive substitutions, including inserting Oalex Anderson, Manuel Arteaga, and Christian Pinzon. However, the changes didn’t spark the team, and Oakland found a second goal through Tucker Lepley.
Despite a few late chances for the Lights, including Carson Locker striking the crossbar, the final scoreline ended 2-0.
What They’re Saying
HEAD COACH DEVIN RENSING
On his overall thoughts on the match…
Yeah, it was disappointing.
For me, we didn’t come out with enough energy and urgency. That’s been a little bit of our hallmark this year, and we have to correct it.
Yeah, it was a rotated squad. It was the cup game where we weren’t going to advance, but that’s excuses. It comes down [to] responsibility on me, and I have to make it better.
On what the team needs to do to get a result in Birmingham…
Like I said, we have to play with urgency. We have to be brave. We have to be brave in the final third, taking them on, getting more shots, getting more crosses. [We have to] be willing to make them defend us and understand that it’s okay for us to make mistakes.
We need to do that pushing the limit a little bit.
Summary
Lights Starting XI:
Stajduhar (GK), Sessock, Ofeimu, Jones, Forbes, Probo (c), Locker, Leal, Mines, Okyere, Pickering
Oakland Starting XI:
Spiegel (GK), Gibson, Tingey, Bravo, de Vicente, Jacquesson, Lepley, Byaruhanga, Prentice, Trejo, Valot
Next Up
The Lights head back on the road to face Birmingham Legion FC on Saturday, June 13.
