LAS VEGAS, Nev. (May 4, 2019) — Hayden Partain and Tyler Blackwood scored their first goals of the season, but were unable to prevent Sacramento Republic FC from suffering a 4-2 loss on the road to Las Vegas Lights FC on Saturday night.
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (May 4, 2019) — Hayden Partain and Tyler Blackwood scored their first goals of the season, but were unable to prevent Sacramento Republic FC from suffering a 4-2 loss on the road to Las Vegas Lights FC on Saturday night.
Going into the match, Republic FC were tied for the second-best defensive record in the league, conceding just five goals from their opening seven games of the season. Lights FC, on the other hand, had shut out every opponent they had faced on home turf thus far.
After a goalless first half, Republic FC finally broke the home side’s shutout streak within six minutes of the restart. Elliott Hord picked up a loose ball on the right wing and swung a cross to an on-rushing Partain at the far post. The midfielder, getting his first start of the season, smashed a left-footed volley past former SRFC goalkeeper Thomas Olsen to put Sacramento ahead.
Ray Saari thought he had doubled Republic FC’s lead in the 62nd minute after being flicked through on goal by Keven Aleman, but the play was called offside.
Las Vegas responded by striking thrice within a span of ten minutes to all but put the match away from the visitors.
Lights FC leading goal scorer Irvin Parra found space at the top of the box to fire a grounded shot past a diving Josh Cohen to level the score in the 67th minute.
Gabe Robinson made it 2-1 four minutes later after a failed clearance from a Lights FC corner fell to his feet at the goalmouth, the defender simply needing to tap it in to put Las Vegas ahead.
Parra also contributed to Lights FC’s third goal of the night, playing in a ball to second-half substitute Santiago Echavarria who freed himself from his mark with a clever spin and fired home from close range.
Lights FC extended their lead once more as the match entered stoppage time, with Junior Sandoval rifling a powerful shot from 40 yards out into the top right corner of the goal.
Blackwood reduced Republic FC's deficit with a minute of stoppage time left, finishing off a series of headed passes across goal after Lights FC were unable to clear a later corner kick.
Republic FC won’t have much time to dwell on the loss, as the club travels to Fresno for a Wednesday night clash against their regional rivals.
Las Vegas Lights FC 4-2 Sacramento Republic FC
USL Championship Match
Cashman Field – Las Vegas, NV
May 4, 2019 – Attendance: 7,478
Scoring Summary: SAC – Hayden Partain (Elliott Hord) 51, Tyler Blackwood (Dekel Keinan) 90+4; LV – Irvin Parra (Christian Hernandez) 67, Gabe Robinson 72, Santiago Echavarria (Irvin Parra) 75, Junior Sandoval (Irvin Parra) 90.
Misconduct Summary: None.
Sacramento Republic FC – Josh Cohen, Shannon Gomez (Charlampos Chantzopoulos 76), Mitchell Taintor, Dekel Keinan, Jordan Elliott Hord, Jaime Villarreal, Ray Saari, Hayden Partain (Cameron Iwasa 63), Sam Werner, Keven Aleman, Stefano Bonomo (Tyler Blackwood 78).
Subs Not Used: Rafael Diaz, Matt Mahoney, Drew Skundrich, Jordan McCrary.
Stats – Shots: 16, Shots on Goal: 5, Saves: 2, Fouls: 8, Corner Kicks: 3, Offsides: 3.
Las Vegas Lights FC – Thomas Olsen, Gabe Robinson, Javan Torre, Eric Gonzalez, Preston Tabort Etaka (Victor Rojas 45), Pablo Cruz, Junior Sandoval, Lucas Scaglia (Christian Hernandez 52), Mobi Fehr, Irvin Parra, Samuel Ochoa (Santiago Echavarria).
Subs Not Used: Ferrety Sousa, Matt Thomas, Jonathan Levin, Angel Alvarez.
Stats – Shots: 16, Shots on Goal: 7, Saves: 3, Fouls: 14, Corner Kicks: 1, Offsides: 0.
Going into the match, Republic FC were tied for the second-best defensive record in the league, conceding just five goals from their opening seven games of the season. Lights FC, on the other hand, had shut out every opponent they had faced on home turf thus far.
After a goalless first half, Republic FC finally broke the home side’s shutout streak within six minutes of the restart. Elliott Hord picked up a loose ball on the right wing and swung a cross to an on-rushing Partain at the far post. The midfielder, getting his first start of the season, smashed a left-footed volley past former SRFC goalkeeper Thomas Olsen to put Sacramento ahead.
Ray Saari thought he had doubled Republic FC’s lead in the 62nd minute after being flicked through on goal by Keven Aleman, but the play was called offside.
Las Vegas responded by striking thrice within a span of ten minutes to all but put the match away from the visitors.
Lights FC leading goal scorer Irvin Parra found space at the top of the box to fire a grounded shot past a diving Josh Cohen to level the score in the 67th minute.
Gabe Robinson made it 2-1 four minutes later after a failed clearance from a Lights FC corner fell to his feet at the goalmouth, the defender simply needing to tap it in to put Las Vegas ahead.
Parra also contributed to Lights FC’s third goal of the night, playing in a ball to second-half substitute Santiago Echavarria who freed himself from his mark with a clever spin and fired home from close range.
Lights FC extended their lead once more as the match entered stoppage time, with Junior Sandoval rifling a powerful shot from 40 yards out into the top right corner of the goal.
Blackwood reduced Republic FC’s deficit with a minute of stoppage time left, finishing off a series of headed passes across goal after Lights FC were unable to clear a later corner kick.
Republic FC won’t have much time to dwell on the loss, as the club travels to Fresno for a Wednesday night clash against their regional rivals.
Las Vegas Lights FC 4-2 Sacramento Republic FC
USL Championship Match
Cashman Field – Las Vegas, NV
May 4, 2019 – Attendance: 7,478
Scoring Summary: SAC – Hayden Partain (Elliott Hord) 51, Tyler Blackwood (Dekel Keinan) 90+4; LV – Irvin Parra (Christian Hernandez) 67, Gabe Robinson 72, Santiago Echavarria (Irvin Parra) 75, Junior Sandoval (Irvin Parra) 90.
Misconduct Summary: None.
Sacramento Republic FC – Josh Cohen, Shannon Gomez (Charlampos Chantzopoulos 76), Mitchell Taintor, Dekel Keinan, Jordan Elliott Hord, Jaime Villarreal, Ray Saari, Hayden Partain (Cameron Iwasa 63), Sam Werner, Keven Aleman, Stefano Bonomo (Tyler Blackwood 78).
Subs Not Used: Rafael Diaz, Matt Mahoney, Drew Skundrich, Jordan McCrary.
Stats – Shots: 16, Shots on Goal: 5, Saves: 2, Fouls: 8, Corner Kicks: 3, Offsides: 3.
Las Vegas Lights FC – Thomas Olsen, Gabe Robinson, Javan Torre, Eric Gonzalez, Preston Tabort Etaka (Victor Rojas 45), Pablo Cruz, Junior Sandoval, Lucas Scaglia (Christian Hernandez 52), Mobi Fehr, Irvin Parra, Samuel Ochoa (Santiago Echavarria).
Subs Not Used: Ferrety Sousa, Matt Thomas, Jonathan Levin, Angel Alvarez.
Stats – Shots: 16, Shots on Goal: 7, Saves: 3, Fouls: 14, Corner Kicks: 1, Offsides: 0.
