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USL Las Vegas Lights FC

Lights FC Goes for 5th Straight Home Win against Western Conference Rival Phoenix Rising FC

August 17, 2018 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Las Vegas Lights FC News Release


LAS VEGAS - Saturday's Las Vegas Lights FC 8 p.m. home date with Phoenix Rising FC has been worth circling on the schedule for several reasons.

Between UFC Night festivities beginning at the Zappos Tailgate, fireworks throughout the night and an entertaining opponent whose roster features Chelsea legend Didier Drogba, that could be enough.

The reasons for excitement go well beyond that for the Lights FC coaching staff, who is preparing its squad for a match at Cashman Field that, to say the least, is a must-win for both sides.

"If I had to choose one game as a fan of Las Vegas Lights for the whole season to go see, it's this one," Lights FC Technical Director Chelís said. "It's going to be a very entertaining game. There will be lots of speed, lots of emotion, lots of good players, lots of hunger to win from both teams."

Saturday's UFC Night begins at the Zappos Tailgate at 6 p.m., with UFC Hall of Famer Forrest Griffin, UFC flyweight Joseph Benavidez and UFC women's strawweight Claudia Gadelha on hand and hosting meet-and-greets with fans. For a full rundown of available ticket promotions - including the popular "Ticket and Grub" combo - and special offerings this month at Cashman Field, visit LightsFC.com/August.

Saturday's match will air both locally on myLVTV, and stream nationwide on ESPN+.

Lights FC (7-11-5, 26 points) is on a mission to continue piling up points on its home pitch, as the team chases a USL Western Conference playoff berth with 11 matches remaining in the regular season. The home pitch has been the answer in many similar situations for the team, which has won four straight at home - Out-scoring opponents 10-2 in that stretch - and has shut out its last two visitors at Cashman Field.

Phoenix (12-6-5, 41 points) is in a prime position to be a postseason participant in the Western Conference, but has slipped a bit on the table of late, dropping two of its last three matches and now finding itself in fourth place.

The two have a pair of meetings remaining in Downtown Las Vegas this season after first squaring off down in Phoenix back on June 13. In that match, after the two played even for the first third of the match, Phoenix got rolling downhill and ended up walking away with a 4-0 victory.

For several reasons, Chelís & staff now expect a much different match.

"That version of Phoenix, it was their first game after a coaching change, so they had that momentum - This is the Phoenix of a new coach, this is a Phoenix after two recent losses, this is a Phoenix with maybe a comeback from Drogba," Chelís said. "There is also a Las Vegas Lights with a different hunger here. It's a totally different game."

Phoenix Rising FC will also be without two key pieces, as midfielder Gladson Awako and defender Mala Doueugui will both miss the match due to suspensions. On the Lights FC side, defenders Miguel Garduño and Joel Huiqui will serve the same.

Lights FC's return home caps a stretch of three games in eight days, with the club having dropped two tough decisions back-to-back on the road - Last Saturday at Saint Louis FC, then Wednesday night at Orange County SC.

With seven matches remaining at home, where the club has been at its best, it is approaching the challenge of racking up points in a hurry for a playoff push with positivity.

"Right now, it is not a problem," Chelís added. "It is an opportunity."

LIGHTS FC NOTES HEADING INTO SATURDAY NIGHT:

UFC NIGHT DETAILS: Saturday night will be UFC Night in DTLV. UFC Hall of Famer Forrest Griffin, UFC flyweight Joseph Benavidez and UFC women's strawweight Claudia Gadelha will be in attendance, beginning the night by hanging out at the pregame Zappos Tailgate, meeting and greeting fans beginning at 6 p.m. The trio will also take part in events inside Cashman Field throughout the night. Tickets for Saturday night's match start at just $15 at LightsFC.com, and also available throughout August is the "Ticket and Grub" combo, which features a $10 food voucher with each ticket purchased when buying four or more in the Supporter, Corner or Midfield Upper sections. For a full rundown of August "Saturday Night Lights" promotions and ticket specials, visit LightsFC.com/August.

PLAYOFF CHASE UPDATE: Wednesday's loss at Orange County SC ended up only knocking Lights FC one more point behind the No. 8 spot in the USL Western Conference. The Top 8 teams in the 17-team conference make the playoffs come October, and Lights FC (26 points) is currently eight points outside of the Top 8. Nine of the club's remaining 11 matches will come against teams currently in the Top 8, including two each against Phoenix Rising FC and Reno 1868 FC.

THOMAS IS BACK: After missing six weeks of action following a lower body injury suffered in the first meeting with Phoenix, Las Vegas native Matt Thomas has been eased back into the fold. He got his first start since the injury in Wednesday's loss at Orange County SC, and officially marked himself as back with his third goal of the season. The score was a result of pure hustle, as his first header up close in the 16th minute bounced off of the crossbar. He collected himself quickly, and headed the rebound in to give his team an early 1-0 lead.

FERRIÑO CONTINUES TO CREATE HIGHLIGHTS: In many ways, goalkeeper Ricardo Ferriño has embodied the spirit of Lights FC on the pitch in 2018. That was on display in particular early in the second half of last Saturday's loss in St. Louis, when Ferriño had one of his best individual efforts of the season. Facing a 1-on-1 counter attack coming down the right side, Ferriño charged from his post to make a diving stab at a Saint Louis FC shot from distance. Then, he collected himself and sprinted back across the box to knock away a rebound attempt. The effort was nominated as a USL Save of the Week candidate. On the season, Ferriño is sixth in the 33-team league with 64 goalkeeper saves.

DISCIPLINE UPDATES: Lights FC will be without two key pieces Saturday night due to suspension. Defenders Joel Huiqui (yellow card accumulation) and Miguel Garduño (red card) will each be sidelined. Garduño must also sit for next Saturday's home match vs. Fresno FC.

INJURY UPDATES: For the fourth straight match, Lights FC enters play with an empty injury report.

WHO TO KNOW FOR LIGHTS FC

Midfielder Raul Mendiola (#40) has quickly become a fan favorite with Lights FC as a midseason signee. The former LA Galaxy fixture scored his second goal of the season on Saturday, July 7 - the deciding score in a 1-0 home victory over Saint Louis FC - then followed it up with the first Hat Trick in club history at OKC Energy FC four nights later. He's proven to be an aggressive, speedy force within the attack, and others are feeding off of his energy and hunger.

Midfielder Rafael Garcia (#25) has drawn two starts in his first two matches with Lights FC after signing with the club late last week. Garcia played previously with Major League Soccer side LA Galaxy (2012-17) and helped the club to two MLS Cup championships (2012 & 2014). An aggressive midfielder, Garcia figures to play a big role late in the season for his new club.

Defender Rodrigo Iñigo (#4) has established himself as a valuable, experienced, veteran asset on the back line since joining the club midseason. He's been an anchor on defense for the club in recent matches as it has dealt with injuries and suspensions on defense, while also showing his versatility in his ability to begin the offensive attack from the back.

Midfielder Matt Thomas (#21) has returned from a lower body injury that sidelined him for the better part of six weeks, and in his first three matches back - being used as a spark plug-type of sub in the second half of the first two - he's brought his signature non-stop motor with him. A hard-working attacker who never slows down, his return adds another dimension to the team's offensive attack in the final third of the season.

HERE IS EVERYTHING ELSE YOU NEED TO KNOW AHEAD OF SATURDAY'S MATCH VS. PHOENIX RISING FC:

Saturday's match kicks off at 8 p.m. For on-site ticket purchase at Cashman Field, the box office will open at 12 p.m., and Will Call opens at 4:30 p.m.

At Saturday's Zappos Tailgate Party, beginning at 6 p.m. in the Cashman Field parking lot, Lights FC will welcome a trio of big names to kick off UFC Night. UFC Hall of Famer Forrest Griffin, UFC flyweight Joseph Benavidez and UFC women's strawweight Claudia Gadelha will be hosting meet-and-greets with fans. The night will also feature fireworks before the match, after the match and following each Lights FC goal scored.

Media credential on-site pick-up and entry begins at 5 p.m. Credentials can be picked up at Media Check-In, located at the Zappos Gate. For all other media-related inquiries, please visit our Media Center.

Gates to the stadium for general public entry open at 7 p.m., with three available entrances at Cashman Field: The Main Gate, the Zappos Gate and the Stadium Corner Gate.

WHERE TO WATCH AND LISTEN TO LIGHTS FC VS. PHOENIX:

Saturday's match will air locally on myLVTV and stream nationwide on ESPN+.

The Spanish-language radio broadcast takes place on ESPN Deportes 1460 AM, and can be streamed live at LVSportsNetwork.com.?

LIGHTS FC 2018 TICKET INFO

With two more home dates on the horizon in August, Lights FC is offering several ticketing specials as part of its "Saturday Night Lights" promotion. Full details are available at LightsFC.com/August.

Available for all August home matches is the "Ticket and Grub" combo, with a $10 food voucher coming with each ticket purchased in advance of Match Day when buying four or more tickets.

Single-game tickets for all USL regular season matches are on sale, starting at just $15. Purchase today by visiting LightsFC.com/SingleTix or by calling 702.728.GOAL (4625) during regular business hours. Tickets are also available for purchase at all La Bonita Supermarket locations in the Las Vegas valley. Tickets for groups of 10 or more are also now on sale, starting at just $18 per ticket, with each ticket purchased including a free Lights FC scarf (valued at $20). For more ticketing inquiries, visit LightsFC.com.

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The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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