Spokane Velocity FC Falls 2-0 to Las Vegas Lights FC in Jägermeister Cup

June 29, 2025 - United Soccer League One (USL1)
Spokane Velocity FC News Release

Las Vegas, Nevada - Spokane Velocity FC lost a defensive match against Las Vegas Lights FC in their fourth USL League One Jägermeister Cup match of the season on Saturday night.

The first 19 minutes of the match held steady back and forth across the field, as both teams kept a strong defense, barring any hope of a clean shot on net. The battle was on to see who could split the defense or find a pass near the box for a quality shot on goal.

The first recorded shot came in the 20th minute when Pierre Reedy used his footwork outside the box to find a shooting lane, but the straight liner resulted in a clean save by Las Vegas' goalkeeper.

In the 31st minute, a pass by Las Vegas set up a near-perfect opportunity for a header but went just wide of the net, resulting in a corner kick.

A penalty kick was awarded to Las Vegas in the 35th minute, as Spokane Velocity's Pierre Reedy committed a foul while fighting for position on a corner kick. The penalty kick from Stefan Stojanovic marked the first goal of the match, as it barely snuck past the arm of Velocity FC's goalkeeper, Ryan Bilichuk, into the bottom right corner.

Hot weather prompted both teams to take a sponsored hydration break after the goal, and they would go into halftime with the score remaining 1-0.

In the 47th minute, Davíd Garcia nearly scored with a header off a corner kick for Velocity, but the shot went just wide of the net.

In the 51st minute, a goal by Las Vegas' Nighte Pickering extended the lead to 2-0. This second goal marked the first time since April that Spokane Velocity allowed multiple goals in a match.

Spokane Velocity Head Coach Leigh Veidman gave his thoughts on the team's performance during the match, stating:

"I'm proud of the players and their work rate in incredibly hot conditions. It was always going to be a challenge, but they pushed until the end. I'm also proud of the subs who came in and gave us the energy and quality to keep pushing."

Cameron Miller recorded a shot attempt in the 74th minute and commented on the challenges the team faced throughout the match:

"Unfortunate penalty in the first half, but from there it felt like we had some strong moments and chances to get back in the game. Sometimes the ball doesn't bounce our way, and tonight felt like that."

Velocity FC's efforts continued in the 88th minute with a quality shot attempt by Ish Jome from outside the box that put Las Vegas Lights into an unsettled state. Another shot attempt in the upper right corner by Jome occurred just two minutes later, in the 90th minute, as Velocity FC's offense hurried to find a way to score.

With the final score of 2-0, Las Vegas Lights FC finished this round of the Jägermeister Cup at the top of the table with 9 points.

Spokane Velocity midfielder Pierre Reedy shared his thoughts on the match:

"It was a tough game tonight. We didn't adjust to the field and heat as well as we should've, and the penalty decision was rough. Good news is we have a quick turnaround until our next game. We have to put this one behind us and focus our attention on Texoma this Wednesday."

Head Coach Leigh Veidman expressed a similar sentiment regarding the team's focus on their next home match:

"We were not at our best, and the game reflected that overall. We take it on the chin, learn, and push forward. All eyes are locked into Wednesday vs. Texoma FC and being back in front of our fans."

Spokane Velocity FC plays their next match at home against Texoma FC on July 2 at 7PM PST. The match can be streamed nationally on ESPN+ or locally on SWX. The upcoming match will be one for the books as we celebrate Independence Day at ONE Spokane Stadium with plenty of fun and game-day activities for all. Tickets are available at: https://www.uslspokane.com/velocity-fc-tickets/

United Soccer League One Stories from June 29, 2025

• Spokane Velocity FC Falls 2-0 to Las Vegas Lights FC in Jägermeister Cup - Spokane Velocity FC
• Epic Cup Clash Ends in Defeat - Texoma FC

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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