Las Vegas Lights FC defeated Sacramento Republic FC 3-2 on penalties after a scoreless draw in regulation in Round One of the USL Championship Playoffs at Cashman Field in Las Vegas on Friday night.
Sacramento had the first good look of the match in the 10th minute when Kieran Phillips had a header on the doorstep, but it was right at goalkeeper Raiko Arozarena.
Charlie Adams tested Sac Republic goalkeeper Danny Vitiello two minutes later with a deep free kick that Vitiello punched over the crossbar.
Sac Republic had a great chance in the 37th minute when they earned a free kick from 20 yards out at the top of the box, but it was hit was hit into the wall. The subsequent effort was then sent over the bar.
The Lights’ best chance of regulation came in the 54th minute after Ousman Jabang sprung Christian Pinzón through on the left side. Pinzón’s cross forced Lee Desmond to deflect it backward and into his own goalkeeper, but Vitiello’s reaction save kept it out.
J.C. Ngando played a brilliant ball to the back post in the 75th minute looking for Khori Bennett, but it was just inches out of his reach.
Coleman Gannon, who had just entered the pitch as a substitute a minute earlier, had a chance to open the scoring in the 78th minute, but his one-timed effort from 12 yards out went over the bar.
A free kick from Solomon Asante found Joe Hafferty at the back post in the third minute of stoppage time, but his shot was blocked out for a corner. On the ensuing corner, Vegas had a few half-chances before a ball bounced out to Gennaro Nigro, who unleashed a wicked one-timed strike from 25 yards out that Vitiello managed to corral.
Bennett tested Vitiello again just after the beginning of extra time when he struck a bouncing ball from distance that hit Vitiello in the face to stay out.
Vitiello made another massive save in the 119th minute when he pushed a Gannon shot off the near post that ricocheted away to safety.
The match went to a penalty kick shootout after 120 minutes of scoreless action.
Arozarena got the penalties off to a great start for Vegas, denying Justin Portillo in the opening round. Vitiello responded by keeping Bennett’s attempt out in the bottom half of the round.
Arozarena stopped his second consecutive attempt to start the second round by blocking Damià Viader. Vitiello answered again to keep out Ngando.
Arozarena made it five saves in a row for the goalkeepers when he dove to his left to parry away Russell Cicerone’s shot in the third round. Vegas finally opened the scoring when Gannon converted in the bottom of the third round.
Nick Ross and Grayson Doody took turns converting in the fourth round to push Vegas to the brink of advancing. Luis Felipe scored in the top of the fifth round to keep Sacramento alive, but Noël buried the Lights’ final penalty to send Vegas through to the Western Conference Semifinal.
Las Vegas’s next opponent will be determined by results in Sunday’s match between New Mexico United and Phoenix Rising. If top-seeded New Mexico defeats Phoenix, the Lights will travel to Albuquerque. If Phoenix pulls off the upset, then Las Vegas will host its second round game.
THREE TAKEAWAYS
Arozarena stands on his head
Like he’s done all season, Arozarena came up clutch for the Lights when they needed him. After keeping a clean sheet for 120 minutes, the Cuban international made three consecutive saves to open the penalty kick shootout to propel Las Vegas through.
Three for three
While it will go down officially as a draw, the Lights got past Sacramento for the third time this year. Las Vegas was the only Western Conference team to sweep Sac Republic in the regular season before knocking them out of the postseason.
Historic run continues
Monday marked the first playoff and, in turn, home playoff game in Lights franchise history. Now Las Vegas will look to keep that momentum going, as it’s just three wins away from lifting the USL Championship trophy.
SCORING SUMMARY
None
Penalties
Sacramento:
Justin Portillo – Miss
Damià Viader – Miss
Russell Cicerone – Miss
Nick Ross – Goal
Luis Felipe – Goal
Las Vegas:
Khori Bennett – Miss
J.C. Ngando – Miss
Coleman Gannon – Goal
Grayson Doody – Goal
Valentin Noël – Goal
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
LV – Valentin Noël 38’ (caution)
SAC – Nick Ross 86’ (caution)
LINEUPS AND STATS | USL Championship Match Center
Las Vegas Lights FC – Raiko Arozarena; Shawn Smart (Grayson Doody 77’), Joe Hafferty, Ousman Jabang, Gennaro Nigro; J.C. Ngando, Charlie Adams (Elias Gärtig 77’); Solomon Asante (Joe Gyau 97’), Valentin Noël, Christian Pinzón (Coleman Gannon 77’); Khori Bennett
Substitutes not used: Nicholas Ammeter, Dre Fortune, Vaughn Covil
Total shots: 13
Shots on goal: 4
Fouls: 11
Corner kicks: 6
Offside: 0
Saves: 2
Sacramento Republic FC – Danny Vitiello; Jared Timmer (Shane Wiedt 120’ + 2’), Chibuike Ukaegbu, Lee Desmond; Justin Portillo, Nick Ross, Luis Felipe, Aldair Sanchez; Russell Cicerone; Kieran Phillips (Damià Viader 71’), Trevor Amann
Substitutes not used: Jared Mazzola, Conor Donovan, Harvey Neville, Jonathan Ricketts, Cristian Parano
Total shots: 15
Shots on goal: 3
Fouls: 16
Corner kicks: 3
Offside: 5
Saves: 6
