SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Cameron Iwasa scored a pair of second-half goals as Sacramento Republic FC rallied for a 2-1 victory against Las Vegas Lights FC at Heart Health Park on Saturday night, earning their third win this season against Lights FC to move closer to the playoff positions in the USL Championship’s Pacific Division.

Looking to build on a five-game undefeated streak, Sacramento had the first good chance in the ninth minute as Duke Lacroix moved up into space in the left channel and after moving into the penalty area fired a low shot to the far post that Las Vegas goalkeeper Alex Rando got down well to save. Rando was forced into action again as a poor clearance off a low cross from the right almost opened the door for Iwasa, only for the goalkeeper to meet him and smother the ball effectively before his defense was able to clear properly.

Iwasa had another chance stifled in the 17th minute as Dariusz Formella got free in the left side of the penalty area and cut back a pass for a first-tim/e shot that was blocked away by Lights FC defender CC Uche. Three minutes later, however, Lights FC took the lead as a short corner from the right was sent to Eric Iloski, and his curled ball into the penalty area and deflected first off Luis Feliped Fernandes and then off the hands of Republic FC goalkeeper Tomas Gomez and into the net for what was ruled an own goal by Fernandes.

Las Vegas looked for a second goal soon after as Bryce Duke’s free kick from the left channel found Uche for a header that Gomez gathered, but soon Sacramento was back on the front foot as Iwasa narrowly missed out on an equalizer in the 31st minute as his shot after a good piece of interplay with Mario Penagos slid just wide of the right post. Jaime Villareal next went close for the hosts, shooting a dipping effort that Rando punched clear, while Kharlton Belmar fired a low shot from the right side of the penalty area that flashed through the six-yard area but wide of the left post.

Belmar threatened again but fired wide of the near post from the right side of the box three minutes before halftime, but three minutes into the second half Iwasa found the breakthrough. Receiving a pass from Formella on the left, the Sacramento native turned into a left-footed shot from 20 yards that rose into the top-left corner of the net.

Luis Felipe Fernandes almost replicated Iwasa’s finish in the 55th minute with a low, left-footed effort that went just wide of the right upright, while Formella had a shot saved by Rando a few minutes later with his own long-range strike. The hosts took the lead with 18 minutes to go, however, as after Iwasa had miscued on an attempted scissor-kick off a cross from the right by Shannon Gomez to the back post, the ball was quickly delivered back to his feet by Fernandes, allowing Republic FC’s all-time leading scorer to add to his tally as he lifted his finish over the advancing goalkeeper.

Lights FC looked for a late equalizer, and the flag was raised on Christian Torres as he looked to get in behind the Republic FC defense with 10 minutes to go. A few minutes later Uche launched a shot that took a deflection on the way through but flashed just wide of the left post before Sacramento cleared the ensuing corner. That proved the last major opportunity for the visitors, however, as the hosts held on for an important victory.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Cameron Iwasa, Sacramento Republic FC – Iwasa scored both goals for the hosts for his first goals since June 3 and had eight shots overall and three key passes as he linked well with the rest of the side’s attack to deliver victory.

Scoring Summary
LV – Luis Felipe Fernandes (Own Goal) 21’
SAC – Cameron Iwasa (Dariusz Formella) 48’
SAC – Cameron Iwasa (Luis Felipe Fernandes) 72’

Full Box Score