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Matchday Report: Republic FC Rallies Past Las Vegas with Standout Late Strikes

By USLChampionship.com Staff, 09/06/21, 12:08AM EDT

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Goals by Fernandes, Chavez send visitors to 3-1 victory at Cashman Field to break winless streak

LAS VEGAS – Sacramento Republic FC rallied from an early deficit to take a 3-1 victory against Las Vegas Lights FC on Sunday night at Cashman Field as Luis Felipe Fernandes and Julian Chavez each produced outstanding finishes to highlight a strong second-half performance from the visitors.

Looking to break a three-game winless streak, Sacramento created a chance to take the lead in just the third minute as after Las Vegas was unable to cleanly deal with a cross from the right, Dan Casey stole possession and fired a shot from a tight angle in the right side of the penalty area that Lights FC goalkeeper Alex Rando parried away. The hosts took the lead in the 12th minute, however, as a cutback cross from the right by Roberto Molina deflected toward the net off Republic FC defender Jordan McCrary, and while goalkeeper Rafael Diaz was able to claw the ball off the goal line, Lights FC’s Christopher Jaime followed up to bundle the ball into the net.

Molina went close to a second for the hosts two minutes later as after Lights FC was awarded a free kick at the top of the penalty area he shot low to the right corner as Diaz shifted the opposite way, only for the effort to go wide of the right post. Casey then sent a header over six minutes before the break for Sacramento, but the hosts began to build more pressure early in the second half as less than a minute in Luis Felipe Fernandes fired a shot from the left side of the penalty area just wide of the right post.

Republic FC’s Emil Cuello then sent a low shot on target from 25 yards that was saved by Rando a minute later. In the 56th minute the visitors leveled, though, as an intercepting header by Fernandes in the attacking half sent Cameron Iwasa into the right side of the penalty area, where his cutback cross toward the top of the six-yard area caromed off Las Vegas’ Frank Daroma and into the net for an own goal.

Cuello went close again two minutes later as he received a return pass cutting across the top of the penalty area from the right before sending a left-footed shot wide of the far post, while with 20 minutes to go Julian Chavez stretched out at the top-right corner of the six-yard area to volley a cross from the left by Kharlton Belmar on target only for Las Vegas’ Tristan Weber to block the shot behind for a corner kick.

Sacramento took the lead with 17 minutes to go, however, as Fernandes pounced after a cross from the left by Belmar was half-cleared to the top-left edge of the penalty area where the midfielder fired a half-volley first time into the right corner of the net. Las Vegas went close to an equalizer six minutes later as Weber produced a scissor-kick from 16 yards that flashed wide of the left post after the visitors had failed to properly clear a cross into the penalty area.

With two minutes to go Republic FC put the game away as Academy graduate Chavez produced a highlight-reel finish as he controlled a layoff by Jerome Kiesewetter at the top-right corner of the penalty area and curled a beautiful strike into the top-left corner of the net to seal a much-needed three points for the visitors.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Luis Felipe Fernandes, Sacramento Republic FC – Fernandes returned to action in impressive fashion, scoring a fine game-winning goal and recording three shots overall while completing 40 of 49 passes and winning 8 of 13 duels and making three interceptions.

Scoring Summary
LV
– Christopher Jaime 12’
SAC – Frank Daroma (Own Goal) 56’
SAC – Luis Felipe Fernandes 73’
SAC – Julian Chavez (Jerome Kiesewetter) 88’

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