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Gameday Report: Trejo, Jennings Lead Las Vegas Past El Paso in Nine-Goal Thriller

By USLChampionship.com Staff, 03/23/22, 11:06PM EDT

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Lights FC scored three goals in four minutes to break game open before holding on for 5-4 victory

EL PASO, Texas – Danny Trejo and Cal Jennings each scored twice, while Trejo also added a pair of assists, as Las Vegas Lights FC won a wild 5-4 victory against El Paso Locomotive FC at Southwest University Park on Wednesday that saw all nine goals arrive in the second half.

Both sides had half-chances in the opening half-hour as first Las Vegas’ Trejo got into the left side of the penalty area on a give-and-go with Danny Musovski but couldn’t send his shot home at the near post. A few minutes later, Locomotive FC’s Luis Solignac got a chance to shoot at the top of the penalty area and his effort hit a defender before looping high and only just over the crossbar as it came down.

Dylan Mares also had an effort saved by Las Vegas goalkeeper Tomas Romero just before the halftime break, but it was Lights FC that took the lead eight minutes into the second half when a counterattack down the left saw Trejo center for Jennings, who stretched to turn home a finish from eight yards into the right corner. Two minutes later, Trejo made it two as he caught El Paso goalkeeper Evan Newton off his line in transition and delivered a chipped finish from 35 yards out that curled into the back of the net.

Lights FC added a third a minute later as Jennings notched his second of the night when he fired home from 20 yards just inside the left post, but El Paso then got on the board in the 59th minute when Nick Hinds capitalized on a rebound opportunity to score from eight yards out. Ninety seconds later the hosts were caught out again, however, as Trejo added his second from close range after Musovski got in behind the El Paso back line on the left side.

El Paso tried to rally again, and in the 65th minute Ricardo Zacarias headed home from close range after a corner kick from the left stayed alive in the penalty area after a 50-50 challenge for the initial delivery. Five minutes later, Harry Brockbank scored his first goal for Locomotive FC as his first touch on a pass from Solignac carried him into the penalty area, allowing him to fire high into the net.

As the comeback seemed on, however, a turnover in midfield allowed Las Vegas to spring forward in transition again and Trejo found Julian Gaines breaking forward for a finish into the left corner for a fifth for the visitors. Lights FC ended the game with 10 men after Frank Daroma was sent off with two minutes to go, and as the game entered stoppage time Mares picked out the bottom-left corner to make it a one-goal game once again. Mares had one final chance in stoppage time to earn his side a point, but after his free kick from 25 yards went just over the top-left corner, the final whistle blew, leaving Las Vegas with victory.

USLChampionship.com Player of the Match

Danny Trejo, Las Vegas Lights FC – Trejo Recorded two goals and two assists while ending the night with four shots and four key passes overall to send his side to its second consecutive victory.

Scoring Summary
LV – Cal Jennings (Danny Trejo) 53’
LV – Danny Trejo (Cal Jennings) 55’
LV – Cal Jennings (Danny Crisostomo) 56’
ELP – Nick Hinds 59’
LV – Danny Trejo (Danny Musovski) 60’
ELP – Ricardo Zacarias 65’
ELP – Harry Brockbank (Lucho Solignac) 70’
LV – Julian Gaines (Danny Trejo) 73’
ELP – Dylan Mares (Luis Solignac) 90+1’

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