Las Vegas Lights FC goalkeeper Raiko Arozarena celebrates the club's first postseason trip, which has come via an impressive defensive improvement year-on-year. | Photo courtesy Lucas Peltier / Las Vegas Lights FC
When six-time Major League Baseball All-Star José Bautista acquired Las Vegas Lights FC in January, he and newly appointed Sporting Director Gianleonardo Neglia were adamant the club would reach the playoffs in Year 1 of their tenure.
At the time, it seemed ambitious.
The Lights, of course, had never finished a season with more wins than losses, or with a positive goal differential in their six prior campaigns. Even though we’ve seen remarkable turnarounds before, doing it from square one with a blank slate of no players or coaches retained from the prior season appeared a massive ask.
Well, now look at them, your playoff-bound Las Vegas Lights.
BOOKED THEIR TICKET: The Lights earned their first trip to the USL Championship Playoffs on Saturday night as a 1-1 draw against Orange County SC was enough to carry them over the line. Khori Bennett’s 13th goal of the season highlighted the result as Las Vegas – for the time being at least – moved into second place in the West.
REFUSE TO LOSE: The key to the Lights’ progression has been two-fold. First, the side has become incredibly difficult to beat. Since the start of an 11-game undefeated streak on June 1 against Phoenix, the Lights have lost only once in 19 games. The side is currently on a seven-game undefeated run, and while it’s not always racking up wins, it’s maintained steady progress toward this goal.
TIGHTEN UP: That ability to grind out results has put the club’s defense front and center, with the Lights having its best defensive performance in club history. From last season to this, Las Vegas has currently conceded 25 fewer goals. There have been bumps in the road, certainly, but the club’s 1.32 goals-against average is set to be the lowest in its history.
There are more goals to achieve for the Lights over their final three games of the regular season. One more victory would set a club record for single season wins to go with the record for single season points the Lights have already achieved.
There’s also the potential for Las Vegas to host its first postseason contest – current projections have the side finishing in fourth position, just ahead of Memphis 901 FC – which would be an even bigger achievement than simply making the playoff field.
But Saturday night was one for celebration at a club that’s come a very long way in a very short time, and brought some of its original fans along for a ride they’d only dreamed about before.
“The message at the beginning of the year was to begin a new era here,” said Lights Head Coach Dennis Sanchez. “We talked with players from Day One and my message to the guys tonight, I showed them pictures of all the times that they had been in and around the fans. And there’s fans that have been here since Day One. To give them joy, to celebrate that tonight in front of the home crowd you can’t ask for much more.”
Bautista, Neglia and Sanchez delivered their promise of a new era in Lights soccer.
In a city that’s been the stage for its fair share of comebacks, this one’s right up there.