Spokane Velocity FC Edges Las Vegas Lights FC 1-0 in USL Cup Match

Las Vegas Lights FC dominated possession during their match on Sunday afternoon, but Spokane Velocity FC secured the only goal for a 1-0 victory in Prinx Tires USL Cup group play at ONE Spokane Stadium.

Nil Vinyals found the net in the seventh minute, providing Spokane with an early lead. Despite the Lights finishing with 65.6% possession and outshooting Spokane 17-4—putting four shots on target compared to Spokane’s three—the Las Vegas team struggled to convert their pressure into goals. Spokane goalkeeper Sean Lewis made four crucial saves to preserve the win.

Early Goal Sets the Tone

Las Vegas received an early yellow card when Kyle Scott was booked in the fifth minute. Just two minutes later, Vinyals capitalized on the opportunity, scoring at the seventh minute to give Spokane a 1-0 advantage.

From that point, the match showcased a familiar scenario for the Lights: controlling the game and territory, but unable to change the scoreline. Las Vegas also led in corners, 5-2, but their best chances ended without finding the back of the net.

Red Card Shifts Game Dynamics

In the 52nd minute, Spokane midfielder Medgy Alexandre was shown a red card, leaving his team a man down for the remaining part of the match. The Lights took this chance to intensify their attacks, yet Spokane managed to stay organized and defend their goal.

Post-match, Lights defender Aaron Guillen expressed the team’s frustration. “This is unacceptable,” he said in comments released by the club. “They go a man down for almost 45 minutes and we’re not able to create a pure chance.” Coach Devin Rensing echoed these sentiments, stating, “You can’t be a man up against a team like that for 45 minutes and not come away with the result.”