LAS VEGAS, Nev. – In Week 25 of the USL Championship season, T2 fell 1-0 to Las Vegas Lights FC in front of 7,686 fans at Cashman Field on Saturday night.
Key plays
Portland came close to opening the scoring in the sixth minute on a set piece. Dairon Asprilla connected on a header off a corner kick cross from Eryk Williamson in the center of the box, but Asprilla’s attempt was cleared in the top right corner of the goal by goalkeeper Thomas Olsen.
Three minutes later, Carlos Anguiano served a ball on the left side of the field to Todd Wharton, who fired a long-distance shot from outside the box, but Olsen parried the ball away in the ninth minute of play.
Pushing for the opening goal, Cristian Ojeda picked up the ball just outside the box and unleashed a long-range strike in the 36th minute that was saved by Olsen.
Las Vegas took a 1-0 lead in the 45th minute after José Villarreal placed a left-footed shot from close range past T2 goalkeeper Aljaz Ivacic at the center of the goal.
Looking to answer back, Gio Calixtro’s attempt inside the six-yard box was blocked by the Las Vegas defense in the 74th minute, elevating the ball and hitting the crossbar. Two minutes later, Asprilla won the ball for Portland and slipped a pass to Ryan Sierakowski, who launched a hard shot from outside the box in the 76th minute, but the ball hit the woodwork once again.
Next game
Next up, T2 will travel to face Reno 1868 FC at Greater Nevada Field on Saturday, Aug. 31. Beginning at 7 p.m. (Pacific), the match against Reno 1868 FC will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Postgame Quote Sheet
T2 assistant coach Andrew Gregor
General thoughts on tonight’s match...
"I think it was really unlucky for us tonight. I felt we were the better team on the night, statistically speaking. We dominated all the attacking categories against them. We created opportunities, we hit the post, we hit the crossbar, we were dangerous on set plays. But the one thing that was missing was the most important stat, which was to score.”
On what the determining factor of the result was…
“I don’t necessarily think it was bad luck. I think it was some opportunities missed in some places and then in other places you need to give Vegas some credit. They did a good job in certain situations and their goalkeeper made some good saves and they affected certain opportunities for us to score goals just enough so we couldn’t score. At the end of the night they get the three points, so we have to move on, get refocused and get ready for the next one.”
On the team’s continuous effort to equalize throughout the second half...
“Sometimes it goes like that, but the guys put in a really good effort playing away from home in some challenging conditions. If we continue to play that way it’s going to turn around our way.”
T2 (8-9-8, 32pts) vs. Las Vegas Lights FC (8-10-6, 30pts)
Aug. 24, 2019 – Cashman Field (Las Vegas, Nev.)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
T2 0 0 0
Las Vegas Lights FC 1 0 1
Scoring Summary:
LV: Villarreal (Parra, Tabort Etaka), 45
Misconduct Summary:
POR: Williamson (caution), 52
POR: Smith (caution), 83
POR: Langsdorf (caution), 90+5
Lineups:
POR: GK Ivacic, D Kiner (Ornstil, 61), D Diz Pe, D Wharton ©, D Smith, M Sierakowski (Kobayashi, 85), M Williamson, M Ojeda (Calixtro, 68), M Anguiano, M Asprilla, F Langsdorf
Substitutes Not Used: GK Leeker, D Sanchez, M Duran
TOTAL SHOTS: 13 (Asprilla, 7); SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Asprilla, 3); FOULS: 11 (Sierakowski, 3); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 8; SAVES: 3
LV: GK Olsen, D Garcia-Lopez, D Robinson, D Torres, D Torre, M Tabort Etaka, M Vermeer, M Levin, M Parra © (De La Fuente, 71), F Villarreal (Echavarria, 64), F Zelaya (Martinez, 57)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Hobbs, D Sousa, M Cruz, M Rojas
TOTAL SHOTS: 9 (Zelaya, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Four players tied, 1); FOULS: 17 (Vermeer, 3); OFFSIDES: 4; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 5
Referee: Rosendo Mendoza
Assistant Referees: Jeffrey Swartzel, Adam Sanchez
4th Official: Uriel Aguilera
Attendance: 7,686
Weather: Clear, 100 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial
