Heading into Week 25 of the 2019 USL Championship season, T2 travel to face Las Vegas Lights FC at Cashman Field Saturday, Aug. 24. Beginning at 7:30 p.m. (Pacific), Saturday's match will feature a live stream on ESPN+.
2019 season at a glance
T2 (8-8-8, 32pts) sit in 10th place in the Western Conference standings, and rank tied for fifth in the league in goals scored (45). Portland is coming off a 4-2 loss to OKC Energy FC at Providence Park on Aug. 18. Ryan Sierakowski scored in his second straight appearance, while Timbers Academy defender Caleb Kiner made his third appearance and second start of 2019 against OKC. Kiner (16 years, 10 months, 22 days) is the youngest player ever to start in a match for T2 and record an assist. Eryk Williamson leads the team and ranks tied for fourth in the league with seven assists.
T2 versus Las Vegas Lights FC
Saturday’s match marks the fourth all-time meeting between T2 and Las Vegas Lights FC, with Portland leading the series 2-1-0 dating back to July 22, 2018. In the first matchup between the two teams in 2019, T2 defeated Las Vegas 3-1 at Merlo Field on March 23, 2019, behind a brace from Dairon Asprilla and a goal by Foster Langsdorf. The last time the two teams faced off in Las Vegas, T2 defeated the Lights 2-1 at Cashman Field on Sept. 16, 2018.
Goals from all over
Thirteen different players have scored for T2 in 23 matches thus far during the 2019 USL Championship campaign. Dairon Asprilla leads the team with seven goals in just seven appearances. Foster Langsdorf rank second with six goals in 18 starts, while Brayan Hurtado, Ryan Sierakowski and Todd Wharton rank tied for third with five goals each. Modou Jadama ranks sixth on the club with four goals, while Eryk Williamson and Gio Calixtro rank tied for seventh on the club with four goals scored. Marvin Loría and Cristian Ojeda have each scored two goals, while Nathan Smith and Zach Kobayashi have scored one goal during the 2019.
T2 2019 Team Leaders
Goals: Dairon Asprilla (7)
Assists: Eryk Williamson (7)
Chances Created: Todd Wharton (30)
Shutouts: Aljaz Ivacic, Jake Leeker (1)
Saves: Jake Leeker (39)
Scouting Las Vegas Lights FC
Las Vegas Lights FC (7-8-9, 30pts) enter Saturday’s match following a 3-0 loss on the road to Orange County SC at Championship Soccer Stadium on Aug. 17, which extended a three-match winless streak dating back to Aug. 3. In 11 home matches in 2019, Las Vegas holds a 6-1-4 record at Cashman Field. Irvin Parra ranks first on the team in goals scored (10) and assists (4), while Preston Etaka ranks second on the team in goals with four. Pablo Cruz leads the team with 44 chances created, while goalkeeper Thomas Olsen ranks tied for fifth in the league in shutouts (8).
Las Vegas Lights FC head coach: Eric Wynalda
Las Vegas Lights FC 2019 Team Leaders
Goals: Irvin Parra (10)
Assists: Irvin Parra (4)
Chances Created: Pablo Cruz (44)
Shutouts: Thomas Olsen (5)
Saves: Thomas Olsen (63)
