Las Vegas Lights FC had the ball, the chances and two answers Saturday night. What they did not have was the final stop.
Orange County SC punished Las Vegas at the biggest moments and beat the Lights 3-2 at Cashman Field, turning a wild second half into three road points. The loss dropped Las Vegas to 4-3-6 with 15 points, while Orange County moved to 6-5-2 with 23 points.
Anderson sparks Cashman
The Lights struck first in the 38th minute, and Oalex Anderson supplied the finish.
Christian Pinzon served a clean cross into the box, and Anderson headed it home for his fourth league goal of the season. It gave Las Vegas a 1-0 lead and rewarded a first half where the Lights kept finding space in the final third.
Then the match tilted just before halftime. Lyam Mackinnon scored in the 45th minute for Orange County, sending both teams into the break tied 1-1.
Rodriguez pulls it back
Orange County took its first lead in the 55th minute when Yaniv Bazini finished after a defensive mistake, according to the Lights recap.
Las Vegas did not fold. Johnny Rodriguez tied it in the 66th minute off an assist from Ben Mines, giving him his eighth league goal of the season and bringing Cashman back into the match.
The Lights finished with 58% possession, 462 passes and eight shots on goal. Pinzon led Las Vegas with five shots, including three on target, while Rodriguez put two of his three shots on frame.
One more Orange County answer
The problem was not chance creation. It was survival.
Orange County goalkeeper Alexander Rando made six saves, and his back line absorbed pressure with 27 clearances. Then, in the 76th minute, Garrison Tubbs scored from close range after a corner kick to put Orange County back in front for good.
Mason Stajduhar made three saves for the Lights, but Orange County turned six shots on goal into three goals.
Not good enough, and they know it
Rodriguez, in remarks posted on the Lights team page, called the result frustrating.
“Especially being at home,” Rodriguez said. “We want to always get three points.”
Coach Devin Rensing was even more direct through the team page.
“Very disappointed,” Rensing said. “We created a ton of chances, missed sitters and gave up three stupid goals.”
That is the sting of this one for Las Vegas. The Lights were dangerous enough to win, lively enough to thrill the home crowd and connected enough in attack to score twice.
But Orange County was cleaner in the moments that decided the night.
Up next
The Lights get a break before returning to Cashman Field at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, July 4, to face El Paso Locomotive FC on Hometown Heroes Night. The match will stream on ESPN+.
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Dice City Sports editor Mark Hebert covers the Las Vegas Aces, Vegas Golden Knights, Las Vegas Raiders, Athletics, and UNLV baseball and softball. He has 24 years of journalism experience, is also a senior reporter at Exhibit City News, and previously covered the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers. Follow him on X or connect on LinkedIn.
