The Switchbacks look to build on their 4-0 start to the 2022 USL Championship season with a matinee matchup against the Las Vegas Lights on Saturday. The match will kick off at 3pm MT from Cashman Field, with live coverage by the voice of the Switchbacks, Ryan Kaufman, beginning at 2:30pm on XTRA Sports1300 AM.
Both the Lights and Switchbacks tasted defeat in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on Wednesday night. Las Vegas fell 3-2 in Arizona to FC Tucson, while the Switchbacks’ cup run ended via an extra time defeat to Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC at Weidner Field.
After the Switchbacks’ 2-1 win against The Miami FC last Saturday night in the Magic City, Michee Ngalina and Matt Mahoney were named to the USL Championship Team of the Week.
Following this Saturday’s match in Las Vegas, the Switchbacks return home for an April 16th showdown with Memphis 901 FC. Tickets are available HERE. Gates will open at 5pm, with the first 500 fans receiving a mini soccer ball giveaway courtesy of Capelli Sport.
What the Switchbacks Say:
Switchbacks Head Coach and General Manager Brendan Burke: “[Las Vegas Lights striker] Danny [Trejo] is dynamic. He’s a lot like Michee [Ngalina] in the respect that he’s difficult to pin down, so you have to have multiple bodies around the ball when he receives it. Or at least have a body touch-tight to him when he receives it. We have a lot of respect for what Danny and Cal Jennings are doing right now – they’re two of the better attacking players in the league. Stylistically they’re very similar to us, so it’s about imposing our style on the game and territorially getting on top of the game early because it’s going to be so hot on Saturday. Ninety-four degrees in the middle of the afternoon is not ideal conditions to play a soccer game in, so that’s why we rested a number of guys [Wednesday] night [vs. Northern Colorado Hailstorm] and tried to put ourselves in a position where we can really attack the game in Vegas and keep the undefeated run going.
“Michee and Hadji [Barry] are totally good to go [for Saturday]. And Cam [Lindley] and Jeff [Caldwell] too. I tried to protect as much of the group as I could from the Open Cup. We don’t have any midweek games for six weeks now so that’s a huge advantage – we’re already in the driver’s seat and now we can really go and attack home and away games.”
Jimmy Ockford: “I think we just keep playing the way we have been in our league games. We have a lot of momentum going forward and I think after two road games that we’re doing something right, coming off an undefeated streak. Honestly, nothing changes on our end. We just have to keep playing the way that we know and I think good things will come. [Saturday’s conditions] are going to be tough and I think it’s more on the mental side – preparing for it, knowing what to expect and mentally getting through it. We’re all physically fit enough, and even in Miami it was hot and humid. [Saturday’s] dry heat is a little bit better than humidity, so it’s just going to be a mental game.”
Las Vegas Lights FC Ones to Watch:
Danny Trejo is the Lights’ leading goal scorer with five goals in 2022 and has been named as a starter on the last three USL Championship Teams of the Week. Midfielder Danny Crisostomo was on the bench of the latest Team of the Week, with the former UC Irvine Anteater wearing the captain’s armband for Head Coach Enrique Duran’s club. Crisostomo scored on Wednesday evening in the aforementioned Open Cup loss to FC Tucson.
Senegalese defender Mohamed Traore was the Lights’ other scorer on Wednesday evening in Tucson. The wiry central defender has started four of the Lights’ five league matches in 2022 after joining Las Vegas on-loan from Major League Soccer partners LAFC.
Vargish’s View:
Saturday will be the Switchbacks’ biggest test to date of this year’s season. The near triple-digit conditions will be brutal, and the Lights are an experienced team with dynamic players – many of whom are under Major League Soccer contracts with LAFC.
Much like his famous Hollywood namesake, Danny Trejo can slice through any defense with the ease of a well-sharpened Machete. The combination play in the final third between Trejo and Cal Jennings must be slowed by the Switchbacks, who also need to shut down the ability of Danny Crisostomo to orchestrate the Lights’ offensive rhythm.
With back-to-back road wins in Birmingham and Miami, the Switchbacks are no strangers to winning against quality teams in difficult environments. Hadji Barry and Michee Ngalina are almost certain to return to the starting XI, and if Vegas’ key players can be kept in check, the Switchbacks will pose a massive threat to the Lights in Sin City.
