Galactic Night returns to Weidner Field as the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC host the Las Vegas Lights FC on Friday in downtown Colorado Springs. Gates will open at 6pm with the first 5,000 fans receiving a laser sword giveaway, courtesy of Centura Health. Tickets are available HERE.
The Las Vegas Lights have not won since a 1-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Riverhounds on April 16th. The Switchbacks and Lights played out a wild game on April 9th at Cashman Field in Las Vegas, with the Switchbacks leaving the Silver State with a 3-2 victory, courtesy of goals from Elvis Amoh, Zach Zandi, and Cam Lindley. Last Saturday, the Switchbacks fell 4-2 to Monterey Bay F.C. in Seaside, California in the Switchbacks’ first match since May 5th.
What the Switchbacks Say:
Cam Lindley: “I think you have to move on [from Saturday vs. Monterey Bay], but at the same time you have to learn. We hadn’t played a game in two and a half weeks, and obviously there’s a little bit of rust, but some of the things that had gotten us to 8-1 we kind of got away from. We’ll work on that stuff this week and get ready for Friday and a big test at home with hopefully a lot of people in the stands.
“You have to look at that [game on April 9th vs. Las Vegas] but you also have to look at [Las Vegas’] recent run of form. They’ve got great players and a good coach and a lot of young guys – you never know really what you’re going to get from young guys. It’s going to be a fun one. If we score the first goal we should be okay, so we’ve got to score that first goal. I cannot wait – it feels like we haven’t been at home in so long, so I’m really excited to be back in front of our fans.”
Switchbacks Head Coach and General Manager Brendan Burke: “It was so extraordinary to be off for almost three weeks and we looked like we hadn’t played in three weeks [against Monterey Bay]. We’re a lot better than that. That’s a game we probably win handily if we’re clicking on all cylinders. We did a lot wrong, we were rusty, and we made some mental mistakes that we wouldn’t normally make. We had been one of the better defensive teams in the league up until that point, so to ship four goals on four shots on goal was one of those nights where anything that could have gone wrong certainly did.
“We’re excited for Friday – when you’re the team that’s trying to dictate the game and you’re playing against another team that tries to do the same, I think that sets up better for us than some other looks that we get. I feel like we’re three and a half months into the season and this is only our fifth home game. It’s been a long road but actually we didn’t have to play two of those road games [due to postponements] so it could have been a lot worse. It’s really good to be home and in front of a home crowd and hopefully a big one!”
Las Vegas Lights Ones to Watch: “Certainly [Daniel] Trejo, [Cal] Jennings, and [Danny] Musovski if he plays [are ones to watch], and there are a few others in that group,” said Brendan Burke. “Those guys will be the primary attacking threats that we will prepare for. The difficulty for us is that we’re in an international break so Vegas could really unload on us with first-team players [from Major League Soccer’s LAFC], which makes them an entirely different club. If they send certain guys out of the first team roster then the game becomes a very very difficult proposition – even at home.”
Vargish’s View: Friday’s match is a difficult one to predict. If LAFC send a slew of MLS players to Colorado Springs, it changes the dynamic of the entire fixture. But make no mistake: the Las Vegas Lights have struggled recently. They’re 4-5-4 during the 2022 season, and it’s been over six weeks since they’ve won a game.
The Switchbacks will be without two key pieces on Friday evening, with both Kharlton Belmar (Grenada) and Triston Hodge (Trinidad and Tobago) being called up by their respective national teams for the CONCACAF Nations League. Last weekend’s defeat against Monterey Bay was a major disappointment for a Switchbacks team that had won their previous three matches, but it was an anomaly. Being back at Weidner Field is the perfect formula for the Switchbacks to show their fans why the team that has won eight of their opening 10 matches this season.
