2024 Las Vegas Lights FC season

The 2024 Las Vegas Lights FC season was the club's seventh season, and their seventh season in the United Soccer League Championship (USLC), the second division of American soccer.

Las Vegas Lights FC

2024 season
Principal Owner	José Bautista
Head coach	Dennis Sanchez
Stadium	Cashman Field
USL	Western Conference: 4th
USL Cup Playoffs	Western Conference Finalists
U.S. Open Cup	Round of 32
Home colors Away colors
← 2023 2025 →

During the offseason, the Lights underwent some massive changes. On January 16, the Lights were bought out by an ownership group managed by former Major League Baseball player José Bautista.^[1][2][3] Additionally, the Lights hired a new head coach less than two weeks later on January 29, hiring Dennis Sanchez,^[4] a former assistant coach for MLS Next club Austin FC II.^[5][6]

Squad

Roster

As of July 12, 2024^[7]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  SUI Nicholas Ammeter 3 DF  USA Hayden Sargis (on loan from D.C. United) 6 MF  ENG Charlie Adams 7 MF  USA Joe Gyau 9 FW  DOM Riki Alba 10 FW  DOM Edison Azcona 11 MF  USA Coleman Gannon 13 MF  USA Giovanni Aguilar 14 FW  GHA Solomon Asante 20 DF  USA Shawn Smart 21 DF  MNE Emrah Klimenta 22 DF  USA Joe Hafferty

No. Pos. Nation Player 24 DF  JAM Maliek Howell 26 MF  CMR J.C. Ngando (on loan from Vancouver Whitecaps) 27 MF  FRA Valentin Noël 29 MF  USA Christian Pinzón 31 GK  USA Austin Wormell 33 DF  USA Gennaro Nigro 56 GK  CUB Raiko Arozarena 72 DF  CIV Gaoussou Samaké 77 MF  SLV Alexander Romero ([A]) 79 MF  HAI All Gue ([A]) 90 FW  JAM Khori Bennett

1. ^
   USL Academy contract

Staff

Title	Name	Nation
Owner	José Bautista	Dominican Republic
Sporting director	Gianleonardo Neglia	Italy[8]
Head coach	Dennis Sánchez	United States
Assistant coach	Gerson Echeverry	Colombia
Assistant coach	Ivan Mirkovic	Serbia
Goalkeeping coach	Armando Quezada	United States

Competitions

USL Championship

Main article: 2024 USL Championship season

Standings

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	L	T	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
2	Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (C)	34	15	12	7	48	40	+8	52	Playoffs
3	Memphis 901 FC	34	14	11	9	52	41	+11	51
4	Las Vegas Lights FC	34	13	10	11	49	46	+3	50
5	Sacramento Republic FC	34	13	11	10	46	34	+12	49
6	Orange County SC	34	13	14	7	38	45	−7	46

Source: USL Championship Standings
Rules for classification: 1) head-to-head points; 2) head-to-head goal differential; 3) points-per game within conference; 4) total wins; 5) total goal differential; 6) total goals scored; 7) points earned against top four Conference finishers; 8) disciplinary points; 9) coin toss or drawing of lots
(C) Champions

Match results

On December 18, 2023, the USL Championship released the regular season schedule for all 24 teams.^[9]

All times are in Pacific Standard Time.

March

Memphis 901 FC v Las Vegas Lights FC

March 9 1	Memphis 901 FC	2–1	Las Vegas Lights FC	Memphis, Tennessee
1:00 PM	Careaga 33' Pickering 44' Duncan  46' Ward  80'	Report	Noël 22' Azcona  40'	Stadium: AutoZone Park Attendance: 3,290 Referee: Joshua Encarnación

Las Vegas Lights FC v FC Tulsa

March 16 2	Las Vegas Lights FC	1–3	FC Tulsa	Las Vegas, Nevada
5:00 PM	Alba 60' Smart  85' Berumen  90'+5'	Report	Stojanovic 11'  14' Goodrum 25' Yosef 56' Worth  90'	Stadium: Cashman Field Attendance: 1,675 Referee: Brandon Stevis

Las Vegas Lights FC v El Paso Locomotive FC

March 23 3	Las Vegas Lights FC	1–0	El Paso Locomotive FC	Las Vegas, Nevada
5:00 PM	Garcia 33' (o.g.) Ngando  36' Smart  77' Gue  90'+7'	Report	Hinds  32' Stauffer  65' Akinyode  67' Dollenmayer  72' Alfaro  78' Zacarias  84'	Stadium: Cashman Field Attendance: 1,070 Referee: Thomas Snyder

Oakland Roots SC v Las Vegas Lights FC

March 30 4	Oakland Roots SC	0–3	Las Vegas Lights FC	Hayward, California
7:00 PM	Nije  20'	Report	Klimenta  30' Gannon 46' Samake 50' Azcona  63' Noël 66'  69' Smart  76' Nigro  90'+2'	Stadium: Pioneer Stadium Attendance: 2,812 Referee: Matthew Corrigan

April

Las Vegas Lights FC v San Antonio FC

April 6 5	Las Vegas Lights FC	1–0	San Antonio FC	Las Vegas, Nevada
7:30 PM	Azcona  17' Garcia  54' Smart 56'	Report	Haakenson  38' Silva  50' Lambert  55' Agudelo  76' Taintor  77' Lacey  90+6'	Stadium: Cashman Field Attendance: 1,436 Referee: Greg Dopka

Monterey Bay FC v Las Vegas Lights FC

April 13 6	Monterey Bay FC	3–1	Las Vegas Lights FC	Seaside, California
7:00 PM	Dixon 10' (pen.) Trager 45' Gonzalez 74'	Report	Samaké 45+1'	Stadium: Cardinale Stadium Attendance: 3,524 Referee: Elijio Arreguin

Las Vegas Lights FC v Rhode Island FC

April 20 7	Las Vegas Lights FC	1–2	Rhode Island FC	Las Vegas, NV
8:00 PM	Alba  28' Nigro  45+2' Noël 54' Hafferty  74'	Report	Turnbull 25' Lee  30' Fuson 45' Doyle  90+1'	Stadium: Cashman Field Attendance: 1,943 Referee: Benjamin Meyer

Charleston Battery v Las Vegas Lights FC

April 27 8	Charleston Battery	6–0	Las Vegas Lights FC	Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
1:00 PM	Markanich 4' 30' 37' (pen.) 49' Myers 22' Molloy 81'	Report	Arozarena  24' Adams  45'+5'	Stadium: Patriots Point Soccer Complex Attendance: 4,520 Referee: Joe Surgan

May

Las Vegas Lights FC v New Mexico United

May 4 9	Las Vegas Lights FC	1–2	New Mexico United	Las Vegas, Nevada
6:30 PM	Adams  23' Samake 44'  72' Gannon  65' Kimenta  72'	Report	Bruce 13' 30' Herbert  39' Astorga  82' Tabakis  89' Dubois  90'+4' Bailey  90'+4'	Stadium: Cashman Field Attendance: 1,061 Referee: Brad Jensen

San Antonio FC v Las Vegas Lights FC

May 11 10	San Antonio FC	1–1	Las Vegas Lights FC	San Antonio, Texas
6:00 PM	Burks  38' Marcina  45' Chol 45+2' Hernández  47'  48' Lambert  82'	Report	Klimenta  13' Nigro  45' Noël 59'	Stadium: Toyota Field Attendance: 7,218 Referee: Elvis Osmanovic

Las Vegas Lights FC v Louisville City FC

May 18 11	Las Vegas Lights FC	2–2	Louisville City FC	Las Vegas, Nevada
7:30 PM	Noël 16' Adams 36' Smart  55'	Report	Davila 7' Harris  48' Adams  62' Serrano 70'	Stadium: Cashman Field Attendance: 1,048 Referee: Joshua Encarnacion Assistant referees: Stephen McGonagle Assistant referees: William Aten Fourth official: Pavel Georgiev

Tampa Bay Rowdies v Las Vegas Lights FC

May 25 12	Tampa Bay Rowdies	1–0	Las Vegas Lights FC	St. Petersburg, Florida
4:30 PM	Munjoma  56' Worth  81' Jennings 85'	Report	Nigro  31' Smart  68' Azcona  71'	Stadium: Al Lang Stadium Attendance: 5,753 Referee: Sergii Demianchuk

June

Las Vegas Lights FC v Phoenix Rising FC

June 1 13	Las Vegas Lights FC	0–0	Phoenix Rising FC	Las Vegas, Nevada
7:30 PM	Adams  45+1'	PHX Report LVL Result	Rito  21' Fuenmayor  44'	Stadium: Cashman Field Attendance: 1,720 Referee: Muhammad Hassan

Las Vegas Lights FC v Miami FC

June 8 14	Las Vegas Lights FC	3–1	Miami FC	Las Vegas, Nevada
7:30 PM	Nigro  40' Bennett 45+3' 63' (pen.) Noël 82'	Report	López 25' Mujeeb Murana  65' Michael Lawrence  87'	Stadium: Cashman Field Attendance: 1,748 Referee: Lorenzo Hernandez

Loudoun United FC v Las Vegas Lights FC

June 14 15	Loudoun United FC	1–1	Las Vegas Lights FC	Leesburg, Virginia
7:00 PM	McCabe  24' 52' Ryan  45'+6'	Report	Gannon 2' Bennett  36' Howell  43'	Stadium: Segra Field Attendance: 3,580 Referee: Nabil Bensalah

Las Vegas Lights FC v Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC

June 18 16	Las Vegas Lights FC	3–3	Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC	Las Vegas, Nevada
6:30 PM	Hafferty 28' Bennett 45'+4' (pen.) Noël 80' Howell  82'	Report	Huerman 6'  22' Santos  8' Henríquez 31' Lacroix  53' Damus 89'	Stadium: Cashman Field Attendance: 1,339 Referee: Elijio Arreguin

Las Vegas Lights FC v Memphis 901 FC

June 22 17	Las Vegas Lights FC	1–1	Memphis 901 FC	Las Vegas, Nevada
7:30 PM	Adams  54' Howell  74' Bennett 80' (pen.) Azcona  83' Bennett  90'	Report	Lapa 43'  90'+3' Hyndman  62' Paul  63' Fernando  69' Careaga  72'	Stadium: Cashman Field Attendance: 1,657 Referee: Trevor Wiseman

Las Vegas Lights FC v Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

June 29 18	Las Vegas Lights FC	2–0	Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC	Las Vegas, NV
7:30 PM	Bennett  26' 40' 87' Romero  90'+1'	Report	Osumanu  14'	Stadium: Cashman Field Attendance: 1,893 Referee: John Griggs

July

Sacramento Republic FC v Las Vegas Lights FC

July 3 19	Sacramento Republic FC	0–1	Las Vegas Lights FC	Sacramento, California
7:30 PM	Phillips  80' Portillo  90'+4'	Report	Pinzon 10' Ngando  70' Arozarena  71' Nigro  75'	Stadium: Heart Health Park Attendance: 8,988 Referee: Jeremy Scheer

El Paso Locomotive FC v Las Vegas Lights FC

July 12 20	El Paso Locomotive FC	0–2	Las Vegas Lights FC	El Paso, Texas
7:30 PM	Craig  2' Borelli  59'	Report	Gannon 64' Stauffer 83' (o.g.) Pinzón  89'	Stadium: Southwest University Park Attendance: 6,727 Referee: Servando Berna Rico

Colorado Springs Switchbacks v Las Vegas Lights FC

July 26 21	Colorado Springs Switchbacks	1–1	Las Vegas Lights FC	Colorado Springs, Colorado
6:00 PM	Fjeldberg 30'  45'+1' Real  53' Hanya  58'	Report	Smart 26'  73' Doody  61' Jabang  86'	Stadium: Weidner Field Attendance: 8,023 Referee: Ricardo Fierro

New Mexico United v Las Vegas Lights FC

July 31 22	New Mexico United	1–2	Las Vegas Lights FC	Albuquerque, New Mexico
6:00 PM	Bruce 45'+5' Houssou  85'	Report	Pinzón  4' 66' Noël 12' Nigro  79' Jabang  90'	Stadium: Isotopes Park Attendance: 7,558 Referee: Elvis Osmanovic

August

Las Vegas Lights FC v Detroit City FC

August 10 23	Las Vegas Lights FC	1–1	Detroit City FC	Las Vegas, Nevada
7:30 PM	Bennett  56' 66'	Report	Morris 39' Murphy  54'	Stadium: Cashman Field Attendance: 1,990 Referee: Gerald Flores

Hartford Athletic v Las Vegas Lights FC

August 17 24	Hartford Athletic	2–1	Las Vegas Lights FC	Hartford, Connecticut
4:00 PM	Dieng 25' Boudadi  43' Ngalina 53' Makangila  90+1'	Report	Doody  9' Bennett 10' Nigro  13' Jabang  37' Gyau  63'	Stadium: Trinity Health Stadium Attendance: 4,933 Referee: Matthew Thompson

Las Vegas Lights FC v Indy Eleven

August 24 25	Las Vegas Lights FC	3–2	Indy Eleven	Las Vegas, NV
7:30 PM	Ngando 2' Arozarena  21' Ngando  33' Noël 43' Bennett 45+4' Nigro  54'	Report	Guenzatti 26' Collier 45+3' Mines  56'	Stadium: Cashman Field Attendance: 4,532 Referee: Trevor Wiseman

Orange County SC v Las Vegas Lights FC

August 31 26	Orange County SC	2–3	Las Vegas Lights FC	Irvine, California
7:00 PM	Scott  6' Zubak 11', 19' Powers  37' Norris  77'	Report	Bennett 39' (pen.) 63' Shutler 87' (o.g.) Gyau  90'+3'	Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium Attendance: 3,579 Referee: Ekaterina Koroleva

September

FC Tulsa v Las Vegas Lights FC

September 11 27	FC Tulsa	1–1	Las Vegas Lights FC	Tulsa, Oklahoma
6:30 PM	Diallo  31' St. Clair  35' Yosef 38'	Report	Doody  57' Howell  76' Gannon 78'	Stadium: ONEOK Field Attendance: 2,663 Referee: Abdou Ndiaye

Las Vegas Lights v Monterey Bay FC

September 14 28	Las Vegas Lights	0–0	Monterey Bay FC	Las Vegas, Nevada
7:30 PM	Smart  15'	Report	Volesky  33' Gnaulati  52' Gonzalez  77'	Stadium: Cashman Field Attendance: 1,627 Referee: Adam Kilpatrick

Las Vegas Lights FC v Sacramento Republic FC

September 21 29	Las Vegas Lights FC	2–1	Sacramento Republic FC	Las Vegas, Nevada
7:30 PM	Bennett 29' Noël  59' Pinzon 71' Jabang  73'	Report	Phillips 9' Ukaegbu  76' Portillo  81' Viader  90'+1'	Stadium: Cashman Field Attendance: 2,240 Referee: Matthew Corrigan

Phoenix Rising FC v Las Vegas Lights FC

September 28 30	Phoenix Rising FC	1–2	Las Vegas Lights FC	Phoenix, Arizona
6:30 PM	Boye  17' Cabral 60' Traore  70' Fuenmayor  86'	Report	Jabang  74' Ngando 90+6' Doody 90+9'	Stadium: Phoenix Rising Soccer Stadium Attendance: 6,073 Referee: Calin Radosav

October

Las Vegas Lights FC v Orange County SC

October 5 31	Las Vegas Lights FC	1–1	Orange County SC	Las Vegas, Nevada
7:30 PM	Bennett 26'	Report	Hegardt 16' Chattha  35' Partida  37' Nakkim  71'	Stadium: Cashman Field Attendance: 1,828 Referee: Gerald Flores

Birmingham Legion FC v Las Vegas Lights FC

October 13 32	Birmingham Legion FC	0–3	Las Vegas Lights FC	Birmingham, Alabama
2:00 PM	Hernandez-Foster  5' Rufe  45' Tabortetaka  64'	Report	Gyau 18' Bennett  73' Gannon 87' Pinzon 90'+3'	Stadium: Protective Stadium Attendance: 4,761 Referee: Ricardo Fierro

Las Vegas Lights FC v Oakland Roots SC

October 19 33	Las Vegas Lights FC	2–3	Oakland Roots SC	Las Vegas, Nevada
	Hackshaw 12' (o.g.) Noël 90'+4'	Report	Rodriguez 3', 72' Njie  36' Diaz  89' Donasiyano  90'+3'	Stadium: Cashman Field Attendance: 2,878 Referee: Brandon Stevis

North Carolina FC v Las Vegas Lights FC

October 26 34	North Carolina FC	2–1	Las Vegas Lights FC	Cary, North Carolina
4:00 PM	Craig 12' Martin  32' Anderson 45'  45'+1' Perez  63' McGuire  76' Mentzingen  78' Batista  90'+8'	Report	Bennett 9' Smart  37'	Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park Attendance: 6,083 Referee: Matthew Thompson

Playoffs

Las Vegas Lights FC v Sacramento Republic FC

November 1, 2024 (2024-11-01) Conference Quarterfinals	Las Vegas Lights FC	0–0 (a.e.t.) (3–2 p)	Sacramento Republic FC	Las Vegas, Nevada
7:30 PM PDT	Noël  38'	Report	Ross  86'	Stadium: Cashman Field Attendance: 2,415 Referee: Elton Garcia
	Penalties
	Bennett Ngando Gannon Doody Noël		Portillo Viader Cicerone Ross Felipe

New Mexico United v Las Vegas Lights FC

November 9, 2024 (2024-11-09) Conference Semifinals	New Mexico United	0–1	Las Vegas Lights FC	Albuquerque, New Mexico
7:30 PM MST	Quill  40' Akale  89'	Report	Hafferty  6' Pinzón  54' Bennett 86' Gyau  87'	Stadium: Rio Grande Credit Union Field at Isotopes Park Attendance: 10,049 Referee: Natalie Simon

Colorado Springs Switchbacks v Las Vegas Lights FC

November 16, 2024 (2024-11-16) Conference Finals	Colorado Springs Switchbacks	1–0	Las Vegas Lights FC	Colorado Springs, Colorado
7:00 PM (MST)	Tejada 38' Henríquez  84'	Report	Howell  45' Nigro  54'	Stadium: Weidner Field Attendance: 8,023 Referee: Elton Garcia

U.S. Open Cup

Main article: 2024 U.S. Open Cup

As a member of the USL Championship, the Las Vegas Lights entered the U.S. Open Cup in the Third Round.^[10] It was announced by the U.S. Soccer Federation on April 4, 2024, that the Lights would face off against a member of the USL League One from Washington called the Spokane Velocity FC, a team in the third division of U.S. soccer.^[11] After winning 2–1 against Spokane at home,^[12][13] they were drawn on April 18 to play against Major League Soccer club, and eventual tournament winner, Los Angeles FC.^[14][15] The Lights would end up losing 1–3 at home.^[16]

Las Vegas Lights FC (USLC) v Spokane Velocity FC (USL1)

April 17 Third Round	Las Vegas Lights FC (USLC)	2–1 (a.e.t.)	Spokane Velocity FC (USL1)	Las Vegas, Nevada
7:30 PM	Garcia  12' Noël  16' 51' Nigro  64' Alba 112'	Report	Miller  43' Waldeck  73'  90'+3' Lewis 90+6'	Stadium: Cashman Field Attendance: 1,197 Referee: Alexis Da Silva

Las Vegas Lights FC v Los Angeles FC

May 8 Round of 32	Las Vegas Lights FC	1–3	Los Angeles FC	Las Vegas, Nevada
7:30 PM	Noël  10' Azcona  45'+2' Smart 56'	Report	Atuesta  21' Kamara 47' Olivera 70', 90+1' Sánchez  89'	Stadium: Cashman Field Attendance: 3,495 Referee: James Duling