Las Vegas Lights FC vs D.C. United Match Recap

Las Vegas showed a bit too much attacking intent tonight as they went down 2-4 to D.C. United in the last game of preseason.

Before the game I asked whether the team could get out there and show a bit more attacking play, as they had struggled in their first two games of preseason to get good attacking chances.

The coach set up the team to do just that, going with a 4-2-3-1.

The first half was a bit cagey from both sides. As expected, D.C. had the better chances, but Las Vegas more or less held their own. Apart from a few dodgy moments from the keeper (who has looked really unconvincing this preseason), D.C. didn't have a ton of golden opportunities.

That said, just before halftime a D.C. player got free down our right, three LV players got dragged over, and the other centre half lost the run of the only D.C. player in the box, who stroked the cross home. It was about fair, but still disappointing given the work thus far.

We started the second half brightly, and managed to create a few good chances in open play. However, this kind of played right into D.C.'s hands, as they are a team that loves to counter and do it all to well. The Lights committed a lot of men forward, and a bad giveaway from out left back created a two-on-one with the keeper, and it was a simple square ball to make it two zero.

Right afterwords, we had something to cheer, as Ochoa drew a foul in the box, and who else but Calderon stroked home a really good penalty. The keeper went the wrong way, but he wouldn't have gotten there anyways, as it was hard into the right side netting.

After that the game got pretty fun. The Lights worked the ball really well into attacking areas, while D.C. soaked up the pressure and got a lot of joy on the counter attack. They got their next goal using that route, with a quick counter down the right, cross into the box, and cool finish to make it three one.

Then the Lights really turned on the pressure. At that point, what was there to lose? After 80 minutes, the team finally broke their open-play duck, scoring a great goal. Freddy Adu, on as a sub, worked himself into a yard of space on the left hand side, and played a cross into the box, where substitute Garduno knocked it home. First goal from open play, and of course Freddy Adu is the one to make it. Who knows, maybe he just bought himself a contract with the team with that assist.

The Lights pushed for an equalizer, but D.C. took the opportunity to make it 4 in stoppage time on another counter attack.

Overall, it was a fun end to preseason. We wanted to see the Lights get out and stretch their attacking muscles, and they did just that. It left the team a little open at the back, but against an MLS team that specializes in counter attacks, I'm not going to lost any sleep over it. And we finally got that open play goal we were asking for.

And what red-blooded American's heart isn't going to be warmed by an assist from the great Freddy Adu.

Here's to more goals next week.