Fresno 2 - Las Vegas 3 - Three Points to Start Off Life in the USL

Well we couldn't have really asked for more than that. The Lights ran out as 3-2 winners away from home for their very first meaningful game ever.

Before the game I had called out a few players to look out for - including Calderon and Diaz, neither of whom actually started. Great prediction me.

Chelis sent his side out in a 4-3-3, with some interesting choices, such as leaving his leading goalscorer Calderon out of the starting XI.

But the team got off to a dream start, with winger Matthew Thomas picking up the ball in the second minute, making his way on a solo run to about the edge of the box, and then lashing the ball into the right-hand corner.

It was a beautiful start, and exactly what the team needed to calm those "first game of the season" nerves.

After that, Fresno started to come into its own, which you'd expect as the home team, and as the team that needed to push forward to even the score. The rest of the half faded with Fresno on the front foot, forcing a great save from Ferrino at one point.

In the second half, the Lights took advantage of some clack defending off a long throw in. The ball bounced around in the box, it was laid off to Alex Mendoza, and he rocketed a shot past the Fresno keeper to double the Lights' advantage.




Shortly after the Lights made it three, with captain Huiqui heading come off of a corner kick.

After that, the game was effectively over, though Fresno managed to pull one goal back, then another right at the end of normal time. I suppose if we were being sticklers we could get aggrieved at the Lights almost letting them back into it. Fresno also had a lot of possession and attempts on the night - but mostly I think that was because of the game state. Fresno poured forward because they had to, and the Lights didn't.

Overall, it was a perfect start to life for the Las Vegas Lights.