Late Game-Winner Gives Monterey Bay 2-1 Victory Over Lights FC in Las Vegas
LAS VEGAS, Nevada (Saturday, June 10, 2023) – Monterey Bay F.C. (5-4-5, 20 points) defeated Las Vegas Lights FC (1-5-6, 9 points) 2-1 behind a late, 89th minute game-winner from Sam Gleadle at Cashman Field. Gleadle finished the contest with his second-consecutive multi-goal contribution performance, as he also assisted Morey Doner’s opening goal of the match in the first half.
Monterey Bay scored the opening goal three minutes before the end of the first half on a play that started with a throw-in deep in their own half. After Mobi Fehr tossed the ball into a crowd at the center of the pitch, Chase Boone leapt up into the air to flick it on towards Gleadle with a header and spring an attack for the Crisp and Kelp. Gleadle pushed the ball up the field with an extended touch alongside a streaking Doner on his right. Doner collected the ball in the middle of his run into the center of the box and fired a right-footed shot past the goalkeeper and into the bottom-left corner of the net to give the Union the 1-0 lead at the halftime break.
The second half began with two quick chances for Las Vegas as the home side pushed for the equalizer, but a save by Carlos Herrera and a subsequent clearance by Kai Greene kept the hosts off the board in the 48th minute. Lights FC eventually found the equalizer 10 minutes later with a header by Marcelo Lage into the top-left corner on the end of a corner kick opportunity. In the 75th minute, Las Vegas earned a free kick from just outside the top of the 18-yard box, but the shot missed off the top of the crossbar. Monterey Bay earned a free kick from a dangerous distance of their own in the 84th minute of the match, but the shot was denied by the wall. The hosts looked likely to score just one minute later, but two blocks by the Union defense amidst a scramble in the box led to a goal kick for the visitors. Then in the 89th minute of the match, Hugh Roberts II played the ball ahead to Alex Dixon into the short corner area of the pitch. Dixon looked up and whipped a low ball into the center of the box that took a slight deflection from a Las Vegas defender into space at the top of the box. Reacting quickly, Gleadle adjusted his run with a step back to his right before smashing the ball into the bottom left corner to grab all three points for the Crisp and Kelp and secure the 2-1 victory on the road.
Up Next: Monterey Bay F.C. continues on the road next weekend with a visit to Sacramento for a fixture with Republic FC at Heart Health Park on Saturday, June 17 at 8 p.m. PT. The match can be streamed live on ESPN+.
Notes:
– Morey Doner opened his 2023 account for the Union with his first goal of the season, the opening score of the match in the 42nd minute. Sam Gleadle recorded his team-high fifth assist on the play.
– Hugh Roberts II made his return to the pitch in Frank Yallop’s choice eleven after remaining out of the lineup for the previous five matches due to injury.
– Missing the match due to injury were Max Glasser (hamstring), Alex Lara (ankle) and Grant Robinson (hamstring).
Match: Las Vegas Lights FC vs Monterey Bay F.C.
Date: June 10, 2023
Venue: Cashman Field; Las Vegas, Nevada
Weather: Cloudy and 78 degrees
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
Las Vegas Lights FC 0 1 1
Monterey Bay F.C. 1 1 2
MB: Morey Doner (Sam Gleadle) 42’
LV: Marcelo Lage (Justin Ingram) 58’
MB: Sam Gleadle 89’
Lineups:
Las Vegas Lights FC (4-4-2): Alan Diaz; Tyler Bagley, Timothie Zali (Marcelo Lage, 37’), Zach Carroll, Lucas Stauffer; Andrew Carleton (Erick Torres, 45’), Andres Jimenez (Daniel Rios, 90’), Jacob Bushue (Eric Oteng, 45’), Justin Ingram; Pato Botello Faz, Preston Tabort Etaka (Emmanuel Ledesma, 77’)
Subs not used: Andre Zuluaga-Silva, Alejandro Mitrano
Monterey Bay F.C. (3-4-3): Carlos Herrera; Mobi Fehr, Hugh Roberts, Kai Greene; Walmer Martínez (Simon Dawkins, 90+4’), James Murphy (Nevello Yoseke, 77’), Adrian Rebollar, Morey Doner; Chase Boone (Alex Dixon, 64’), Christian Volesky (Ugo Okoli, 77’), Sam Gleadle
Subs not used: Antony Siaha, Chuy Enríquez, Jesse Maldonado
Stats Summary: LV / MB
Shots: 13 / 9
Shots on Goal: 3 / 4
Saves: 2 / 2
Corner Kicks: 8 / 2
Fouls: 11 / 7
Possession: 58.4% / 41.6%
Misconduct Summary:
MB: James Murphy (caution) 55’
LV: Erick Torres (caution) 87’
Officials:
Referee: Nabil Bensalah
Assistant Referee: John Krill
Assistant Referee: Seth Martin
Fourth Official: Killian Richardson
