Las Vegas Lights and Hartford Athletic played out a 1:1 draw in the USL Championship Group Stage at Cashman Field on 20 September. The hosts dominated possession but could not find a winner against a side that had been hard to beat this season.
M. Ngalina gave the home side the lead from the penalty spot in the 33rd minute, and here's the thing — it was the only time the ball found the back of the net in the first half. Four yellow cards arrived in quick succession, with J. Scarlett, B. Fischer and A. Taofeek all booked before the interval.
By then the match had settled into a rhythm that suited neither side. The hosts made 117 attacks compared to 89 from the visitors, but shots accuracy sat at 23 per cent for Las Vegas. Hartford, with just 31 per cent possession, kept their shape and saw three saves from their goalkeeper.
M. Arteaga pulled the visitors level in the 70th minute, and the game opened up after that. Both managers made changes around the hour mark, with three substitutions arriving together for Hartford and a pair for Las Vegas. C. Locker was sent off the pitch in the 69th minute after picking up a second booking.
The statistics tell you something about the game. The hosts completed 405 passes against 147 for Hartford, yet both teams created only three and two big chances respectively. Five shots on target for the home side produced one goal, while two on target for the visitors yielded the equaliser.
The result leaves Las Vegas Lights in ninth place with 33 points from 25 games, while Hartford Athletic remain fifth with 38 points. The visitors had won their last three matches before this, and the draw ended that run.
