LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — One of the biggest turnaround stories in all of soccer is happening right here in Las Vegas.
Your Las Vegas Lights are coming off their best USL regular season in team history — and they're now getting set to host their first-ever post-season game.
At the beginning of the season, most of these players didn't even know each other, much less play together. Now, they're a step closer to their ultimate goal.
"It feels great. I'm so proud of the guys. We have been talking about process all year long. The biggest things for us is that we continue to do what we've been doing all year," head coach Dennis Sanchez said.
After only winning three games last year, the Lights have completely turned it around under new team owner José Bautista.
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They finished fourth in the USL Western Conference after going on an impressive 20-game unbeaten streak. Let's not forget, this team wasn't even fully assembled when the season started.
Light forward Khori Bennett has described this season as a process, but one that paid off.
"In the beginning, we knew, as you said, it was a bunch of guys who have never played together...so we knew it would take some time, and it did. In the beginning, we had our downs, but we knew that once we trust the process, things would come together, and it did, so very happy about that," Bennett said.
The Lights will be taking on Sacramento Republic FC, a team they are 2-0 against this season.
But this is playoff soccer — where there is no tomorrow — so the team said they are going to have to play their best 90 minutes if they want to advance to the next round.
"We know it won't be the same team. They'll come in with a different mentality. They want it a lot, but we want it more. I'm confident the guys will go out there as well as myself and get the result," Bennett said.
The first playoff game against Sacramento Republic FC is set for Friday at home at 7:30 p.m.
