LAS VEGAS, NV (March 8, 2025) – A second-half defensive miscue cost the Tampa Bay Rowdies a result in their USL Championship season opener on Saturday night, as they fell 1-0 to hosts Las Vegas Lights FC at Cashman Field.
“To be honest, I thought we performed really, really well,” said Rowdies Head Coach Robbie Neilson. “Sometimes that happens in football where you don’t get what you deserve from the game. I thought we dominated the game and created loads of chances and got in great positions. We just didn’t take any of the chances.”
Tampa Bay held over 60 percent of the possession on the night outshot Las Vegas 20 to 5 but could not find the finishing touch to put the ball in the back of the net. Newcomer Ollie Bassett probed Las Vegas’ net twice in the first half, firing long-range efforts on goal that were handled by goalkeeper Nicholas Ammeter.
In the second half, Rowdies wingback Pacifique Niyongabire strode down the field and cut inside before ripping a low strike just wide of the frame. Midfielder Cammy MacPherson took his own crack at goal later in the half, rifling a shot from distance to force Ammeter into another save.
Las Vegas ultimately jumped ahead in the 74th minute. The scoring sequence began with a long clearance from deep in Las Vegas’ defensive half that was headed on and rolled behind Tampa Bay’s defensive line. Rowdies goalkeeper Nicolas Campisi came out the box to clear the ball, but his clearance ricocheted off teammate Aaron Guillen and back toward Tampa Bay’s goal. With an empty net and no defenders in sight, Las Vegas attacker Christian Pinzon was able to calmly deposit the ball into the net.
The Rowdies came inches away from a late equalizer in stoppage time. Following a corner kick delivery from Basset, Niyongabire collected the ball on the left edge of the box and lifted a cross to the center of the box, where substitute Nick Moon rose to meet it. Moon’s effort rattled off the crossbar, denying the Rowdies a point in their first match of the season.
“[Las Vegas’] goal came from our only defensive mixup of the game,” said Neilson. “You just have to accept that sometimes. You don’t get what you deserve all the time, but when you look at the overall performance, that’s a game we’ll win nine times out of ten.”
Next up, the Rowdies return to the field in a road matchup against FC Tulsa on Saturday, March 15 at 8 p.m. ET.
Scoring Summary
LV – Pinzon, 74’
Caution Summary
TBR – MacPherson, Yellow Card, 49’
LV – Azcona, Yellow Card, 73’
LV – Pinzon, Yellow Card, 86’
LV – Brewer, Yellow Card, 89’
LV – Rodriguez, Yellow Card, 90+1’
Lineups
Rowdies: Campisi, Wyke, Castellanos, Guillen, Niyongabire, Crisostomo (Moon, 78’), Basset, MacPherson, Bodily, Arteaga, Pacius (Hilton, 71’)
Rowdies Bench: Bandre, DeJesus, Lasso, Vancaeyezeele, Hilton, Worth, Moon
Las Vegas: Ammeter, Jones, Gartig, Singer, Chattha (Pearson, 73’), Ascona, Noel, Nigro, Gyau (Brewer, 65’), Rodriguez, Pinzon
Las Vegas Bench: Miller, Pearson, Humphrey, O’Driscoll, Brewer, Pickering, Covil
