Lights FC midfielder Matt Thomas stakes claim to starting spot
Lights FC technical director Jose Luis Sanchez Sola wanted to come out of the team’s local combine in December with at least one potential signee.
Turns out, he found the Lights’ first goal scorer.
Attacking midfielder Matt Thomas left Rocky Mountain College this winter to attend the tryout and chase his pro soccer dreams. The 22-year-old Las Vegas native made those dreams come true Saturday against Fresno FC, scoring 70 seconds into the game for the fastest goal by an expansion team in United Soccer League history.
“When we had an open player combine, we wanted to find players from Las Vegas,” Sola said. “And now the first goal ever for the Las Vegas Lights comes from a guy born in Las Vegas. I’m very, very happy, because this team is for Las Vegas and Matt Thomas is of Las Vegas.”
Thomas, a former Palo Verde High standout, helped the Bears go 16-1-2 his senior season in college before attracting Sola’s attention at the combine with his speed and strong left foot.
He worked with the second team most of the preseason, but in the week before the Lights’ first game, he started mixing in with the starters and learned Saturday morning he would be in the 11. Now, he’s staked his claim to that spot after scoring a goal and earning a place on the USL’s Team of the Week.
“Once you get the start, it’s just an opportunity, nothing more that that,” Thomas said. “You have to go out and prove yourself and prove that you deserve that spot.”
Silver state showdown
The rivalry series between the Lights and Reno 1868 was dubbed the Silver State Cup, the clubs announced Wednesday. The teams will play for a traditional soccer cup trophy based on how many points they accumulate in their three meetings this season.
The Lights host Reno at 8 p.m. Saturday at Cashman Field in their home opener, then travel north Aug. 28 and Sept. 22.
Status/injury updates
The Lights’ 3-2 win over Fresno had one downside: a right knee injury to starting midfielder Juan Jose Calderon.
Calderon, who led the team with three preseason goals, will miss the next four to six weeks.
The other players not practicing with the team Tuesday were defenders Miguel Garduno and Jorge Guillen-Torres, who were nursing lower-body injuries. Garduno, a starter, said he would be ready for Saturday’s game.
Also, defender Marcelo Alatorre’s status for Saturday is still unclear after he sat out the Fresno game because of an International Transfer Certificate issue. Midfielder Freddy Adu should be available after he tweeted he did not travel to Fresno because his contract wasn’t registered with the league in time.
Special guest
Mexican women’s national team forward Renae Cuellar has practiced with the Lights this week.
Cuellar, who has seven goals in 31 appearances for Mexico, is married to Lights midfielder Carlos Alvarez.
Shirts off their backs
The Lights trained with local youth soccer players Wednesday and announced a new initiative afterward: The team will give away its game-worn jerseys after each home match and sign autographs.
More Lights: Follow all of our Las Vegas Lights FC coverage online at reviewjournal.com/lights and @RJ_Sports on Twitter.
Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.