Perez scores eighth of the season as club hosts Monterey Bay F.C. next weekend
SAN DIEGO (Sept. 24, 2023) – San Diego Loyal SC began a short homestand with a 1-1 draw against visiting Las Vegas Lights FC Sunday at Torero Stadium. The club grinded out the point in front of its home crowd as it continues its push for a USL Championship postseason berth.
Adrien Perez scored for SD Loyal while Daniel Rios found the net for the visitors in the Western Conference matchup. Bunkered for most of the match on their side of the field, Las Vegas defended and waited for opportunities on the counterattack. The strategy would eventually pay off against a SD Loyal team that held possession and constantly pressured up the field.
Las Vegas (3W-18L-10D, 19 points) opened up the scoring in the 16th minute with Rios’ goal. The striker was standing wide open near the mouth of the SD Loyal goal when a shot by Tyler Bagley was blocked by Koke Vegas and ricocheted to him. Rios tapped the ball into an open net to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. The play started from a long pass by Las Vegas goalkeeper Leonardo Diaz through the left flank as the visitors continued to play for opportunities on the counterattack.
Eleven minutes later, SD Loyal finally broke through the Las Vegas defense to find the net. Adrien Perez tied the match 1-1 with a header on a corner kick taken by team captain Charlie Adams. Perez headed in his eighth goal of the season as he charged in on the set piece and buried it under the crossbar, leaving Diaz without a chance.
SD Loyal (13W-9L-8D, 47 points), who was coming off a dramatic 3-2 come-from-behind win at Monterey Bay F.C., continued to vie for the game-winner, constantly sending up its lines but Las Vegas either held strong defensively or was on the fortunate end of several SD Loyal opportunities.
SD Loyal will now focus on its next match, a home affair against Monterey Bay F.C. on Saturday, Sept. 30 (7 p.m.). Tickets to the match are available now at sdloyal.com/tickets.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN
LV – Daniel Rios, 16th minute: Rios put back a blocked shot by Koke Vegas from near the goal line to open up the scoring. SD 0, LV 1
SD – Adrien Perez (Charlie Adams), 27th minute: Perez headed in a shot on a corner kick by Charlie Adams to tie the match. SD 1, LV 1
ADDITIONAL NOTES
- Adrien Perez scored his eighth goal of the season.
- Charlie Adams recorded his fifth assist of the season.
Palomar Health Man of the Match: Adrien Perez
