THREE THINGS THAT MATTERED

1. The second meeting of the season for the Silver State Cup between Reno 1868 FC and Las Vegas Lights FC looked destined to end in a draw until Antoine Hoppenot scored a dramatic winner in the fifth minute of stoppage time to send the crowd at Greater Nevada Field into massive celebrations as their side claimed a 2-1 victory to put itself in position to claim the season series between the Nevada clubs. Hoppenot’s volleyed finish off Guy Abend’s lifted through-ball gave 1868 FC a crucial three points in the bigger picture, keeping the side in contention for a top-four finish in the Western Conference, but more than that the ending provided the first transcendent moment in the series’ inaugural season.

2. Toronto FC II pulled off its biggest win of the season so far as a pair of goals by Tsubasa Endoh and some key saves at the other end by goalkeeper Caleb Patterson-Sewell saw the visitors down Louisville City FC 4-1 at Slugger Field on Tuesday night. Endoh continued where he left off against Indy Eleven last Wednesday night to produce a pair of high-quality finishes, the second off a tremendous upfield move that saw a clever backheel by Shaan Hundal open up the shooting chance on the left side that saw the Reds claim a major road upset.

3. Nashville SC had no such trouble in claiming a 4-0 victory against the Richmond Kickers at First Tennessee Park, which moved the hosts into seventh place in the Eastern Conference as Tucker Hume bagged a pair of headed goals against a Richmond defense that has now conceded 10 goals over its past two games. Both of Hume's finishes came off deliveries by Michael Reed, who also provided the assist on Bradley Bourgeois' goal early in the second half to become the fourth player this season to record three assists in one game as Nashville rebounded strongly from its defeat this past Saturday to claim its eighth home win of the season.

GAME REPORTS

RENO 1868 FC (2), LAS VEGAS LIGHTS FC (1)

RENO, Nev. – Antoine Hoppenot scored in the fifth minute of stoppage time to lift Reno 1868 FC to a 2-1 victory against Las Vegas Lights FC at Greater Nevada Field, giving the hosts the edge in the Silver State Cup series with one game remaining. The teams exchanged big chances early, with Las Vegas hitting the post in the fifth minute on an effort by Sammy Ochoa from the edge of the area, but on the following counterattack Reno’s Brian Brown got in behind the Lights FC defense and lifted his finish over the advancing goalkeeper and into the open net. The game remained that way until Lights FC struck two minutes into the second half as Ochoa centered cleverly to set up Carlos Alvarez for a low finish to the left corner to level the score. Ochoa then threatened with a good header from a corner moments later that was saved by Reno’s J.T. Marcinkowski, with Ochoa firing the rebound off the outside of the left post from a narrow angle, while 1868 FC’s Duke Lacroix went close with a bending finish from 20 yards that went just wide of the right post just before the hour-mark. Reno’s Guy Abend sent an effort high with nine minutes to go after making a nice late run into the penalty area that was picked out by Hoppenot, and Seth Casiple almost picked out the top-right corner with a free kick in the 88th minute that Lights FC goalkeeper Ricardo Ferriño tipped over the crossbar. Lights FC’s Raul Mendiola flashed a shot just wide of the right post in the final minute, but in the final attack of the game Hoppenot hit a volleyed finish home off a lifted through-ball by Abend to give the hosts all three points.

USLSoccer.com Man of the Match
Antoine Hoppenot, Reno 1868 FC – Hoppenot’s winner at the death, deep in stoppage time, lifted Reno to victory and a big three points as the side snapped its four-game winless streak in dramatic fashion.

NASHVILLE SC (4), RICHMOND KICKERS (0)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nashville SC swept to a 4-0 victory against the Richmond Kickers to rebound strongly from defeat in its last outing at First Tennessee Park. Nashville almost took the lead in the third minute as Kris Tyrpak headed just over from the top of the six-yard area. Richmond also threatened twice in the early going as a deflected shot by Braeden Troyer was palmed wide by Nashville goalkeeper Matt Pickens in the 11th minute, and Pickens was called on again to deny Luiz Fernando five minutes later, but Nashville took the lead three minutes before halftime as Tucker Hume headed home a deep cross from the right by Michael Reed from the top-left corner of the six-yard area. The hosts then doubled their lead three minutes into the second half in similar circumstances with Bradley Bourgeois putting home Reed’s corner kick with a header that tucked just inside the left post, and Matt LaGrassa added a third with a redirection of Kosuke Kimura’s low cross from the right in the 57th minute. Richmond worked to try and find a consolation goal and came close with 10 minutes to go only for Brian Shriver’s finish to spin wide of the left post, while Pickens made a smothering save to keep out a chance for Giuseppe Gentile four minutes later, but NSC held firm as Pickens recorded his 12th shutout of the season.

USLSoccer.com Man of the Match
Michael Reed, San Antonio FC – Reed recorded three assists and finished the night with seven key passes in addition to completing 63 of 74 passes and recording three tackles.

LOUISVILLE CITY FC (1), TORONTO FC II (4)

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Tsubasa Endoh recorded two goals and one assist to lead Toronto FC II to a 4-1 victory against Louisville City FC at Slugger Field. Louisville thought it had taken the lead in the 11th minute only for Kyle Smith to have strayed just offside before finishing off a good passing move, and again 16 minutes later when Cameron Lancaster was caught by Toronto’s defensive line, but it was the visitors that struck first in the 28th minute when Endoh got in behind the defense and fired home a low finish into the right corner of the net for his second goal in as many games. Louisville hit back in the 37th minute as a cross by Niall McCabe found its way to Ilija Ilic, who made space to finish from 10 yards into the left corner, and it took a pair of big saves by TFC II goalkeeper Caleb Patterson-Sewell to keep out a pair of good efforts by Speedy Williams either side of halftime. Endoh put Toronto back ahead in the 64th minute with a low finish that capped a great upfield move by the visitors led by Dante Campbell and Shaan Hundal, and Malik Johnson added a third six minutes later after Matt Srbely had knifed through the defense on the right before centering for the finish. Louisville pressed late to find a way back into the game, but Toronto capped its victory in stoppage time as a three-on-one breakaway resulted in Endoh setting up Campbell for a simple finish.   

USLSoccer.com Man of the Match
Tsubasa Endoh, Toronto FC II – Endoh scored Toronto’s opening two goals and added a late assist with a pair of crisp finishes to help lead Toronto to its first road victory of the season.