• LV Lights (3 wins, 4 draws/ties, and 4 defeats) currently sit in 13^th position in the Western Conference, 10 places and 12 points behind Rising in 3^rd position.  However, the new USL club has 3 games in hand on most of its rivals, including Rising.
• Tonight is the first of 3 USL encounters between both clubs.  Rising are due to visit Nevada on August 18 and October 10, with the August encounter likely to attract a large away following.
• Head Coach Isidro Sánchez has opted for an interesting blend of local players and international experience at Cashman Field.
• Local players featuring in the Lights’ roster include 21 year-old midfielder Adolfo Guzman, former Roughnecks midfielder Julian Portugal, 22 year-old defender Marco César Jaime Jr., and attacking midfielder Matt Thomas.
• Matt Thomas already has 2 goals to his name this season, and is no stranger to Arizona, following a spell at Real Salt Lake’s Academy residency program in Casa Grande.
• Jaime originally signed with Liga MX club Deportivo Toluca as a 15 year-old, and debuted in the first division two years later.  He was also named to the Mexican National Team’s preliminary pool roster for the 2015 Under-20 FIFA World Cup.
• Lights’ seasoned professionals include Adu, Kobayishi, Huiqui, and Ochoa.
• Former U.S. international Freddy Adu plays as an attacking midfielder, winger or forward.  The youngest American to sign a major league professional contract in any team sport at the age of 14 back in 2004, Adu played 133 regular and 9 postseason MLS games for DC United, Real Salt Lake and Philadelphia Union, scoring 19 goals.  He also enjoyed 4 years at Benfica in Portugal (11 appearances, 2 goals), during which he was temporarily sent out on loan to AS Monaco (France), Belenenses (Portugal), Aris (Greece), and Caykur Rizeport (Turkey).  Brief spells also followed at Bahia (Brazil), FK Jagodina (Serbia) and KuPS (Finland), before he joined the Tampa Bay Rowdies for 2 seasons in 2015.  This season, Adu has played 6 times for Lights, scoring once in the recent 4-1 home win over the Switchbacks.
• Central defender Joel Huiqui played 370 times for 6 Mexican clubs, 2002-2018, including Cruz Azul and Morelia.  Capped 14 times for the Mexico national side, Huiqui is as effective going forward as defending, already scoring twice for Lights this season.  These were the winner away to Fresno on the opening day of the season, and the opening goal in a 1-1 draw at home to Sacramento on April 14.
• 35 year-old Japanese midfielder Daigo Kobayishi has also scored twice for Lights this season, both goals coming in the 7-2 loss away to Los Dos.  Kobayishi enjoyed 5 seasons in the MLS at Vancouver Whitecaps (30 appearances, 2 goals) and the New England Revolution (94 appearances, 2 goals).  His impressive resume includes 10 seasons in Japan for Tokyo Verdy, Omiya Adija, and Shimizu S-Pulse; and 3 seasons in Europe for Stabæk (Norway) and Iraklis Thessaloniki (Greece).  Capped once by Japan in a 2006 friendly against Trinidad and Tobago, Kobayishi collected Emperor’s Cup and Super Cup winner’s medals in 2004 and 2005 respectively.
• Former Sounders forward Samuel Ochoa has starred in the USL since 2015, first at Tulsa (54 appearances, 20 goals), and then Sacramento Republic (27 appearances, 8 goals).  Capped 6 times by the U.S. at U20 and U23 level, Ochoa opened his account for Lights, scoring in their last game against the Switchbacks.  He is one of 3 Lights players to clock up all 990 minutes of USL action this season.
• Lights’ two other ever-presents are midfielder Carlos Alvarez and goalkeeper Ricardo Ferriño.
• Alvarez played 40 games for Chivas USA in the MLS in 2013-14, scoring twice.  The older brother of Efrain at Los Dos, Alvarez has previously played for Colorado Rapids (11 appearances, 0 goals), Charlotte Independence (21 appearances, 2 goals), San Antonio (30 appearances, 4 goals), and Orange County (19 appearances, 2 goals).  Alvarez is Lights’ top scorer to date with 4 goals.
• Goalkeeper Ricardo Ferriño has also featured in all 11 games this season.  The 5ft 10″ Mexican appeared 7 times for Venados last season in the Liga de Ascenso, the second tier of the Mexican football league.  He has kept 1 clean sheet for Lights (away to Monarchs on April 30), and conceded 7 of his 15 goals in a single game away to Los Dos.  Ferriño has a 63% save success rate.

• One name that needs no introduction to Rising fans is Eric Avila.  The attacking midfielder was part of the 2017 Rising squad, and can draw upon significant MLS experience from Chivas USA, FC Dallas, Toronto, and Orlando City.  Avila has appeared twice for Lights this season.
• A player expected to make his debut tonight is defender Nico Samayoa, who joined on loan from New England Revolution on Monday.  Another recent defensive addition, Rodrigo Inigo, remains ineligible until the international transfer window reopens on July 10.
• The form book suggests that Lights are most likely to score in the first 30 minutes of either half.
• The match officials could also be in for a busy evening.  Lights have collected a staggering 38 yellow and 3 red cards in their first 11 games!  Huiqui has collected 6 of the cautions.  Christian Torres, Marcelo Alatorre, and Matt Thomas have all received a red card.

From The Ashes Prediction: 2-1 home win for Rising