Vargish's View

Opponent: Orange County SC
Match Date: November 10
Location: Weidner Field
Head-to-Head in 2024: Switchbacks 4 (Yosuke Hanya 19’ and ’82, Maalique Foster 63’ and 86’), Orange County 2 (Bryce Jamison 48’ and 61’) on June 15th at Weidner Field in downtown Colorado Springs. Orange County 2 (Speedy Williams own-goal 32’ and Ethan Zubak 95’), Switchbacks 0 on October 9th at Championship Soccer Stadium in Irvine, California.
Doors Open: 3:30pm MT. Tickets remain available HERE!
How to Listen: XTRA Sports 1300am with the Voices of the Switchbacks, Ryan Kaufman and Roland Vargish. Coverage starts at 4pm MT.

Chambo’s Comments: “We controlled large parts of the game last week [against the Oakland Roots], and maybe we weren’t as intentional or deliberate in the final third as we could have been. That being said, winning 2-0 is still a good result in the first round of playoffs. We know we can improve and get a little bit better, so that’s what we’re focused on. “We’re not surprised [by the snow] – we live in Colorado so it’s par for the course. We just adapt, we just figure it out, and make sure that we do our best to be as ready as possible for Saturday [and] give the players the best possible chance to succeed. It was a really good turnout [at Weidner Field] last weekend. We know things will be a little bit colder, but we’ll try to do our very best to entertain [our fans], and we’d like to see as many people out here as possible on Saturday night.”

Orange County Breakdown: “I feel like [Orange County] are in such a good vein of form, and they have been for the last two and a half months,” continued Head Coach Chambers. “And they’ll be buoyed by their result on the road in Memphis. For us [Saturday] is just about trying to put on a performance. “I think [OC Head Coach] Danny [Stone] has done a terrific job there with staff in the background – they’ve got a really good structure about them. They’re set up defensively really, really well and they’re able to hit you in numerous ways – particularly in transition with the pace
that they have in the wide areas. And that being said, they also play some good football and they’re capable of hurting you in possession. They have some qualities that are really testament to the work that’s being done there.

“[OC] have a structure and a set plan in place that has given them a lot of success over the last number of weeks. I don’t see them deterring from that too much this weekend, and we will be prepared as much as possible to try and counter that. We’ve got to make sure that we’re settled for those transition moments. And then when we don’t have possession [we must make sure] we’re solid and we’re trying to be as aggressive as we possibly can be.”

Vargish’s View: For the second match in the 2024 USL Championship Playoffs, the Switchbacks face a team that lost more games than they won. Orange County tasted defeat 14 times during the regular season and have now lifted their win tally to 13 following last Saturday’s 1-0 victory over Memphis 901 FC in Bluff City. But make no mistake, Orange County’s recent form has transformed them in as worthy a playoff adversary as any in the league. OC have won a nice six of their last nine games and have not lost since the final day of August. And they’re a team that’s almost perfectly designed for a playoff run into the very depths of November: they’re strong, tactically disciplined, they don’t mind [more than] a little bit of a scrap, and they love to absorb wave after wave of pressure and hit opponents on counterattacks.

The Switchbacks must resist the two primary traps that OC will set on Saturday night. Get complacent, overconfident and lackadaisical in possession, and Orange County will punish the Switchbacks. And the Switchbacks must not lose their discipline – on October 9th in a 2-0 loss to OC in the Golden State, the Switchbacks were down to 10-men before the end of the first half. That can’t happen. Keep the match 11 vs 11 and maintain care of possession, and the Switchbacks will notch an 11th home win of the season on Saturday in downtown Colorado Springs.

Opponent: Oakland Roots SC
Match Date: November 2
Location: Weidner Field
Head-to-Head in 2024: Oakland 0, Switchbacks 2 (Juan Tejada 71’ and Aidan Rocha 84’) on April 27th , Pioneer Stadium in Hayward, California. Switchbacks 1 (Delentz Pierre 2’), Oakland 0 on June 1st, Weidner Field.
Doors Open: 5pm MT. Limited tickets remain available HERE!
How to Listen: XTRA Sports 1300am with the Voices of the Switchbacks, Ryan Kaufman and Roland Vargish. Coverage starts at 5:30pm MT.

Chambo’s Comments: “[Finishing second in the Western Conference] only puts [us] in the position to play a home game – it’s not like we achieved anything yet. The business end starts now. For us [Saturday is about] making sure that we’re able to manage games. I’m really pleased over the last two weeks with how we managed the games away from home after two difficult ones [at Weidner Field]. I don’t think performances were particularly poor in the Loudon and San Antonio games, but we didn’t manage [them] right. [That goes for] all of us – every single one of us in the building. So for us it’s a case of making sure that we’re able to manage whatever the game throws at us this weekend and, ultimately try and put on a performance that entertains these people who come out on Saturday. We’re excited. More often than not we’ve given [the home fans] value for money, but we let them down the last two times they were here, and we don’t like that feeling. We are happy that we get a game back here – absolutely – but that’s only the first part of it. Part two is to make sure that we entertain these people [and] put on a performance and give them value for money.”

Roots Roundup: “[Johnny Rodriguez] is the one who gets the goals [for the Roots],” continued Head Coach Chambers. “He plays primarily as the nine – and if you play as the nine, you’re probably the goal scorer, aren’t you? So realistically he’s one of them, but there’s a number of other players they could go with. [Trayvone] Reid, [Baboucarr] Njie, [Justin] Rasmussen [and] also on the other side [with José Luis] Sinisterra. They have a lot of attacking threats. “I think the games [against the Oakland Roots] have been so far in the past [that] it doesn’t really take into consideration what’s happened [this season]. Historically Oakland have been really good on the road in the playoffs, so you could look at it from that standpoint. They’ve also had two really good road results – gone to Memphis and drawn [and] went to Vegas and won. So I don’t take too much from the last two games [against Oakland]. [Interim Head Coach] Gavin [Glinton] was new in the position when they came here [on June 1st ] and then obviously he’s had a lot more time since then to embed what he wants to do. We haven’t seen them live in a long time, so it’ll be a completely different game. Ultimately, we have to make sure that we put on a performance that we haven’t done here [at Weidner Field] over the last number of weeks, so that’s been our focus.”

Vargish’s View: Scoring first on Saturday is undoubtedly the key for the Switchbacks. Oakland have not won a match after conceding the first goal since a 2-1 victory on June 19th over this season’s Western Conference cellar-dwellers, El Paso Locomotive. Oakland’s negative 20 goal differential is by far the worst of any team who made the 2024 USL Championship Playoffs. The Roots have suffered four shutout defeats by at least three goals this season, including last Saturday’s 5-0 loss at the hands of the Birmingham Legion at Pioneer Stadium in the East Bay. A silver lining for the Roots (can you say that after a 5-0 loss to a Birmingham team that had already been eliminated from playoff contention?) to emerge from last weekend was the fact some bigger name players were given minutes off. But Oakland have not responded well to lopsided defeats this season: a 5-2 loss to Sacramento Republic followed their 5-0 defeat at the Pittsburgh Riverhounds, and a 1-0 home loss to San Antonio came a week after their 5-0
humbling in North Carolina. The same things that have rung true all season for the Switchbacks remain on Saturday evening: pace of play, tempo, and aggression must all be dictated and pushed by the hosts.

Opponent: San Antonio FC
Match Date: October 12
Location: Weidner Field
Doors Open: 5pm MT. Limited tickets remain available HERE! for the final regular season game at Weidner Field in 2024! The first 5,000 patrons through the gates will receive Switchbacks fan paddles, courtesy of Creative Consortium! Fans are encouraged to wear black for Fan Appreciation Night!
How to Listen: XTRA Sports 1300 app and xtrasports1300.com with the Voices of the Switchbacks, Ryan Kaufman and Roland Vargish. Coverage starts at 5:30pm MT.

Chambo’s Comments: “We didn’t start the game [a 2-0 loss to Orange County SC on Wednesday night in Irvine, California] as well as we should have and as we would have liked. We were a little bit slow to get going and [we] got punished. That being said, I thought the response from the players was absolutely terrific. I thought in the second half we were by far the better team with 10 players and I’m really proud of the boys [for] the effort they put forward and probably, on another night, we could have got out of there with a draw, but that wasn’t to be. “The personnel that we have available are the personnel, but there are boys in the background that have been chomping at the bit [and] training for the whole season trying to get these
opportunities to play minutes and they’ll get them. [We are] a little bit light [in terms of squad numbers due to international call-ups] but that’s part of soccer [and] it’s part of the season. We don’t make any excuses – we just move forward. “[San Antonio have been] stop-start [this season] but I think over the last couple of weeks – this week in particular – with the Sacramento result and El Paso they’ve turned the corner. They’ve gone back to what they’re good at and to what’s made them successful, so they’ll be a threat. Whatever they do, we’ve got to make sure that we’re worried [and focused on] ourselves. “We are excited to be back [at Weidner Field for the final regular season home game of 2024] – we’re really looking forward to it! I think we were really disappointed [with] how the last home game went and how we feel like we let people down. And to be completely honest, we’ve got to
make sure we pay them back and give them what they come for. That’s what we’re really focused on. We need [the crowd]. We’ve needed them for the last 16 games. The boys are really behind them [and] the fans are really behind the boys, so it’s important that everybody comes out and blows the roof off this place!”

Vargish’s View: Earlier this season, San Antonio attempted to be an open, offensive, and frankly more pleasing team to watch. But a leopard can’t change its spots. SAFC are now back to what they’ve always been; tough, physical, in-your-face, and extremely difficult to beat – at home or on the road. San Antonio’s 2-0 win over the Switchbacks on March 23 rd at Toyota Field occurred so long ago that it barely warrants mention, let alone tactical dissection – Scottie Scheffler had just won the Players Championship, and the 2024 Olympics were still four months away. The Switchbacks’ last three results have been frustrating – two draws and a loss in Orange County on Wednesday evening – but their home form throughout 2024 has been imperious. Ten home wins is fourth-most in the entire USL Championship, and the Switchbacks are desperate to send their faithful fans home happy after their final regular season home game. The key to defeating San Antonio? Same as always. Fall for SAFC’s physical, scrappy, and choppy play which often explores the darkest arts of North American soccer, and San Antonio can (and will) grind out a result, even at Weidner Field. Keep the ball in play and resist the [frequent] temptations to retaliate, and the Switchbacks’ style will lead to another memorable Weidner Field Saturday night.

Opponent: El Paso Locomotive FC
Match Date: September 21
Location: Southwest University Park
Kickoff: 7pm MT
How to Listen: XTRA Sports 1300am with the Voices of the Switchbacks, Ryan Kaufman and Roland Vargish – coverage starts at 6:30pm MT.

Coach Chambers’ Comments: “I think for us [in the 2-0 win over Charleston at Weidner Field] it was a completely different type of performance [from games] over the last number of weeks. I don’t feel like we were particularly great with the ball – we could have been a little bit better and probably created more opportunities for ourselves in the game. But the reality is that we didn’t give anything away defensively and we worked extremely hard for one another and won second balls. We fought in every single moment that we needed to fight and that’s what was most pleasing. It wasn’t an electric attacking performance – it was more of a team win that was focused on all 16 players, including the subs. They all really worked as hard as they possibly could to make sure that we got the three points.”

Look at the Locomotive: “[El Paso have had a] coaching change and brought in a lot more personnel since we’ve last seen them. They’re fighting for their lives and they’re a little bit off the playoff line, so they obviously know how important their home games are. This is one of them that they’re probably earmarking to take three points off [of] us. We’ve got to make sure that we’re aware of the threats they pose. They have some really good players in attack [and] we’re aware of what we’re facing. [El Paso are] defensively solid – they’ve obviously conceded three [goals] last weekend against Indy [Eleven], but prior to that they had three clean sheets in a row. That [defensive structure] is something that Wilmer [Cabrera, El Paso Locomotive’s Head Coach] really prides himself on and we’ve got to make sure that we’re at our best on Saturday night. “[El Paso] is a really nice environment to play in. The fans are good [and] it’s a cool city, but we are there for a job. They have a lot of attacking threats that they can throw at us and we just have to make sure that we’re focused on ourselves as we go down there, and make sure that we put on a performance.”

Vargish’s View: Four consecutive wins has the Switchbacks surging and the hottest team in the USL Championship. The Locomotive’s struggles in 2024 have been well documented, with El Paso flying in the face of convention by registering four wins on their travels and just one in the familiar surroundings of Southwest University Park in Far West Texas. The Switchbacks’ last two trips away from Weidner Field have produced a total of six goals, and on Saturday night they will look to score multiple goals in their fifth consecutive match.

Opponent: Memphis 901 FC
Match Date: August 28
Location: Weidner Field
Doors Open: 6pm MT. Limited tickets remain available HERE!
How to Listen: XTRA Sports 1300am with the Voices of the Switchbacks, Ryan Kaufman and Roland Vargish – coverage starts at 6:30pm MT.

Chambo’s Comments: “It was [disappointing against New Mexico United],” said Head Coach James Chambers. “I don’t think we were as good as we could have been in the first half – [we were] a bit passive out of possession. We weren’t good on the night on the ball – and that’s the reality of how the game was. I think for us it was it was disappointing to lose it, but we didn’t do enough to win it [and] that’s the reality and we just have to move on. “Obviously [Memphis 901 score] a lot of goals. [They have a] really good attacking core and they’re in a good spot right now [with] a couple good results – going to Oakland and taking a point. [They will] come here and be themselves, but we’re just looking forward to getting back on the field, honestly. I think we’re disappointed – everybody is – with how Saturday went [and] that happens, but it’s how you respond which is the most important thing. “[We have] three games this week, but the reality is [that] we didn’t get what we wanted at the weekend, and we’ve got to make sure on Wednesday [that] we put our best foot forward and try to take the points that are on offer. We’ll do our best, but we just need to respond with a performance. I think when you lose a game you have to look at yourself first and foremost as a coach, and then obviously [team] personnel and how things unfolded [against New Mexico]. So we’ll do our due diligence and we’ll make sure that we’re ready to go. The boys we put on the field [on Wednesday] will be eager to put a performance on. We felt like we let people down here [at Weidner Field on] Saturday night – that’s how we feel. So we’ve got to make sure that we repay [the fans] on Wednesday. We love [playing at Weidner Field] and, again, we have 17 home games, so not everything is going to go in our favor. But we need to make sure [that] we give [the fans] the value for their money – which we’ve done this year. We didn’t [do that last] Saturday, so we’ll make sure we do it on Wednesday!”

Vargish’s View: This is a crazy week for the Switchbacks. Three games in just nine days is always going to be a huge ask, especially with all three of the Switchbacks’ opponents currently residing in the top seven of the USL Championship’s Western Conference. Memphis 901 and the Switchbacks played out a tense and at times physical 1-1 draw in the Bluff City on June 8th, with that game unlikely to have any carry-over to Wednesday night. Memphis have twice recorded five-goal outbursts since the June 8th match: against Phoenix Rising on June 28th, and just two weeks ago in a 5-1 annihilation of Miami FC. The Switchbacks will make changes on Wednesday evening, and those tasked with playing must arrest a slide that’s seen just one win since a 4th of July victory over FC Tulsa.

Opponent: New Mexico United
Match Date: August 24
Location: Weidner Field
Doors Open: 6pm MT on Cyan Night! The first fans through the gates will receive limited edition clear tote bags, courtesy of Weidner Apartment Homes!! Limited tickets remain available HERE!
How to Listen: XTRA Sports 1300am with the Voices of the Switchbacks, Ryan Kaufman and Roland Vargish – coverage starts at 6:30pm MT.

Chambo’s Comments: “It was a good point [in Pittsburgh],” said Head Coach James Chambers. “I think it was the least we deserved in the game. I thought we were solid for the majority of the game [and] gave up a couple of sloppy goals from set pieces, but from open play I don’t feel like we were overly threatened. [We] had some good moments late in the game that could have turned it in our favor a little earlier. [The team has] shown [their character] numerous times this year. To get a point on the road, in a really difficult place [to play], and ultimately [to score] two goals against Pittsburgh, that’s no joke. “[New Mexico] are flying. They’re having a really good season and they’re finding ways to win. It doesn’t matter what the game gives [New Mexico], they’re finding ways to win, so kudos to them. But also, we’re at home – we [have to] look after ourselves and make sure that we can bridge that gap a little bit to the [teams] ahead of us. “[New Mexico] have a number of options in the attacking third [of the field], and the reality is that we just have to make sure that we put our best foot forward. The guys are locked in from a defensive standpoint and, then ultimately, on the other end our Achillies heel has been scoring multiple goals. So hopefully we can change that in the last 11 games. “We’re buzzing to be back [at Weidner Field]. We want everyone back [here at the stadium before they] head back to school. [We] just can’t wait to see everybody and make sure that they make enough noise – it’s a derby game – so we want to make it uncomfortable on the field and off the field for New Mexico!”

Vargish’s View: Nine goals in their last three games illustrate New Mexico United’s prodigious scoring power. But it’s also notable that United have not held an opponent scoreless since July 3 rd – and have conceded five goals in their last two matches. NM stand atop the USL Championship’s Western Conference but do so with a goal difference that trails the two clubs who are nearest to them in the table – a clear sign that while New Mexico undoubtably have the quality and experience to win games, they often do so by a narrow margin. Goals can be had against Saturday’s visitors to Weidner Field, but the Switchbacks are going to have to contend with one of the most dynamic attacks in the USL. There are changes aplenty
for the Switchbacks roster as the season begins the final kick toward the Playoffs. There will be no changes to how Saturday’s hosts play, as they will look to attack New Mexico with pace and add another chapter to the always-intriguing Four Corners rivalry.

Opponent: Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

Match Date: August 17 

Location: Highmark Stadium

Kickoff: 5pm MT 

How to Listen: XTRA Sports 1300am with the Voices of the Switchbacks, Ryan Kaufman and Roland Vargish – coverage starts at 4:30pm MT. 

Chambo’s Comments: “It was just a really off night all around [in a 4-1 loss at North Carolina FC].  It wasn’t our best foot forward and [North Carolina] were pretty clinical with the chances they got.  That being said, we could have easily got[ten] out of there with a draw.  We chased the game – which is part of who we are and what we want to do, and [we] got hit the other way [and] that’s part of life.  We know that we’re better than that, and we’ll definitely make sure we put our best foot forward this weekend.  We’re not too demoralized with the result last weekend.  We know that it wasn’t our best foot that we put forward, [and now we need to] make sure we erase that and focus on this weekend.

“[Pittsburgh Head Coach Bob Lilley is a] top, top coach!  [I have] all the respect in the world for him [and] what he’s done with the organization.  I think they’ve just kind of got back to who and what they are. [They had a slow start to the season which is] similar to ourselves.  And obviously Bob is more experienced than all of us coaches in this league put together – he’s just stayed true to it, and [has] turned it into their favor now.  They’ve been great over the last couple of weeks [and gotten] some good results at home, and we know what we’re getting into when we go to Highmark [Stadium].  It’s a really difficult place to go, but we’re excited to just get back to having another game and to put the last one behind us.”

On New Signing Justin Dhillon: “Well, he’s good at soccer, so that helps,” joked Head Coach Chambers when asked about the Switchbacks’ most recent addition.  “He’s a terrific person and a really good professional [and an] excellent teammate.  All the boxes from a recruitment standpoint were ticked, and he offers us a different dimension in the final third and helps us have different solutions.  [He’s] still fitting in [to the group and] still getting adjusted to stuff, but [we’re] really excited to have him on board.”

Vargish’s View: The Switchbacks need a bounce back after last weekend, and the Riverhounds, in the Steel City, present a uniquely tricky challenge.  Yes, Saturday’s hosts sit in 10^th place in the USL Championship’s Eastern Conference at the time of writing; and that’s not great.  But the Riverhounds have not lost since July 6^th and are six games unbeaten – having outscored their opponents 10-2 during that stretch.  Former George Mason University Patriot Bob Lilley is one of the most respected coaches in the league, and for good reason.  The Riverhounds will be organized, tactically prepared, and as difficult to break down as any team the Switchbacks have faced this season.  To get a result on Saturday evening, the Switchbacks are going to have to invent ways to get their speed players into one-on-one situations, while Pittsburgh will try to grind the match down and find three points through a clean-sheet and a timely lone goal.  

Opponent: North Carolina FC
Match Date: August 10
Location: WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina
Kickoff: 5:30pm MT
How to Listen: XTRA Sports 1300am with the Voices of the Switchbacks, Ryan Kaufman and Roland Vargish – coverage starts at 5pm MT.

McCann’s Musings: “[We are] looking forward to [the trip to North Carolina],” said Switchbacks Technical Director Alan McCann. “[North Carolina FC are] good. They’re a stingy group defensively. They don’t give up a lot – especially in open play, and [on] set pieces they’re very,
very good. They’re very sturdy, and when they’re allowed to sit in to a low block or a compact block they’re really, really hard to break down – so we have to figure that side of it out. And the big thing is [that] we have to change our away form – that’s our main focus this week. “You’ve got to limit [North Carolina FC striker Evan Conway] on the ball versus [Oalex] Anderson. Anderson is big in space [and] he’s big in transition, but Evan is going to come to the game – he’s going to come off [the ball and] he’s going to try to get on [the ball]. So we have to be smart in that, and I think they both possess two different threats, so we have to be ready for both. But yeah, [Conway is] an accomplished player in this league, but we’ve come up against plenty of them before and we’ve been able to figure it out, so it’s our job to figure another one out. “I think if you watch our last previous game where we’re one-nil up and the subs have come on and [then] we’ve kept the ball for two and a half minutes – I think that’s a big part of [being successful]. Game management [is key], whether we are up [a goal] or we are down. We know that [North Carolina FC] concede late goals, so [we must believe] that if we haven’t knocked the door down in the first half or in the first hour, something can still be there [for us]. But if we’re
leading, it’s [about] game management – it’s [about] looking like a champion, realistically. [In the] second half [of the 2-0 win over Phoenix Rising last Saturday at Weidner Field in downtown Colorado Springs] we really looked [good]. [And] although we gave up some chances, we really
looked [like we were managing the game] against Phoenix, so more of that [is needed in North Carolina].”

Vargish’s View: The Switchbacks have not won away from Southern Colorado since a 2-0 victory over Hartford Athletic on May 11 th . They must improve their away form as they continue to ensconce themselves in the heart of the playoff positions in the USL Championship’s Western Conference. North Carolina have struggled at times in 2024 but remain locked in a battle for the 8 th and final playoff spot in the East. Saturday evening’s match in the City of Oaks promises to be cagey and tense, with North Carolina relying on a miserly defense that’s conceded just five
goals since the end of June. The Switchbacks were at their free-flowing best against Phoenix Rising, and a confident and attacking display is required against North Carolina.

Opponent: Phoenix Rising FC
Match Date: August 3rd
Location: Weidner Field
Doors Open: 6pm MT. Limited tickets remain available HERE!
How to Listen: XTRA Sports 1300am with the Voices of the Switchbacks, Ryan Kaufman and Roland Vargish – coverage starts at 6:30pm MT.

Chambo’s Comments: “We did everything we could [against the Las Vegas Lights] from a team perspective and the players did everything they could, it just didn’t fall in our favor in certain moments. We need the crowd [at Weidner Field]. We love the crowd and they give us an extra yard [and they really do help push the ball into the back of the net]. It really does make a difference, and we need [the crowd] again this weekend. We can’t wait to see [our fans] and we want to make sure that we make up for the point that we got last week [against Las Vegas] and we want to try and get three [points] this weekend. “There are a couple of [niggling injuries in the squad], but more or less the majority [are] fine. There are one or two that are questionable as we go into the weekend, but we will give them every opportunity [to be fit and play]. The boys are ready to go. They’re pretty pissed about last weekend – as we all are – so we are eager to put on a performance for everybody that comes out on Saturday.”

Peek at Phoenix: “[Phoenix has] had a couple good results over the last few weeks. It was a tough trip to Hartford [Athletic] last week [for Phoenix Rising] and they beat El Paso [Locomotive] pretty comfortably [the week before]. They’re in a good spot right now with the coaching change and the players are performing well. “Phoenix had a really tough travel day the day before [the 0-0 draw in Hartford last Friday night], so that does play into [the result] as much as people may not think [that it does] and want to use it as an excuse – it does become a factor. [Phoenix] won’t have that [travel issue] coming here! We are aware of what’s coming into the building [on Saturday] – there’s no question about that. “I thought [Phoenix] were aggressive enough against Hartford, and I think they’ll be similar [on Saturday evening]. They were aggressive against El Paso, and I think that’s what the coach [Interim Head Coach Diego Gómez] wants to do. I don’t know for definite, but I’m guessing from what I’ve seen [that Phoenix will be aggressive]. They’re still a possession-based team – there’s no change there.”

Vargish’s View: Defending USL Championship winners Phoenix Rising sit in 9th place in the Western Conference with a record of 6-7-6: not where perennial powerhouse Phoenix are accustomed to finding themselves in early August. Quality abounds on the Rising roster, but consistency has been fleeting in 2024. One of Phoenix’s wins this season came against the Switchbacks after a 1-0 victory in the Valley of the Sun on April 13th . Saturday evening boils down to the simplest of questions: can the Switchbacks take their chances? Free flowing and entertaining soccer will be on show as both teams want to move the ball quickly and play on the front foot. The Switchbacks have been one of the most aesthetically pleasing teams in the league this season, but at times have been left wanting in front of goals. Old rivals Phoenix Rising will come to Weidner Field and be open and attacking. To get a result, the Switchbacks need to match Phoenix and play their own offensive, quick-transition brand of soccer.

Opponent: Las Vegas Lights FC
Match Date: July 26
Location: Weidner Field
Doors Open: 6pm MT for Christmas in July! Limited tickets remain available HERE! First fans through the gates will receive a limited-edition Switchbacks scarf courtesy of KOAA News 5!
How to Listen: XTRA Sports 1300am with the Voices of the Switchbacks, Ryan Kaufman and Roland Vargish – coverage starts at 6:30pm MT.

Coach Chamber’s Comments: “Obviously the two results [in our last two games, at Birmingham Legion and at Louisville City] weren’t what we wanted,” said Head Coach James Chambers. “[There were] some positives to take from it and [there were] also some huge learning [experiences] from us as a group. We’ve got to take the next step now and be able to go to these environments and win the game. I think we put ourselves in a position to do that twice and [we] didn’t get over the line, so we’ve [got] work to do. Even if [Louisville City] don’t score in the last minute, we tie the game and we’re still disappointed [in the result]. And that’s where we need to go from a mindset standpoint – that we need to go to these places [and] not just put on half decent performances. We have got to go there and win games and get results, and we’re working hard to do that. “We are buzzing [to be back at Weidner Field. Buzzing! We absolutely can’t wait to be here on Friday night. We can’t wait to see everybody. We want to make sure that [the fans are] entertained [and that] they come here and they scream their heads off so that the roof literally comes off this place. We can’t wait to be back here – we really can’t!”

Views on Vegas: “Vegas was very good [on June 18 th ],” continued Head Coach Chambers. “We were decent in patches in the game, [and] they came back into it, obviously. But for us it was a huge point from a character standpoint to score so late in the game with Ronaldo’s header, but this is a month on – it’s a completely different game [with] completely different teams [who are] in different form. [Vegas] is very hot right now; eight games unbeaten. They’re the in- form team [in the league] – going on the road to Sacramento [and] on the road to El Paso [where they] got really good results. They will come here buoyed full of confidence. “[The Lights have] just found consistency. Obviously [Head Coach] Dennis [Sanchez] has gone
in there and done a really good job, and with new ownership and stuff upstairs I think they’ve flipped the script a little bit on what they want to do and how they want to go about things. And I think the message – and again I might be speaking untoward – but the message that they are consistently preaching looks like it’s coming out now and they are playing some good stuff. They’ve got some really talented players and it’s going to be a good game.”

Vargish’s View: While there’s no doubt [the film] was Nicolas Cage’s finest ever performance, the Switchbacks didn’t reach their highest levels while Leaving Las Vegas last month with a point. While not as chaotic as the 3-3 score line would suggest, the mid-June clash between the Lights and Switchbacks offers great insight into the dynamic that will unfold on Friday night’s match at Weidner Field. The game will at times be scrappy and chippy, but free-flowing offensive soccer will be on show. The Switchbacks desperately deserved more than a pair of 2-1 road losses, but to quote William Munny in Unforgiven, “deserves got nothing to do with it.” The Switchbacks have won their last six matches at Weidner Field, and history against the Las Vegas Lights suggests that Colorado Springs will need at least a couple goals to clinch all three points on Friday night.