Lexington Sporting Club reached a 2-2 draw at Fresno State University Soccer Stadium against CV Fuego FC on Sunday.
The draw brings the club’s record to 7-12-8 (29 points), remaining in 9th in the league standings. The result also saw CV Fuego FC improve to 5-16-5 (20 points), standing at 12th in the league.
Lexington SC entered the match on the back of a 3-2 loss against NC Hailstorm FC at Future Legends Field, which saw the club’s attempt at a second late rally in Windsor fall short.
The match in Fresno, the second the club had played there, also concluded a match week that saw Lexington SC play two road matches in five days.
Lexington SC put on the pressure early and eventually struck first in the 18th minute when Tate Robertson sent a cross into the box for Ates Diouf, who promptly headed home his 11th goal of the season. The assist was the eighth of the year for Robertson.
The match went into halftime with the score remaining 1-0 in favor of the visitors.
Unfortunately for the lads in green, Fuego found an equalizer almost immediately in the second half. The goal, scored by Alexis Cerritos, was scored in the 48th minute.
The visitors bounced back when Nico Brown drew a foul in the box, with the referee pointing to the penalty spot. With veteran penalty taker Don Smart having subbed out prior in the half, eyes turned to Diouf.
The Senegalese forward was able to find the net to secure a brace in the match, his 12th goal of the season and his third penalty goal of the season.
Lexington SC locked in defensively, looking to make it out of the match with three points in tow, but fate had other plans.
Similar to the match against Greenville just over one week prior, stoppage time would be the club’s downfall. Fuego’s Angel Ruelas found the back of the net in the 90+3rd minute.
It would be less than a minute later when the referee blew the final whistle after one final save by Amal Knight.
CV Fuego FC controlled the possession in the match, holding the ball 56% of the time while Lexington SC won in expected goals, seeing a 1.84 to 1.17 advantage.
Next up for Lexington SC the boys in green will return home on September 17 against Charlotte Independence.
Fans can purchase tickets to the match against Charlotte through the link here.
About Lexington Sporting Club
Lexington Sporting Club is a U.S. Soccer professional soccer club competing in USL League One (U.S. Soccer third division men’s professional soccer), and in USL Super League (women’s professional soccer launching in 2024). The two professional teams are the pinnacle of the soccer ecosystem in Lexington that features more than 1,400 players within its youth and academy systems. Lexington SC in the process of building the club’s formal stadium, performance center and training fields.