Las Vegas Lights is preparing for the first USL playoff game in team history

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) – One of the biggest turnaround stories in all of football is happening right here in Las Vegas.

Your Las Vegas Lights are coming off their best USL regular season in team history – and they are now preparing to host their first postseason game.

At the start of the season, most of these players didn't even know each other, let alone play together. Now they are one step closer to their ultimate goal.

“It feels great. I'm so proud of the boys. We've talked about processes all year long. The most important thing for us is that we continue to do what we have done all year,” said head coach Dennis Sanchez.

After winning just three games last year, the Lights have turned things around under new team owner José Bautista.

VIEW | Las Vegas Lights introduces former Major League Baseball star Jose Bautista as its new owner

Las Vegas Lights introduces former MLB star Jose Bautista as its new owner

They finished fourth in the USL Western Conference after enjoying an impressive 20-game unbeaten streak. Let's not forget that this team wasn't even fully formed at the start of the season.

Light forward Khori Bennett has described this season as a process but one that has paid off.

“In the beginning, like you said, we knew it was a bunch of guys who had never played together before… so we knew it was going to take some time, and it did. We had our weaknesses in the beginning, but we knew that if we trusted the process, things would fall into place, and they did. I’m very happy about that,” said Bennett.

The Lights face Sacramento Republic FC, a team they are 2-0 against this season.

But this is playoff football – where there is no tomorrow – so the team said they need to play their best 90 minutes if they want to advance to the next round.

“We know it won’t be the same team. They will compete with a different mentality. They want it bad, but we want it even more. “I'm confident the guys will go out there as well as I did and get the result,” Bennett said.

The first playoff game against Sacramento Republic FC is scheduled for Friday at home at 7:30 p.m