In four short minutes, Abraham Okyfere did his best to put a damper on the Switchbacks’ mood, but the team wouldn’t have it. 

The Las Vegas Lights FC forward scored twice late in Colorado Springs’ home opener to erase a two-goal lead for the Switchbacks. Undeterred, Switchbacks defender Talen Maples sent a header toward the goal off a corner kick. The shot led to a Las Vegas own goal in the 85th minute and propelled the team to a 3-2 win at Weidner Field on Saturday. 

The play was something of an atonement for Maples, who committed a turnover that led to Okyfere’s second goal. 

“Still frustrated about the goal I gave up. So, of course, happy to be able to make it up and ultimately just get a win for the guys,” he said. “We want this place to be a fortress and we want it to be a fortress without giving up goals.” 

Maples said that while the win and the three points were welcome, the frustrations of conceding goals remain. 

For the second-straight week, the Switchbacks allowed two scores after taking a lead. Colorado Springs coach Alan McCann acknowledged the team’s struggles and committed to improving as the season continues. 

“We’re 2-nil up, what are we doing? Not good enough in those 10 minutes. You allow a team, who wasn’t in the game, you allow them back in. We were absolutely dominant other than those 10 minutes.” McCann said, “We’re digging ourselves out. That character has shown up again, but we can’t keep doing this. We can’t keep having the mental lapses and we will address this immediately.”

Outside of Okyfere’s scores in the 75th and 79th minutes, the Switchbacks controlled the game. Colorado Springs created a chance in the opening minutes of play and scored, but the goal was waved off because off an offside call. 

The Switchbacks pressured Lights FC in the first half, putting goalkeeper Jared Mazzola to work early as he had to make saves on back-to-back shots from Colorado Springs forward Levonte Johnson in the second minute. In the 16th, defender Patrick Burner took a shot that bounced off the crossbar.

By the intermission, Mazzola had already made four saves on the day. 

Johnson, who joined Colorado Springs last season, scored his first goal for the club in USL Championship play on Saturday. He broke through for the Switchbacks in the 60th minute. Switchbacks forward dribbled toward the goal line and passed back to Johnson who tapped it in. 

“I love ‘Levy,’ I just love the man. At halftime, we asked him, very specific words, ‘Levy, you’ve been brilliant,’ we put him on both sides in the first half, ‘Now, can you level up? Can there be one moment you pop up,’” McCann said. “It’s an absolute day of success for Levy, the goal is a bonus.”

Colorado Springs forward Jonas Fjeldberg subbed into the game in the 64th minute and made an quick impact. In the 70th minute, he scored on a second-chance opportunity, putting his shot off the far post and in. 

Saturday’s contest was the start of a busy week for Colorado Springs, which hosts Azteca FC on Tuesday in the Lamar Hunt Open Cup.