Las Vegas – Las Vegas native Asriel Gonzalez is one of the next group of contracts announced by Las Vegas Lights FC ahead of the 2023 USL Championship season. The attacking midfielders will be joined by goalkeeper Andre Zuluaga, defender Jordan Ainborough, midfielders Justin Ingram and Tyler Bagley. This campaign transfers Pato Botero Fuzz at Cashman Field.
The deal is pending league and federation approval.
Gonzalez joined Lights FC after spending the last two seasons in the Canadian Premier League, most recently at York United FC. The 21-year-old has made 22 appearances in his 23 games in his season and has scored 3 goals and 2 assists for the team. Gonzalez has made 69 appearances for Tacoma in his Defiance so far, and during his championship career, he has scored 10 goals and his 10 assists in the league.
Botero Faz arrived in Las Vegas in the 2022 USL Championship season with Detroit City FC scoring 8 goals and 1 assist to help Le Rouge reach the postseason in their first season in the league. . The player from Monterrey, Mexico, has enjoyed success in the USL League 1, and in his 2nd season in the league he made 31 appearances and 7 goals before joining Detroit City for the 2021 season. goal and he recorded 3 assists.
Ingram makes the move after making 30 Indy Eleven appearances in his first campaign in the Pro ranks. The Indiana native, 24, previously competed in college at Loyola University Maryland. For Indy, he had 23 interceptions, 25 tackles and 146 recoveries, while in central midfield he posted a passing accuracy of 79.5%.
Ainborough will join Lights FC after playing for San Antonio FC on loan from Ghana’s Accra Lions during the 2022 campaign. The 22-year-old has made eight appearances for his SAFC clinching the 2022 championship title, and in 121 minutes of action he recorded 21 recoveries and his three tackles.
Bagley recently made his way to the West after playing for Inter Miami CF II in the MLS NEXT Pro, where he has two goals and one assist in 15 appearances during the 2022 season. The 23-year-old has been voted to the USL League 2 All League Team in 2021 after he has scored 12 goals in 12 appearances with the Boston Bolt before being named to the 2022 Major League Soccer Super League. He was the 54th pick of the draft and was picked by Inter Miami CF. He ranked 23rd in the league’s top prospect rankings.
Zuluaga also moved on from Inter Miami CF II and has made 11 appearances over the last two seasons, scoring in both USL League 1 and MLS NEXT Pro. Former US U-16 international Zuluaga made seven appearances and one shutout in the IMCFII last season.