After a long drought, the Spokane Velocity finally found their winning rhythm again. Forward Anuar Pelaez was the catalyst, contributing a goal and an assist to lead his team to a 2-1 victory over fourth-place FC Naples at ONE Spokane Stadium on Sunday. This win marked the club's first since mid-April, snapping a frustrating stretch and injecting fresh energy into their season.
The Velocity wasted no time setting the tone. In just the eighth minute—well ahead of their season average of scoring every 55.4 minutes—they struck on their third shot attempt. After two early misses in the fourth and sixth minutes, Pelaez intercepted a pass from Naples right back Marc Torrellas at midfield and quickly fed Medgy Alexandre. Alexandre danced to the left side of the box, curved a precise shot around defender Joshua Yoder, and tucked it into the far-right corner of the net. That goal moved Alexandre into a tie for the team lead with two scores this season, alongside Shavon John-Brown and Jack Denton.
Spokane didn't let up after the early breakthrough. Luis Gil, Andre Lewis, and Pelaez each took turns testing the Naples defense in the 10th minute, though all three attempts missed the mark. Defensively, the Velocity were rock-solid in the first half, racking up 15 clearances and limiting FC Naples to just one shot—a set-piece effort by Julian Cisneros in the 29th minute. John-Brown picked up a yellow card just before that free kick, but Spokane's backline held firm.
The second half brought more drama. Early on, Naples goalkeeper Edward Delgado slid into Pelaez inside the penalty box, drawing a foul and conceding a penalty kick. Pelaez stepped up confidently and slotted it home in the 54th minute, doubling Spokane's lead to 2-0. It was a moment of composure that highlighted his growing influence on the squad.
Naples pushed back hard in the second period, outshooting Spokane 13-7. But despite their dominance in possession, they couldn't break through until the dying moments. In the fifth minute of stoppage time, Italian center back Luca Mastrantonio unleashed a thunderous strike from nearly 20 yards out, beating Spokane goalkeeper Sean Lewis to make it 2-1. It was too little, too late for the visitors.
Pelaez was a constant threat throughout, leading all players with three shots on target and 10 touches inside Naples' box. The Velocity's attack as a whole managed 22 touches in the opposition area, with Luis Gil creating a game-high four chances. Defensively, Gagi Margvelashvili and Camron Miller combined for 21 of Spokane's 35 clearances, while Collin Fernandez and Lucky Opara each recorded three interceptions. Lewis finished with three saves to secure the win.
With this result, Spokane (5-1-2, 17 points) climbed into second place in the USL League One standings. Next up, they'll host Las Vegas Lights FC of the USL Championship in Round 2 of the PrinX Tires USL Cup's Group Stage on Sunday. The match will be broadcast on ESPN+—a chance for the Velocity to build on this momentum and prove their early-season struggles are firmly behind them.