Swope Park Rangers defeated the Lights 3-2 in the United Soccer League on Sunday afternoon, but it could have been a different outcome had the visitors not made a complete hash of their last-gasp spot-kick.

Carlos Alvarez stepped up to take the penalty, but decided not to have a shot and laid it off to his team-mate Sammy Ochoa instead.

But the Mexican-American striker, who had scored in the 87th minute, watched his attempt smack off the post before being hoofed away just seconds before the final whistle.

Penalty at 4:36

Swope Park Rangers finished victorious, but LV Lights' head coach Isidro Sanchez defended Alvarez's "brave" penalty decision.

"I've shot this penalty in my life as a coach five times – it’s the first time I lose," he told the Las Vegas Review-Journal.

"This is a risky play, and most teams who do it, do it when they are winning 4-0 or 5-0.

"For me, that’s just bullying or taking advantage of the opponent. You have to practise it and have courage to make it in these kinds of moments. It showed that this team is brave."

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