Las Vegas Raiders vs San Francisco 49ers

The game was a field-goal contest from start to finish. Neither offence reached the end zone, with both kickers combining for 10 field goals.

Las Vegas struck first. Quarterback Kirk Cousins — playing the opening two possessions — led a 12-play, 46-yard drive that stalled at the 19-yard line, resulting in a 37-yard Matt Gay field goal. After a 49ers three-and-out, Gay added a 53-yarder to make it 6-0 Raiders late in the first quarter.

The game turned on an interception late in the first. Raiders rookie QB Fernando Mendoza, who replaced Cousins, threw a pass that Darrell Luter Jr. tipped into the hands of linebacker Tatum Bethune, who returned it 16 yards to the Raiders' 22. That set up San Francisco's first score — a 24-yard Eddy Piñeiro field goal early in the second quarter, cutting the lead to 6-3.

Adrian Martinez took over at quarterback for the 49ers and led an 11-play, 78-yard drive that included a 20-yard screen to running back Jordan James and a 10-yard fourth-down conversion to tight end Hayden Rucci. The drive ended in a 25-yard Piñeiro field goal, tying the game at 6-6.

The Raiders reclaimed the lead before halftime. A 19-yard pass interference penalty on defensive back Siran Neal helped Las Vegas reach field goal range, and Gay connected from 45 yards as time expired to make it 9-6 at the break.

After a scoreless third quarter, the 49ers tied the game on the first play of the fourth quarter when Piñeiro hit from 48 yards — a kick set up by a drive that had seen a would-be touchdown catch by Rucci wiped out by a 15-yard low-block penalty on James.

Piñeiro's 59-yard field goal with 9:03 remaining gave the 49ers their first lead of the night at 12-9. The kick came from the 49ers' 40-yard line and was the longest of Piñeiro's six makes. It shifted the pressure onto Las Vegas, which responded with a 48-yard Gay field goal to tie at 12-12, but the 49ers answered immediately.

San Francisco's final two drives decided it. After Gay's equaliser, the 49ers drove from their own 17 to the Raiders' 33, helped by a 21-yard reception from Jordan Watkins and runs from Khalil Herbert. At the two-minute warning, Piñeiro drilled a 51-yard field goal to put the 49ers up 15-12 with 1:51 left. The Raiders turned over on downs, and Piñeiro added a 54-yarder with eight seconds remaining for the final 18-12 margin.

Eddy Piñeiro (K, SF) — Player of the Match 6/6 on field goals (24, 25, 48, 59, 51, 54 yards). Scored every point for the 49ers. His 59-yarder was the game's defining moment. As quarterback Mac Jones said post-match: "He's the man. He's got a special 'He doesn't care' trait, where he's just gonna go rip it." (Source: 49ers.com)

Matt Gay (K, LV) 4/5 field goals (37, 53, 45, 48 yards) with a miss from 54 yards. His four makes kept the Raiders in the game throughout.

Jordan Watkins (WR, SF) Team-leading 4 catches for 64 yards, plus 3 carries for 21 yards. Key 21-yard reception set up the go-ahead field goal drive. Head coach Kyle Shanahan: "I thought he played well. Love that big dig route he had." (Source: 49ers.com)

Jaden Dugger (LB, SF) Game-high 10 tackles (5 solo) for the rookie. Shanahan: "He's got a lot of playing time this training camp. He's a guy who as a rookie has an opportunity to be out there a bunch this year." (Source: 49ers.com)

Tatum Bethune (LB, SF) Nine tackles and the critical first-quarter interception that flipped field position and led to San Francisco's first points.

Both offences struggled to finish drives. The 49ers managed 133 total yards in the first half (91 on the ground) while Las Vegas had 139. Neither team reached the end zone despite 10 combined drives that crossed midfield. The 49ers defence recorded sacks from Keion White (11 yards) and Ogbo Okoronkwo (9 yards) in a four-possession second-quarter stretch. San Francisco finished with a 19:03 to 10:57 time-of-possession edge in the first half despite being outgained, reflecting the Raiders' efficiency on short fields.

The 49ers finished the preseason 2-1, with all three games decided by six points or fewer. Las Vegas ended 1-2. The matchup marked the 44th preseason meeting between the two Bay Area rivals.

With roster cutdowns due by Sunday, this was the final evaluation opportunity for fringe players on both sides. Watkins, James, and Dugger each strengthened their cases for the 53-man roster.

The 49ers now prepare for a historic season opener — the first NFL regular-season game in Australia — against the Los Angeles Rams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Thursday, 10 September 2026. The Raiders' regular-season opener opponent had not been confirmed at the time of writing.

A field-goal shootout appropriate for a preseason finale in which both teams prioritised evaluation over game-planning. Piñeiro's leg was the difference, and the 49ers' defence deserves credit for keeping the Raiders out of the end zone through four quarters. Neither offence offered much to suggest regular-season explosiveness, but that was never the point of this game.