Sacko, Dennis net goals as Rising secures first comeback victory of 2025
For the first time in 2025 Phoenix Rising rallied from a trailing position to win all three points, defeating Oakland Roots SC by a score of 2-1 on July 12 at the Oakland Coliseum. Forward Ihsan Sacko and midfielder Charlie Dennis scored 10 minutes apart in the second half to help snap the Roots’ three-match winning streak.
“We had a game plan that we executed a little in the first half, but we weren’t aggressive enough,” Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah said. “Once we rectified how we wanted to play, we created chances in the second half. For me, the response was unbelievable and that’s the team we are. Playing with intensity, hunger and drive.”
With Saturday’s match, Rising has now faced every team in the Western Conference, going 6-3-4 on its first run-through of inter-conference competition. Additionally, it was Rising’s fourth road win of the season (4-2-3). Only Charleston Battery and Louisville City (five) have more road wins than Phoenix.
“I’m buzzing to win,” Dennis said. “This moment was important. We didn’t win last week, so to turn it around and come win away from home was massive.”
A COMEBACK RESULT
Throughout 2025, Rising has been capable of scrapping a point from trailing positions, but never three. On Saturday night, the club finally had its breakthrough. Heading into halftime down 1-0 after conceding in the 27th minute, Kah’s side faced an uphill battle against an aggressive Oakland team in the second 45’.
Midway through the second half, things clicked for Rising. Sacko scored the equalizer from the top of the box in the 60th minute and nine minutes later Dennis netted the winner, from even further outside the box.
“(Oakland) expected me to play the ball wide, but I knew I wanted to get it back on my left foot,” Dennis said. “That’s where I’m confident, so that’s what I did.”
The confidence paid off, for both Dennis and Rising. Now a perfect 4-0-0 in one-goal games on the road, it seems as if Rising has found the recipe to success when it comes to picking up points away from the Valley.
“I think (the second half) was the response that will hopefully help us keep our momentum and push us forward,” Kah said.
A MEMORABLE AWAY DAY
Saturday marked Rising’s 10th regular-season match against Oakland dating back to 2021, but its first-ever trip to historic Oakland Coliseum, the 63,000-seat former home of the Oakland Raiders and Oakland Athletic’s.
Today, the Roots call the venue home. Over 6,000 fans filled in the building’s lower bowl. Between the noisy home support, unseasonably sunny evening area by Bay Area standards and, of course, the result, Kah had plenty of good things to say about how the night went.
”When you can play in this type of stadium… as an ex-player I was smiling when I came out,” Kah said. “It was excellent. The sun was shining, great atmosphere, music. We want to continue to be the gold standard of this league in Phoenix, but to come here and play was fantastic.”
GOAL-SCORING PLAYS
OAK – Morey Doner (Julian Bravo), 27th minute: In quick transition, Oakland sent the ball down the left into the path of Julian Bravo, who charged down the left before sending the ball to Morey Doner in the center of the box. The midfielder didn’t need a touch, using his left foot to fire a low shot off the near post and into the back of the net.
PHX – Ihsan Sacko (Hope Avayevu), 60th minute: After receiving the ball from midfielder Hope Avayevu at the top of the box, Ihsan Sacko took a touch before using his right foot to curl the ball into the bottom-right corner of the net from distance.
PHX – Charlie Dennis (Jearl Margaritha), 69th minute: Receiving the ball yards outside of the box, midfielder Charlie Dennis used his left foot to set up a low-driven rocket that picked out the near post.
NOTES
-Saturday marked Rising’s first come-from-behind win of the 2025 season.
-Additionally, it was Rising’s first come from behind win since October 10th, 2024.
-With his goal in the 60th minute, Sacko notched his third goal of the regular season.
-It was the Frenchmen’s first goal since he netted one against FC Tulsa on June 14.
-He now has nine goal contributions in all competitions (4G, 5A).
-Avayevu’s assist was his first since the match against FC Tulsa on June 14, where he provided the assist for Sacko’s goal.
-The assist is Avayevu’s team-leading seventh in all competitions.
-Dennis notched his second goal of the regular season.
-Additionally, the second-half goal marked his fifth goal contribution in all competitions (4G, 1A).
-Margaritha secured his fifth goal contribution of the regular season with his assist (3G, 2A).
-Six of Rising’s goals in regular-season play have been scored by substitutes. Only Louisville City (7) has more.
-With the win, Rising improved to 4-2-3 on the road in regular season play.
-Only Louisville City (18 pts) and Charleston Battery (17 pts) have amassed more points away from home than Rising’s 15.
-Additionally, Kah’s side improved to a perfect 4-0-0 in one-goal matches on the road.
-Rising is now 2-0-2 in its last four matches against the Roots, with two straight wins dating back to June 10, 2023.
NEXT GAME
Rising next travels back to El Paso, Texas, to face El Paso Locomotive FC in USL Jägermeister Cup play. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m. (PT) on July 19 at Southwest University Park. The game is set to stream on AZFS and ESPN+. Radio coverage will be available on team socials through Rising Radio (English).
Phoenix Rising (6-5-5, 23pts) at Oakland Roots SC (5-9-2, 17pts)
July 12, 2025 – Oakland Coliseum (Oakland, Calif.)
Goals by Half 1 2 FT
Phoenix Rising 0 2 2
Oakland Roots SC 1 0 1
Scoring Summary:
OAK: Doner (Bravo), 27
PHX: Sacko (Avayevu), 60
PHX: Dennis (Margaritha), 69
Misconduct Summary:
PHX: Avayevu (caution), 33
PHX: Emmers (caution), 40
OAK: Armenakas (caution), 74
OAK: Saldana (caution), 86
PHX: Cuello (caution), 87
PHX: Avayevu (ejection), 90+1
Lineups:
PHX: GK Rakovsky, D Cuello, D Montgomery (Flood, 45), D Essengue (Johnson, 81), D Smith, M Sainté ©, M Avayevu, M Emmers (Dennis, 51), F Sacko (Ping, 93), F Formella, F Margaritha
Substitutes Not Used: GK Henry, M De la Cruz, M Rizzo
TOTAL SHOTS: 7 (Sacko, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Sacko, 2); FOULS: 16 (Avayevu, 5); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 0
OAK: GK McIntosh, D Bravo (Prentice, 71), D Hackshaw, D Margvelashvili (Johnson, 82), D Greene, M Byaruhanga (Gibson, 60), M Armenakas, M Gomez, M Elmasnaouy (Sadana, 82), M Doner, F Wilson (Sinisterra, 45)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Spiegel, D Riley, M Alekseev, F Martinez
TOTAL SHOTS: 9 (Three players, 2) SHOTS ON GOAL: 1 (Doner, 1); FOULS: 15 (Johnson, 3) OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 1
Referee: Joe Dickerson
Assistant Referees: Jake Brochu, Justin Fillmore
Fourth Official: Bhavik Dutt
Attendance: 6,125
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.
— visit phxrisingfc.com —
