Rising advances to Round of 32 of U.S. Open Cup for third straight season with win over Orange County SC
Phoenix Rising dug deep Wednesday night, hitting the road for the second time in four days and finding the game-winning goal in extra time to defeat Orange County SC 2-1 on April 1 at Championship Soccer Stadium.
Following the match, Rising Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah and forward Darius Johnson discussed the team’s resilience, forward Ihsan Sacko’s hot start to the season and more.
HEAD COACH PA-MODOU KAH
On how the match went…
“It was a typical cup game match. I think we played very well. We had opportunities and I think we should have finished it with the chance Ihsan (Sacko) had in regular time, but it was not meant to be. But the drive, the hunger and desire from the boys to fight. It’s really well deserved. I know this type of performance has been building up and you need these types of wins to get yourself going. I’m very proud of the boys.”
On the team’s fight to both go ahead and score the winner late …
“I think we’re an incredibly stubborn team. We don’t know the word ‘give up.’ It doesn’t exist in our vocabulary. We’re a hard-working team with a lot of quality on the ball, and we know we can always score goals. For us, it’s our mentality, our will to keep pushing. This group is amazing.”
On Ihsan Sacko’s recent goal contributions…
“I think he has been phenomenal. He now understands what it means to be in the USL and what it takes. Today was also one of his best performances with his hunger to help drive our team and push. It wasn’t easy.”
FORWARD DARIUS JOHNSON
On his thoughts on the match…
“This is a positive step in where we want to go in our season. The boys showed the character we have been searching for. To see games out, hit first and come back from whatever it is that has put us down. Hopefully we keep growing from this game going into Sacramento this weekend. Positive and we keep moving forward.”
On the team’s resilience…
“We have a ‘never say die’ spirit. We may concede, but we always bounce back. That has always been our spot. For me, we can avoid things like this by being killers. That’s what we need to adopt, in the way we play, because we have enough quality for it.”
On moving forward in the U.S. Open Cup…
“You don’t play the occasion, you play the game.”
