Rising opens its 2026 Prinx Tires USL Cup campaign with a narrow defeat against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
Phoenix Rising started four PRFC Academy players as it kicked off group play in the 2026 Prinx Tires USL Cup, falling to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC 1-0 in Game 1. Following the match, midfielder Jaethan Irwin and Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah broke down the result, rotating the squad, making club history and more.
HEAD COACH PA-MODOU KAH
On his thoughts on the match…
“It was a very good game. We played a lot of youngsters, rotated a lot, which was necessary for us, given the load of the travel that we had in the games that we had. If you look at the game, I think was the even game. (Colorado Springs) gets its goal. But you look at what we had, the chances, the opportunities second half, we created a lot more than we did in first half. Overall, I’m very proud, proud of the boys, especially with the young players that we played in today… they showed us that they can compete at this level.”
On the club’s recent performances…
“It’s very important to have players that you can play, and they can rotate and they can get minutes, because it’s a long season. When it’s a long season, it’s very important that we don’t tire our players, but we also rotate and give people opportunity when it is time do, and this is a perfect opportunity for us to do that. After the travels that we had and the games that we had on our legs.”
On the team getting closer to full strength…
“(Irwin) played like a man. So, for me, when I see that, that makes me really proud. That shows what we build in here as well, is working in terms of giving the opportunity to the people that deserve it.”
MIDFIELDER JAETHAN IRWIN
On becoming the youngest starter in club history…
“It means a lot to me. I’ve been with this club for about eight years now, so being able to play is something special.”
On how he felt in the moment…
“I was a little bit nervous. But for me, I just came into it like a normal game that I play every day.”
On how playing in the academy differs from the pros…
“The pace of it is different. I would say that the speed of play is a big change, but it’s like that in training as well. Overall, in the game, it’s a lot faster.”
