Phoenix Rising returns home this weekend looking to build on a strong two-game stretch and continue its push back into the playoff race. Rising earned four points after its recent trip to California and now enters the final stretch of the regular season with just five home matches remaining. Phoenix has established itself as a difficult team to beat at 38th & Washington, posting a 4-2-4 record at home this season, and will look to carry that form through the final weeks of the campaign.
That strong run has also earned league recognition, with forward Ihsan Sacko earning a spot in the USL Championship Week 25 Team of the Week Starting 11. Rising now turns its attention to Indy Eleven, with the two clubs having met just twice previously. Phoenix is still searching for its first victory over Indy, holding a 0-1-1 all-time record in the series, though the most recent meeting came in 2024.
“The fight that we discussed before the game, the willpower to come back, and have the opportunity to go (to California) with the victory, given that we played Wednesday, it’s a quick turnaround…I think four out of six, it’s good,” Kah said. “We still have games to go and we’re going to keep fighting.”
GAMEDAY INFORMATION –
WHAT: Phoenix Rising v Indy Eleven
WHEN: Saturday, August 29 (7:30 p.m. PT)
WHERE: Phoenix Rising Soccer Stadium (Phoenix, AZ)
HOW TO WATCH: AZFS, ESPN+, Rising Radio (English), 90MasRising (Spanish)
A COLLECTIVE ATTACK
While Ihsan Sacko has continued to lead the attacking front, Phoenix Rising has increasingly found contributions from throughout its attacking group. Sacko, who was named the USL Championship Player of the Week for Week 25, leads the league with 12 goals and has accounted for a team-high 15 goal contributions this season.
Behind him, Diego Gómez has established himself as a consistent creator for Rising, leading the team with four assists this season. Gómez provided the assist on Sacko’s first goal in Sacramento and has continued to play a key role in creating opportunities for the attack. Tate Schmitt also recorded his first USL Championship assist in the comeback against Sacramento, while Gunnar Studenhofft has provided an attacking spark off the bench. Together, those contributions have highlighted the depth within the squad and Rising’s ability to find different ways to create and score as the team enters the final stretch of the season.
“If we match the intensity of Indy and play our game with the ball, it’s going to be really hard for them to beat us, especially here,” Czichos said. “We want to make it as hard as possible for them to come in and get any points.”
FINISHING STRONG
Rising has made fighting until the final whistle a defining theme this season. After battling back from a two-goal deficit to earn a 2-2 draw in Sacramento, Phoenix has now scored 10 goals in the final 15 minutes of matches this season, showcasing its ability to fight through adversity and secure valuable points late, even away from home. That late-game resilience will be key as Rising enters the final stretch of the regular season. With five home games remaining in the regular season, Rising will look to carry that resilience into the final weeks of the campaign.
“I’m very confident that we will win a lot of games from now on,” Czichos said. “We’ve got new signings that will help the team now and we’re way more experienced now. We have more players higher in age, who’ve played at a higher level and overall we have less injured players which always helps. So the quality is really much better now.”
INCOMING INDY
Indy Eleven enters Saturday’s matchup against Phoenix Rising sitting sixth in the Eastern Conference with an 8-7-4 record and 28 points. The club has put together a strong stretch as of late, going 2-2-1 in its last five matches and currently riding a three-game unbeaten streak. Notably, Indy enters the match with back-to-back victories, defeating Louisville City FC 2-1 on Aug. 22 after earning a 1-0 win over Sporting JAX on Aug. 15.
Despite its recent success, Indy has struggled on the road this season, posting a 1-6-2 record away from home. Forward Bruno Manuel Rendón leads the team with eight goals this season, while Head Coach Sean McAuley is coming off a notable honor after being named the USL Championship Week 25 Coach of the Week.
“It’s going to be a battle,” Kah said. “We’ve got to expect a fight from McAuley and his team who want to play counter attacking football, so we just have to play our game and make sure that we do what we need to do to keep the three points here.”
