Rising return to action to face Orange County SC for the 34th time in regular-season play
Written by Emma Dinnan
After a week without a match, Rising returns to action on the road where it faces Orange County SC for the second time this season at 7:00 p.m. (PT) July 30 at Championship Soccer Stadium in Irvine, California. Rising put together one of its most dominant performances in the season’s first matchup, winning 3-1 on June 7.
Notably, Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah provided deeper insight about his high standards for the club even after a convincing victory back in early June.
“For us, we’re happy, but we’re not satisfied,” Kah said back on June 7. “When you’re winning, sometimes it’s very easy to forget everything. For me and for my staff and the players, we have one goal in mind, and that goal never changes, whether we’re winning or losing.”
On Wednesday, Rising will face that same Orange County team and get the opportunity to show its improvement over the past months as it concludes its final three-match road trip of the season.
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
WHAT: Phoenix Rising FC at Orange County SC
WHEN: Wednesday, July 30 (7:00 p.m. PT)
WHERE: Championship Soccer Stadium (Irvine, Calif.)
HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN: ESPN2, Rising Radio (team socials)
WRAPPING UP ON THE ROAD
After nearly a month on the road, Wednesday marks the club’s final away day until it travels to face Lexington SC on August 9. Rising looks to wrap up its final three-match road trip of the season undefeated, already with a 2-1 win (@OAK, 7/12) and 2-2 draw (@ELP, 7/19).
On August 2, Rising will play its first home match in nearly a month when it hosts Birmingham Legion FC before returning to the road. By the end of August, the club’s home slate will begin to pick up, and rapidly. Rising will play three consecutive home games between August 23 and September 5, then again between September 20 and October 4. Until then, the club must endure one last push on the road.
“We’re road warriors; we always look ahead,” Kah said. “For us home, away, doesn’t matter. We have the same mindset with the same goal.”
DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK
After seeing its six-match undefeated streak come to an end in mid-June against Charleston Battery, Rising has regained its position. With both a win and a draw on the road, Rising looks to push its most recent unbeaten streak to three straight matches in all competitions.
Currently 5th in the West, and just six points out of first, Rising finds itself in prime position to make a run. With 10 goals in the last five games, Rising has shown that its attack is clicking into full gear. Notably, no other club has as many individual goal scorers as Rising (14). Just past the midway point of the season, Kah’s squad hopes to get hot and pick up steam at the right time.
MIDWEEK IN SOCAL
Wednesday marks the 34th regular season matchup between Rising and Orange County SC, and the second showdown of the 2025 season. Rising currently holds a 14-10-9 record in the regular-season series, and is 3-1-1 in the last five matchups dating back to May 2023.
Rising put together one of its most dominant matches of the season back on June 7, defeating the Southern-California side by a score of 3-1 with Dariusz Formella, Ascel Essengue and Charlie Dennis getting on the scoresheet.
Ethan Zubak leads all Orange County players in goals with four, while Mouhamadou War has three. Seven players have scored multiple goals for the Southern California side. When it comes to chances created, the one danger man Rising must watch out for is Christopher Hegardt, who has a team-high 30 chances created.
At the moment, only three points seperate the two clubs in the Western Conference table.
