Rising opens its regular season home slate against Orange County SC on March 14
Phoenix Rising kicked off its 2026 regular season on the road where it fell 2-1 to San Antonio FC on March 7 at Toyota Field. Midfielder JP Scearce scored Rising’s lone goal from the penalty spot while seven players made their club debuts in a back-and-forth match in Central Texas.
“Tonight was the first match of the season,” said midfielder Jean-Éric Moursou. “Now we need to go to work again to give our best for the next match and take it into the rest of the season.”
Rising returns home to kick off a three-match week, beginning with its home opener against Orange County SC at 7:00 p.m. on March 14 at Phoenix Rising Stadium.
YOUNG GUYS STEP UP
On March 6, Rising announced it signed nine players to USL Academy contracts. Three of those players were named to Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah’s matchday roster on Saturday in San Antonio.
Notably, forward Anthony Capetillo made his first-career professional start, becoming the second-youngest player to every start for the club (16 years, 4 months), while midfielder Jaethan Irwin made his professional debut in the second half and defender Eziah Ramirez was available off the bench.
“(Capetillo) did what we expected of him and needed from him,” Kah said. “For me, it’s for him to continue his growth. We believe in him and know he’s going to have a bright future.”
RISING DEBUTS
In addition to the club’s homegrown players, six of Rising’s newest acquisitions made their debuts in Rising red. Goalkeeper Chituru Odunze received the start in goal, with defenders Luke Biasi, Adrián Pelayo and Aleksandar Vukovic as well as midfielder Diego Gómez and forward Gunnar Studenhofft also playing a role in the match.
“I thought everyone was solid,” Kah said. “(Adrián) Pelayo gave us everything he had, and Diego (Gómez) came in well. Jaethan (Irwin), coming off the bench and Charlie (Dennis) doing what he does which is being creative and creating opportunities.”
Kah added: “We looked good and we have to keep fighting. We have a home opener and we’re looking forward to that.”
GOAL-SCORING PLAYS
SA – Jorge Hernández (Cristian Parano), 6th minute: A three-man combination on a counterattack led to a low crossed ball into the box from Cristian Parano finding the right foot of Jorge Hernández who used his right foot to put the ball into the back of the net
SA – Alex Crognale (Cristian Parano), 49th minute: After winning the ball back in the attacking third, Parano slipped a back-heeled pass into the path of Alex Crognale, who used his right foot to send the ball into the bottom-left corner of the net from outside the box.
PHX – JP Scearce (Penalty), 54th minute: From the penalty spot, JP Scearce used his right foot to place the ball into the bottom-right corner of the net.
NOTES
-Saturday marked the beginning of Rising’s 10th anniversary season.
-At 16 years, 4 months old, forward Anthony Capetillo became the second-youngest player to start a match in Rising history.
-Only Cyrus Kowall (16 years, 2 months) received his first Rising start at a younger age.
-Midfielder Jaethan Irwin also made his first career Rising appearance.
-Additionally, defender Eziah Ramirez made his first-ever match day roster.
-Goalkeeper Chituru Odunze, defenders Luke Biasi, Adrián Pelayo and Aleksandar Vukovic, midfielder Diego Gómez and forward Gunnar Studenhofft made their Rising debuts on Saturday.
-JP Scearce scored Rising’s first goal of the season.
-The goal marked his fourth-ever for the club and first since netting against Monterey Bay FC on May 17, 2025.
-Rising next returns home to kick off a three-match week against Orange County SC on March 14.
Phoenix Rising (0-1-0, 0pts) at San Antonio FC (1-0-0, 3pts)
March 7, 2026 – Toyota Field (San Antonio, Tex.)
Goals by Half 1 2 FT
Phoenix Rising 0 1 1
San Antonio FC 1 1 2
Scoring Summary:
SA: Hernández (Parano), 6
SA: Crognale (Parano), 49
PHX: Scearce (Penalty), 54
Misconduct Summary:
PHX: Moursou (caution), 9
SA: Crognale (caution), 34
SA: Ward (caution), 53
PHX: Biasi (caution), 59
SA: Hernández (caution), 61
PHX: Dennis (caution), 89
PHX: Irwin (caution), 90+4
Lineups:
PHX: GK Odunze, D Pelayo (Vukovic, 86), D Czichos, D Biasi, D Smith, M Scearce ©, M Moursou (Gómez, 74), M Avayevu (Irwin, 86), F Johnson (Studenhofft, 74), F Capetillo (Dennis, 45), F Sacko
Substitutes Not Used: GK Rakovsky, M Ramirez
TOTAL SHOTS: 8 (Smith, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Smith, 2); FOULS: 22 (Dennis, 4); OFFSIDES: 4; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 0
SA: GK Batrouni, D Barbir, D Taintor ©, D Crognale, D Ward, M Blanco, M Maldonado, M Erofeev (Calov, 69), F Parano (Sorto, 81), F Patiño (Pacheco, 69), Hernández
Substitutes Not Used: GK Sánchez, D Mercado, D Cuello, D Suárez, F Urrutia, F Haakenson
TOTAL SHOTS: 9 (Multiple Players, 2) SHOTS ON GOAL: 2 (Multiple Players, 1); FOULS: 20 (Patiño, 4) OFFSIDES: 6; CORNER KICKS: 1; SAVES: 1
Referee: Brandon Stevis
Assistant Referees: Matt Trotter, Art Arustamyan
Fourth Official: Edgar Garcia
Attendance: 6,512
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.
