Conceding two first half goals, Phoenix Rising is unable to score against Orange County and drops three points on the road
Phoenix Rising (9-9-10) fell 2-0 on the road against Orange County SC, with forward Ethan Zubak scoring both goals.
It was a challenging first half for Phoenix Rising, as attacking, defending, and officiating all seemed to go against them. Just two minutes in, Jose Hernandez received a yellow card, one of three shown to Rising players, as the team was called for 11 fouls in the first half.
A foul near the corner of the penalty area, where Dariusz Formella kicked out at the legs of Orange County forward Bryce Jamison, led to the opening goal. Midfielder Seth Casiple delivered a cross, and Zubak headed in his seventh goal of the season, beating Phoenix Rising goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo. This marked the third straight home match in which Orange County scored during USL Championship play.
Phoenix responded with a series of chances, primarily through forward Jearl Margaritha, who dribbled aggressively and played dangerous passes. Despite pushing deep into the Orange County box, Rising couldn’t get a shot past the defenders and ended the half without a shot on target.
Goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo was a standout in the first half, making several key saves, including a crucial stop in the 20th minute to deny Jamison’s first-time effort from the penalty spot after midfielder Ryan Doghman found him with a low cross. Orange County spent much of the half defending in a low block and springing forward on the counter.
Orange County doubled its lead in the 39th minute, with Zubak earning his brace by beating Phoenix defender Pape Mar Boye to a Jamison cross and slotting the ball past Ríos Novo. Zubak was a constant threat, attempting five shots in the first half alone.
Phoenix Rising controlled possession for much of the first half, and after halftime, they looked to break down Orange County’s organized backline. Substitute Charlie Dennis fired the first shot on target for Rising in the 61st minute, forcing Colin Shuttler into a full-stretch save. Minutes later, Dennis had another opportunity, but his shot deflected and landed on top of the net.
Rising dominated possession after the 60th minute, holding 84% of the ball. A promising chance came when Remi Cabral was fouled at the top of the box. Tomas Angel’s free-kick dipped past the wall but was deflected away by a defender.
Phoenix kept the pressure on, creating multiple chances while Orange County absorbed the attacks. In the dying moments, Margaritha cut inside and fired a strong shot toward the far post, which deflected to Remi Cabral. However, Cabral could only steer his effort into the side netting.
The final whistle blew with Orange County securing their first win against Rising in USL Championship play since August 2022. For Phoenix Rising, the result left them just one point ahead of Orange County in the Western Conference standings.
Phoenix Rising returned home on Saturday to face Las Vegas Lights. The match kicked off at 7:30 p.m. PT. Tickets were available at phxrisingfc.com/tickets.
Scoring:
OC – 7′ Ethan Zubak (Seth Casiple)
OC – 39′ Ethan Zubak (Bryce Jamison)
Discipline:
PHX – 2′ Jose Hernandez (Caution)
PHX – 36′ Jearl Margaritha (Caution)
OC – 36′ Christopher Hegardt (Caution)
PHX – 45+5′ Laurence Wyke (Caution)
PHX – 54′ Gabi Torres (Caution)
OC – 65′ Kevin Partida (Caution)
PHX – 66′ Charlie Dennis (Caution)
Lineups:
Phoenix Rising FC – Phoenix Rising Lineup: Rocco Rios Novo, Alejandro Fuenmayor, Pape Mar Boye, Laurence Wyke (88′ Edgardo Rito), Jose Hernandez (58′ Charlie Dennis), Renzo Zambrano, Giulio Doratiotto (58′ Remi Cabral), Gabi Torres (77′ Juan Carlos Azocar), Dariusz Formella (78′ Damien Barker John), Tomas Angel, Jearl Margaritha.
Substitutes Not Used – JP Scearce, Patrick Rakovsky.
Orange County SC – Colin Shutler, Pedro Guimaraes (46′ Cameron Dunbar), Dillon Powers, Markus Nakkim, Owen Lambe, Ryan Doghman, Kevin Partida (87′ Benjamin Norris), Seth Casiple, Bryce Jamison (46′ Ashish Chattha), Ethan Zubak, Christopher Hegardt (74′ Thomas Amang).
Substitutes Not Used – Andrew Fox, Christian Sorto, Tomas Gomez, Benjamin Barjolo, Ashton Miles.
