JP Scearce scores third goal of season to help Rising earn a point away from home
Phoenix Rising and El Paso Locomotive FC shared the points in a 1-1 draw on June 13 at Southwest University Park. Both goals came in the second half, as midfielder JP Scearce scored the game-tying goal in the 70th minute to extend Rising’s unbeaten streak against El Paso to seven.
“It was a fight. It shows our will,” Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah said. “We were missing a little bit of the intensity I would say, but we came back, and for that you have to credit the fight.”
Saturday marked the conclusion of Rising’s fourth and final scheduled three-match week of the 2026 season. Additionally, the result improves the club’s record to 5-1-1 following a defeat.
“I’m happy that we’re getting players back in the mix with Dom (Badji) and Kelvin (Arase), along with Damian (Rivera),” Kah said. “Getting those healthy bodies shows what a different team we can be. We saw that today.”
The club next returns home to face Oakland Roots SC on June 20 at Phoenix Rising Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. (PT).
RISING’S MIDFIELD CAPTAIN
No player has been more reliable for Rising than Scearce in 2026. The midfielder has started and gone 90 minutes in each of Rising’s 13 regular season matches. Notably, the captain is having one of his best seasons as a professional, already posting 4 goal contributions (3G, 1A).
“It feels good to score, to tie the game after going down,” Scearce said. “We could have scored a couple more had we been cleaner on the ball, but it feels good to score. Hopefully there are more goals to come.”
SOLID AT THE BACK
In Rising’s 13 regular season matches, it has allowed more than two goals just five times. Look at its last seven regular season matches, and Rising has held opponents to a single goal – or kept a clean sheet – in five of them.
Individually, defender Pape Mar Boye led Rising with four aerial duels won and added four recoveries at the back. Midfielder Jean-Éric Moursou and forward Ihsan Sacko tied for the team lead with five recoveries apiece, with Moursou also winning a tackle to help shield the back four, while midfielders Diego Gómez and Gilberto Rivera each added a tackle.
Kah’s side will look to bring its solid defensive form back to 38th & Washington for its match against Oakland Roots SC next weekend.
“It wasn’t an easy week — Louisville midweek and here in El Paso tonight, two very difficult games,” Rivera said. “We stuck together here and got a point on the road.”
GOAL-SCORING PLAYS
ELP– Alex Méndez (Rubio Rubín), 46th minute: In transition, Rubio Rubín raced down the right channel before playing the ball across to Alex Méndez at the far post, who used his left foot to lash the ball in near side.
PHX– JP Scearce (Damián Rivera), 70th minute: Damián Rivera sent in a cross from the right sideline that JP Scearce rose up and headed in at the back post.
NOTES
-Saturday marked the first match of the regular season between Rising and El Paso Locomotive FC.
-Rising has earned a result in seven straight matches against the Locomotive (2-0-5) dating back to August 2022.
-JP Scearce scored his third goal of the season.
-The goal is his sixth for Rising across all competitions.
-Damian Rivera’s assist marked his first goal contribution of 2026.
-The assist was the forward’s first since 2024 and first as a Rising player.
-Rising improved to 5-1-1 in matches following a defeat across all competitions.
-The club sits tied for third in the Western Conference and three off second.
Phoenix Rising (4-4-5, 17 pts) at El Paso Locomotive FC (4-4-4, 16 pts)
June 13, 2026 – Southwest University Park (El Paso, Tex.)
Goals by Half 1 2 FT
Phoenix Rising 0 1 1
El Paso Locomotive FC 0 1 1
Scoring Summary:
ELP: Méndez (Rubín), 46
PHX: Scearce (D. Rivera), 70
Misconduct Summary:
PHX: G. Rivera (caution), 12
PHX: Biasi (caution), 26
PHX: Scearce (caution), 35
ELP: Quezada (caution), 59
ELP: Calvillo (caution), 67
Lineups:
PHX: GK Rakovsky, D Flores (D. Rivera, 69), D Scearce, D Boye, D Smith, M Moursou, M Gómez (Pelayo, 69), M Biasi (Vukovic, 88), M G. Rivera, M Sacko, F Studenhofft (Arase, 84)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Odunze, D Ramirez, M Ping, F Badji
TOTAL SHOTS: 8 (Scearce, 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Scearce, 2); FOULS: 21 (Multiple players, 3); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 2
ELP: GK Mora-Mora, D Torres, D Alfaro, D Twumasi, D Cardona, D Quezada (Ortíz, 71), M Coronado (Ruiz, 88), M Calvillo (Gomez, 88), M Méndez, M Avila (Mora, 71), F Rubín (Abitia, 90+1)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Romero, D Diaz, M Xzavier
TOTAL SHOTS: 10 (Multiple players, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Multiple players, 1); FOULS: 17 (Torres, 5); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 0; SAVES: 2
Referee: Brandon Stevis
Assistant Referees: Matt Trotter, James Ewer
Fourth Official: Killian Richardson
Attendance: 5,033
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.
