Rising secure playoff spot, enter the postseason on three-match unbeaten run
Phoenix Rising played its final match of the 2025 regular season on the East Coast, picking up a 0-0 draw against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on October 25 at Highmark Stadium, officially securing its spot in the postseason. Following the match, Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah and midfielder JP Scearce discussed the result, preparing for the postseason and facing El Paso Locomotive FC once again.
HEAD COACH PA-MODOU KAH
His thoughts on the match…
“It was a playoff-type match. Very direct. Both teams hit the post. We did secure a playoff spot, which we needed to do. Obviously, we wanted to play and win, but you’ll take what the game gives you.”
On what he has seen from the defense over the last month…
“The players are working hard. They’re doing the job required defensively as well as offensively. For us, it’s just about continuing this trend. Once you keep a clean sheet, we know we can score goals. This will just help the team to continue to grow in its confidence.”
MIDFIELDER JP SCEARCE
His thoughts on the match…
“It was exactly what we spoke about during the week. It was going to be an ugly game with fifty-fifties. We had to win a lot of our duels and for the most part we took care of that. We did just enough to secure our spot in the playoffs.”
On the feeling within the team of locking up a playoff spot…
“We’re looking forward to it. We wanted to secure the home playoff match, but we couldn’t achieve that. Now we’re looking forward to our game against El Paso. We have been in two very close games against them and we’re looking forward to it.”
On keeping a third straight shutout as a team…
“That has been one of the biggest changes in the last few games. We have been locked in defensively, relentless and working a lot on the defensive end. I think that has shown a lot over the last few games.”
