Rizzo scores first professional goal as Rising prepares for home-heavy remainder of season
Midfielder Pierce Rizzo became the youngest Rising goal scorer Saturday night, scoring the club’s lone goal as it drew Tampa Bay Rowdies 1-1 on August 16 at Al Lang Stadium. Following the match, Rizzo and Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah discussed the point won, the upcoming home-heavy slate and more.
HEAD COACH PA-MODOU KAH
On his thoughts on the match…
“I’m very, very proud of my boys. They played Phoenix Rising football that we want to see. We’re supposed to win this game, but we’re moving in the right direction. Now we need to continue. We need to make the home games count. But I was very proud of the showing of the boys today.
On if anything has changed over the last few matches…
“Nothing has changed. (The players) come in, they work, they fight. We don’t change our process. When you have a bad game, which we did (against Lexington SC), we came out tonight and had a great showing.”
On the performance and goal of 18-year-old midfielder Pierce Rizzo…
“We play a young kid in an unnatural position and he’s showing what this club is about. It’s about giving opportunities and (Rizzo) took his. I’m very proud of him to be the youngest Rising player to score in a game and that is amazing.”
On getting to go home to start a big homestand…
“It’s going to be wonderful. We have had a lot of travel in June, July, August. Now we just have to continue what we’re doing and keep building. We have a lot of home games and we’re going to take advantage of those.”
MIDFIELDER PIERCE RIZZO
On how he scored his first-ever professional goal…
“I kind of took a bad touch, but I had an opening. I knew if I took an extra step to my left, the defender was going to fall and I would have an opening inside. Then I just did a little (Kylian) Mbappe, cut it in with my left and found the far post.”
On if he knew the ball was going in…
“I thought it was going to go in. I didn’t think the keeper was going to catch it, but I got hit as I hit the ball, rolled over and didn’t see it go in.”
On the celebration with his teammates…
“Everything has come fast in the last month. I knew I was going to take (the opportunity) and run with it. I know this is just the start, but I’m happy I finally got that first goal.”
On his confidence going forward…
“I’m feeling more and more confident. As a team we just need to work out little kinks, but I feel like we are on the right path to winning a lot in the future.”
