Rising extends unbeaten run to six thanks to late equalizer
Phoenix Rising picked up yet another result as defender Carl Sainté scored 11 minutes into second-half stoppage time to help Rising complete a two-goal comeback to draw Loudoun United FC 2-2 on September 20 at Phoenix Rising Stadium. Following the match, Sainté and Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah spoke with reporters about another comeback, returning home and more.
HEAD COACH PA-MODOU KAH
On his thoughts on the match…
“It was a very poor first half. We got punched in the face, and we allowed ourselves to get punched in the face. We didn’t do well enough, but again, fantastic reaction to come back (and) tie the game. To get a draw out of it though, that’s not good enough.”
On the team’s second comeback in a row…
“It takes strength, takes mentality, takes belief, and (the players) showed it. But I know that there’s so much more within this group, and their quality and force is very important… It’s about time we start taking charge of the game.”
On getting the most out of his players…
“You talk with them, work with them, that’s the beauty of our sport. Nobody said it was going to be easy, and I don’t like it easy, I like challenges. And I can’t blame the players because they’re giving everything that we are asking (from) them, and to come back again, that is a good thing. You didn’t lose, which is something that you want to turn into victories, because that will help more.”
On the desire to get off to faster starts …
“You want to start high, you want to be aggressive. It’s that switch from the inside, that desire to go and say, ‘today we’re going to make it happen.’ It’s that little bit of desire… it’s about your own will and your own desire, to want something more than somebody else sitting next to you in the locker room or the opposition, your will and desire should be what drives you.”
DEFENDER CARL SAINTÉ
Overall thought on the match…
“I thought our first half we started very slow, which is something we have struggled with a lot lately. I felt like the way we approached the game for the second half and the way we approached for the first half are completely different teams and different mentalities. But we have also been in situations where we know we must win. At the end of the day, we must keep our heads up because our next goal is to make it to the playoffs.”
On scoring his first goal with Rising…
“It’s a great feeling. For me, especially, coming back from the national team. I still have a lot to learn but being able to score at the last minute… it’s a team performance, it’s not only me. I feel like all the boys deserve the credit.”
On the mentality of the locker room going into the half…
“I feel like we are all the leaders because at the end of the day, it’s a team. We are all respectful of one another but at the same time we try to tell the truth. I feel like the way we approached (tonight’s) game wasn’t the best but we just have to take the point and move on so we can focus on our next game.”
