Capetillo becomes youngest goal-scorer in club history as Rising wins USOC match for eighth straight season
Four Phoenix Rising players made their first goal contributions for the club as it kicked off its 11th Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup campaign with a 4-0 win over San Ramon FC on March 17 at Phoenix Rising Stadium.
Forward Anthony Capetillo became the youngest goal scorer in club history with his strike in the final minute, while forward Juan Carvajal, midfielder Hope Avayevu and defender Aleksandar Vukovic also found the back of the net in the four-goal victory.
“I think we did everything well as a team, and we stayed compact in the win,” defender Eziah Ramirez said. “I didn’t do it myself. Everyone from us to the coaching staff played a role. I got an assist, and you know, we’re on to the next round”
The win marked Rising’s first of the 2026 season and second result in three matches. It next closes a three-match home stand against Oakland Roots SC on Saturday, March 21, at Phoenix Rising Stadium.
A YOUTHFUL SIDE
Rising has a new youngest-ever goal scorer. With his goal in the fourth minute of second-half stoppage time, Capetillo set the club record at 16 years, four months old, besting current teammate Pierce Rizzo who scored his first goal at 18 years, eight months old.
“It’s an incredible moment for me, for my team, for my parents and for the coaching staff,” Capetillo said. “I’m blessed to be here and it was amazing night.”
Additionally, defenders Noah Cross and Ramirez made their first starts with the club, with Ramirez notching his first-ever goal contribution with an assist on Avayevu’s opening goal in the 15th minute. Add in midfielder Jamison Ping, and Rising had four players no older than 18 in its starting lineup, and an average age of 22.3 years old.
‘I’m very proud of the kids,” Rising Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah said. “When you talk about finishing, (Capetillo) is one of our best finishers. And today, he was one of the best players. And I’m very happy with (Ramirez). He came into this preseason locked in, and today he could have had maybe multiple assists, but the overall performance is what I’m proud of.”
Academy product Jackson Gaydon also made the team bench in the match, while Alexander Balanzar de la Cruz entered in the final minutes.
“I said it last year,” Kah said. “We relied a lot on our young players, and they showed and in this game today why we trust them.”
ADVANCING IN THE CUP
With its victory on Tuesday, Rising will advance in the Open Cup for an eighth straight season and will play in the second round scheduled for either Tuesday, March 31, or Wednesday, April 1.
The win moves Rising to 9-8-3 all-time in the competition. Kah’s side advances with aspirations of facing MLS opposition for a third straight season, after it faced the Seattle Sounders in 2024 and Houston Dynamo in 2025. MLS teams will join the tournament in the Round of 32.
“These are the games I want to see real professionals that understand the job,” Kah said. “We got the job done. We wanted to play better, and I think we didn’t play good enough, but in the right moments, we did finish our chances.”
GOAL-SCORING PLAYS
PHX – Hope Avayevu (Eziah Ramirez), 15th minute: A low-driven cross sent into the box from the right side by defender Eziah Ramirez found the left boot of midfielder Hope Avayevu, who redirected the ball into the back of the net at the near post.
PHX – Juan Carvajal, 45+2nd minute: A cross sent in by Charlie Dennis was deflected in the box and ended at the right foot of Juan Carvajal, who used it to power the ball into the top of the net.
PHX – Aleksandar Vukovic (Ihsan Sacko), 90th minute: Aleksandar Vukovic leaped up to meet Ihsan Sacko’s corner kick, using his head to power the ball down and off his right knee into the back of the net.
PHX – Anthony Capetillo (Jamison Ping), 90+4th minute: Jamison Ping redirected a threaded ball played by Sacko into the path of Anthony Capetillo, who used his right foot to tuck the ball in at the far post.
NOTES
-Tuesday marked the first match of Rising’s 11th Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup campaign.
-Notably, it was the club’s eighth straight time advancing past the first round.
-Kah’s side is now 9-8-3 all-time in U.S. Open Cup matches.
-Four Phoenix Rising Academy players started in Tuesday’s match, with all four 18 years old and younger.
-Anthony Capetillo made his second start of the season.
-The average age of Rising’s starting lineup was 22.3 years old.
-Hope Avayevu netted his first goal of the season in thr 15th minute.
-It also marked his first score in U.S. Open Cup play for the club.
-With his assist, Eziah Ramirez made his first professional goal contribution for Rising.
-Forward Juan Carvajal found the back of the net for the first time in his Rising tenure in the 45+2 minute.
-Aleksandar Vukovic scored his first Rising goal in the 90th minute.
-With his assist, Ihsan Sacko now has a goal contribution in consecutive matches in all competitions for Rising.
-At 16 years, four months old, forward Anthony Capetillo became the youngest goal scorer in club history.
-Jamison Ping picked up his second goal contribution with the club, notching an assist on Capetillo’s final goal.
-Goalkeeper Patrick Rakovsky picked up his first clean sheet of the season.
Phoenix Rising vs San Ramon FC | 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup First Round
March 17, 2026 – Phoenix Rising Stadium (Phoenix, Ariz.)
Goals by Half 1 2 FT
Phoenix Rising 2 2 4
San Ramon FC 0 0 0
Scoring Summary:
PHX: Avayevu (Ramirez), 38
PHX: Carvajal, 45+2
PHX: Vukovic (Sacko), 90
PHX: Capetillo (Ping), 90+4
Misconduct Summary:
PHX: Ramirez (caution), 56
SR: Akanyirige (caution), 88
Lineups:
PHX: GK Rakovsky, D Cross (Smith, 75), D Vukovic, D Pelayo (Balanzar de la Cruz, 89), D Ramirez, M Moursou, M Ping, M Avayevu (Studenhofft, 62), F Capetillo, F Carvajal (Sacko, 62), F Dennis © (Scearce, 62)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Odunze, D Gaydon
TOTAL SHOTS: 17 (Carvajal, 5); SHOTS ON GOAL: 9 (Multiple Players, 2); FOULS: 12 (Ramirez, 4); OFFSIDES: 3; CORNER KICKS: 8; SAVES: 4
SR: GK Echeverria ©, D Del Mundo, D Akanyirige, D Turgeon, D Varela (Romero, 45), M Salari-Namin (Raby, 67), M Gonzalez, M Flores (Aristondo, 67), F Jensen, F Salinas, F Castro
Substitutes Not Used: D Maravilla, F Juárez, F Mogharei
TOTAL SHOTS: 7 (Multiple Players, 3) SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Roberto Gonzalez, 2); FOULS: 6 (Multiple Players, 1) OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 5
Referee: Edgar Sanchez Beltran
Assistant Referees: Mark Novosel, Ashton Ching
Fourth Official: Rodrigo Perez
Attendance: 2,274
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.
