Sacko’s 10th goal contribution of 2026 leads Rising to a third straight league win
Phoenix Rising extended its run of league success in the Steel City on Saturday night, scoring late to pick up a 1-0 victory over Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on May 2 at F.N.B. Stadium. Forward Ihsan Sacko netted his sixth goal of the season, while goalkeeper Patrick Rakovsky secured another clean sheet as Rising picked up a third straight win in league play.
“It’s a statement win for us,” midfielder JP Scearce said. “(Pittsburgh) is a very hard team for us to beat at home and for us to have done it says a lot about how the team is doing right now. Hopefully we can keep building on this win.”
Rising has now scored seven unanswered goals in USL Championship play and allowed just one score in league play dating back to April 4. The club next returns home looking to continue its recent momentum against San Antonio FC at 7:00 p.m. on May 9 at Phoenix Rising Stadium.
ROAD WARRIORS
After picking up just one point in its first three road matches, Rising has taken six in its last two. Even more impressive, both three-point road performances have come in the club’s furthest away days of the season (@MIA, @PIT).
“This is a group that has shown resilience, a group that is working and fighting together,” Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah said. “It’s a family and a group that adapts quickly to the circumstances we are in. Everybody worked and were fantastic.”
Notably, Rising became the first team to pick up three points at F.N.B Stadium this season, snapping Pittsburgh’s run of 11 consecutive home results in all competitions dating back to last season. The Riverhounds, the reigning USL Championship titleholders, last tasted defeat at home back on September 13, 2025.
“The team has been gelling together, growing in confidence and it’s translating onto the field where you can see us playing with a lot of confidence,” Scearce said.
Next up on the road: Rising will make its final cross-country trip of the season, heading to St. Petersburg, Florida, to face Tampa Bay Rowdies on May 23.
BUILDING EXPERIENCE
Five Phoenix Rising Academy players made Kah’s matchday lineup, with 15-year-old midfielder Jaethan Irwin picking up a second straight start and his first in USL Championship play. Other players to make the trip to the Steel City included Eziah Ramirez, Jackson Gaydon, Noah Cross and Alexander Balanzar de la Cruz.
“The academy players have been magnificent for us,” Kah said. “They’re well-led and take their chances when they have the opportunity. That’s all we can do and ask for as a coaching staff… We’re very grateful to the academy players and the ways they are playing and showing their character. We have to continue to build off that with their pathway.”
In the second half, Ramirez made his fifth appearance, checking in with 20 minutes to play. Gaydon entered the match in the 90+5 minute, becoming the third PRFC Academy product to appear on Saturday night. With the average age of Rising’s starting lineup at 25 years old, the club once again demonstrated its commitment to providing experience for some of its youngest players.
GOAL-SCORING PLAYS
PHX – Ihsan Sacko (Gunnar Studenhofft), 64th minute: Rushing onto the ball on the left wing, forward Ihsan Sacko charged toward foal before using his left foot to place the ball into the bottom-right corner of the net
NOTES
-Saturday marked Rising’s second of six matches against Eastern Conference opposition (MIA, PIT, TBR, LOU, HFD, IND).
-Notably, it was the club’s second of three away trips into the Eastern Time Zone.
-Five PRFC Academy players made Saturday’s matchday lineup (Jaethan Irwin, Eziah Ramirez, Jackson Gaydon, Noah Cross, Alexander Balanzar de la Cruz).
-Notably, Irwin picked up his second straight start, and first in USL Championship play.
-25 years old marked the average age of Rising’s starting lineup.
-Notably, a PRFC Academy product has appeared in 10 of Rising’s 12 matches in all competitions.
-Forward Ihsan Sacko made his 10th goal contribution of 2026 in the match (6G, 4A).
-His six goals ties Colorado Spring’s Khori Bennett for the most goals scored in the USL Championship so far this season.
-Forward Gunnar Studenhofft contributed his first assist as a Rising player.
-He now has three goal contributions in all competitions (2G, 1A).
-Rising has now won its last three matches in league play.
-Notably, the club has outscored opponents 7-0 in that span.
-Goalkeeper Patrick Rakovsky has now kept three straight clean sheets.
Phoenix Rising (3-2-3, 12 pts) at Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (3-4-1, 10 pts)
May 2, 2026 – F.N.B Stadium (Pittsburgh, Penn.)
Goals by Half 1 2 FT
Phoenix Rising 0 1 1
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC 0 0 0
Scoring Summary:
PHX: Sacko (Studenhofft), 64
Misconduct Summary:
PIT: Dikwa (caution), 53
PHX: Moursou (caution), 57
PHX: Dennis (caution), 89
Lineups:
PHX: GK Rakovsky, D Biasi, D Irwin (Studenhofft, 63), D Scearce, D Boye ©, D Smith, M Avayevu (Gaydon, 90+5), M Moursou, M Gomez, F Sacko (Ramirez, 70), F Dennis
Substitutes Not Used: GK Odunze, D Pelayo, D Cross, M De la Cruz
TOTAL SHOTS: 8 (Multiple players, 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 1 (Sacko, 1); FOULS: 15 (Biasi, 5); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 2
PIT: GK Campuzano, D Kelp, D Mikoy, D Souza (Amann, 85), D Viera, M Wälti (Ahl, 74), M Goldthorp (Etou, 85), M Griffin ©, M Mertz, F Bassett, F Dikwa
Substitutes Not Used: GK Sheridan, D Osumanu, M Sample, M Barnes, F Flowers-Gamboa
TOTAL SHOTS: 8 (Multiple players, 2) SHOTS ON GOAL: 2 (Multiple players, 1); FOULS: 14 (Multiple players, 2) OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 0
Referee: Alyssa Pennington
Assistant Referees: Mateusz Dulski, William Gaither
Fourth Official: Steven Vines
Attendance: 4,439
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.
