ALBURQUQUE, NM (Wednesday, June 21) – Phoenix Rising FC (5-4-6) picked up three points on the road in New Mexico with a 3-1 win against United tonight.
Danny Trejo and Panos Armenakas had a goal and an assist each while Manuel Artega tallied his eighth goal of the season in the team’s third away win. The team travels to Oakland this Saturday, June 24 (7 p.m.) before returning to 38th St/Washington for Military Appreciation Night on Saturday, July 1. Tickets for that match are available here or by calling 623-594-9606.
Tonight, Trejo gave Rising a 1-0 lead in the 31st minute. The play was set up by Armenakas, who received the ball on Phoenix’s right flank. Rising’s newest signing had space up the sideline but chose to cut inside, through a pack of defenders to send a pass to Trejo, who was breaking down the opposite side. The maneuver paid off immediately as Trejo took the pass, rounded his marker and beat New Mexico goalkeeper Alex Tambakis with a low shot to the back post.
New Mexico responded in the next few minutes, forcing several saves out of Phoenix goalkeeper Patrick Rakovsky by the 40th minute. The first came in the 36th minute when Sergio Rivas set the table for Amando Moreno on the right side of the box. Moreno hit a solid attempt, low to the back post but Rakovsky got a hand to it to push it out for a corner kick.
The goalkeeper’s second save came against former Rising forward Santi Moar, who came free in the center of the box from point-blank range in the 40th minute. Rakovsky blocked the initial attempt and recovered to smother the rebound try from Moar a split second later.
New Mexico made it a 1-1 game in the 51st minute when Justin Portillo played a sharp pass in to the feet of Moreno. The forward used the inside of his right foot to play the ball into space and cut around his defender before ripping a shot past Rakovsky and into the back of the net.
Rising responded less than three minute later when Trejo returned the favor to Armenakas. Trejo got the ball on the left side, cut inside and found Armenakas open in the center of the box. Armenakas poked a high shot past the goalkeeper to make it 2-1 in the 53rd minute.
Gabi Torres entered the match in the 78th minute and picked up an assist 10 minutes later after picking up a loose ball in Rising’s attacking third of the field. Torres cut back and found Manuel Arteaga at the top of the area. The forward put away his eighth goal of the season, beating Tambakis low to the near post to make it a 3-1 final.
Scoring:
PHX – Danny Trejo (Panos Armenakas) 31
NM – Amando Moreno (Justin Portillo) 51
PHX – Panos Armenakas (Danny Trejo) 53
PHX – Manuel Arteaga (Gabi Torres) 88
Discipline:
NM – Sam Hamilton (caution) 1
NM – Will Seymore (caution) 49
PHX – Carlos Harvey (caution) 59
PHX – Baubacarr Njie (caution) 88
Lineups:
Phoenix Rising FC – Patrick Rakovsky, Daniel Krutzen, Alejandro Fuenmayor, Uzo (Darnell King 78), Carlos Harvey, Jose Andres Hernandez (Renzo Zambrano 67), Eddie Munjoma, Panos Armenakas, Erickson Gallardo (Gabi Torres 78), Manuel Arteaga, Danny Trejo (Baboucar Njie 85).
Substitutes Not Used: Rocco Rios Novo, Fede Varela, Carlos Anguiano.
New Mexico United – Alex Tambakis, Sam Hamilton, Josh Suggs (Milo Garvanian 24), Santi Moar (Josh Dolling 76), Will Seymore, Greg Hurst (Alex Waggoner), Sergio Rivas, Kalen Ryden, Amando Moreno, Harry Swartz (Daniel Bruce 62), Justin Portillo.
Substitutes Not Used: Ford Parker, Wyparlo, Sosa.
