EL PASO, Texas (Saturday, August 27) – Phoenix Rising FC fell, 3-1, to El Paso tonight at Southwest University Park.
The team returns to Wild Horse Pass on Wednesday, August 31 (7:30 p.m.) to take on RGV Toros.
El Paso’s Aaron Gomez took a pass that was played over the top of the Rising’s defense and walked into the area in the 25th minute of the match. The forward waited until he was nearly to the six-yard box before ripping a shot directly at Phoenix goalkeeper Ben Lundt. The big German stood his ground and made a two-handed save above his head to keep the game tied 0-0.
Locomotive took a 1-0 lead in the 28th minute when Luis Solignac got on the end of a pass from teammate Eder Borelli. Defender Joe Farrell tried to cut out the pass and got a piece of the ball but not enough to keep Solignac from getting to it and chipping a shot to the left of Lundt.
Dylan Mares made it 2-0 in stoppage time of the first half when he came free in the center of the area and Borelli found him with a sharp pass. Mares feinted left and right before poking a straight shot into the corner of the goal to give the home team a two-goal advantage heading into halftime.
Borelli created his third goal of the match in the 64th minute when Solignac came free in the area. Borelli curled a pass in-between Rising defenders James Musa and Marcus Ferkranus and El Paso’s No. 9 nodded a head back across the goal to the near post, past Lundt, to make it 3-0.
Rising pulled a goal back immediately when Santi Moar created space for substitute Ryan Flood on the left flank. Flood took a touch inside the area and fired a left-footed blast by El Paso goalkeeper Evan Newton to make it 3-1 in the 65th minute.
Phoenix came within inches of making it a 3-2 game in the 90th minute when Arturo Rodriguez came free on the right flank and fired a low shot towards Newton. The goalkeeper made the save but the rebound spun backwards towards the goal line before El Paso defender Yuma intervened to save the ball from crossing the line.
Scoring:
EP – Luis Solignac 28
EP – Dylan Mares (Eder Borelli) 45+1
EP – Luis Solignac (Eder Borelli) 64
PHX – Ryan Flood (Santi Moar) 65
Discipline:
EP – Matt Bahner (caution) 10
EP – Andrew Fox (caution) 21
PHX – Baboucar Njie (caution) 24
PHX – Joe Farrell (caution) 76
EP – Ricardo Zacarias (caution) 82
PHX – Joey Calistri (caution) 90+1
Lineups:
Phoenix Rising FC – Ben Lundt, Joe Farrell, Marcus Ferkranus (Richmond Antwiv74), James Musa, Darnell King (Joey Calistri 66), Kevon Lambert, Aodhan Quinn, Arturo Rodriguez, Santi Moar, Baboucar Njie (Ryan Flood 55), JJ Williams (Greg Hurst 66).
Substitutes Not Used: Lalo Delgado, Koze Donasiyano, Luis Seijas, Lalo Delgado.
El Paso Locomotive FC – Evan Newton, Aaron Gomez, Luis Solignac, Ricardo Zacarias (Francois 88), Dylan Mares, Eric Calvillo (Ander Egiluz 72), Richie Ryan, Eder Borelli (Nick Hines 72), Andrew Fox, Yuma, Matt Bahner (Liam Rose 57).
Substitutes Not Used: Phillip Beigl, Diego Abarca, Edison Azcona