Phoenix Rising FC Match Preview presented by NAU
Just as it opened the 2023 season on March 11, Phoenix Rising is heading to Charleston, South Carolina to take on the Battery. This time around a league title is on the line (Sunday. Nov. 12 at 5 p.m. on ESPN2).
“It’s not just another game,” said Rising Head Coach Juan Guerra. “It’s a final. We’re playing for something this organization has never achieved before. We want it very badly.”
From match one to match 40, not much has remained the same. Rising’s opening-day lineup featured six players that have not started a post-season game. Three of the remaining five are likely to start Sunday’s match in a different position than they did on March 11. One of those, Alejandro Fuenmayor left the match 20 minutes in due to an injury.
“It’s going to be a tough game,” Guerra said. “Charleston is a blue-collar team. Charleston works hard. They don’t give up. They’re talented. They have a good mix of youth and experience. They can hurt you in multiple ways. It’s going to be a battle.”
For Charleston, former Phoenix midfielder Arturo Rodriguez has started the team’s last five matches in central midfield, scoring twice and adding two assists. Despite being the third seed, they’ve enjoyed three home matches thanks to some upsets on that side of the bracket. Phoenix had a much different journey, sweeping a three-game set against higher seeds in California thanks to late-match heroics from Emil Cuello (x2) and Dariusz Formella.
“I have an apple watch and this thing tells me I’m going to die around five times a game,” said Guerra. “We’ve been preparing for these moments all year. We navigate the emotions together. The rest of the coaching staff know when to push and when to calm down.
This is a team that enjoys and embraces playing away matches. Every single player feels important. In this final stretch, every player has understood their role. They’re ready to execute wherever they are assigned. That is what gives us an edge. It feels more like a family, which is stronger than just a good soccer team.”
PREVIEW: Rising’s “Family” Plays for the USL Championship Trophy, Sunday at 5 PM on ESPN2
