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With nine goal contributions in over 1,000 minutes of action, forward Ihsan Sacko has fit right in to Rising’s attack since joining the club in January

Written By: Emma Dinnan

Phoenix Rising forward Ihsan Sacko has made an instant impact since arriving in Phoenix ahead of the 2025 season. With four goals and five assists across all competitions in his first 22 matches with the club, the forward – better known to teammates and fans as “Nino” – has proven to be a key cog in Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah’s attack.

“(Sacko) brings the pedigree of a player with European experience, someone who understands the demands of competing in high-level environments,” Kah said. “He’s a player with grit entering his prime, and is a technically gifted striker who knows how to link up with teammates effectively and can finish his chances.”

The French forward first made a name for himself with local side RC Strasbourg Alsace in 2016 where he helped lead the club to promotion from France’s Ligue 2 to its top division, Ligue 1. Sacko then transferred to one of France’s biggest clubs, OGC Nice, before going on to spend time with Troyes (France), Cosenza (Italy), US Avranches (France) and FC Thun (Switzerland). Then Nino ended up on Kah’s radar.

“When Phoenix approached me, I didn’t hesitate,” Sacko said. “I had opportunities in Europe, but this project felt right—it’s where I wanted to be. My conversations with the coach were genuine and seamless, and I immediately knew this was the right challenge for me. My goal this season is clear: to win trophies and make history with this team. I’m here because I love challenges and I’m ready to make an impact.”

Sacko has stayed true to his word. The forward has scored from outside the box, with scrappy, close-range efforts and in high-pressure penalty-kick situations. He also knows how to make runs with the ball and then slip teammates in on goal, as evidenced by his five assists in all competitions.

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Even amidst his strong USL Championship campaign, Sacko is constantly looking to improve. He talks about how as a pure striker he has even more freedom to work on improving himself all-around.

“My statistics and everything, they’re good, but I can do more,” Sacko said. “I can score more goals and make more assists for my team. I’m always hard on myself, so this is not enough for me, and I want to improve myself.”

Kah brought Sacko in for a reason. He saw the future of the club in a player with the work ethic, experience and talent Sacko brings. So far, the decision has paid off as Sacko has been one of Rising’s key players so far in 2025.

How the Phoenix Rising Academy has helped prepare players for the next leap in their soccer careers

Written By Emma Dinnan

With five distinct regions and national platforms, Phoenix Rising provides one of the only direct pathways for soccer players of all ages in Arizona to reach the pros. Between its female ECNL women’s soccer programs as well as ECNL, MLS NEXT Academy and USL Academy for aspiring men’s athletes, Rising has a pathway for every type of player.

These teams offer more than just a chance for young players to learn the basics of soccer and experience enhanced training opportunities. They also provide important personal development skills, teach players how to grow as a person outside of soccer and how to build lasting bonds with teammates and coaches.

The different academy programs are crucial to the success of the club’s First Team, something Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah has directly shown this season through his consistent willingness to put some the club’s youngest players in his matchday squad. Since the season started in March, Kah has given five players their first-ever professional appearances and has ensured there is always an Academy player either in his starting eleven or on the bench.

“This is who we are as a club,” Kah said. “We give opportunities to players when they deserve to play, but you got to earn that right. We have a bunch of academy players we believe in, that we are working with every day and making sure they see and trust the work that they’re doing every day in this pathway.”

Building Connections and Careers

Beyond the constant cycle of games and training sessions, a big draw of playing youth soccer is the social element. Many players began at the youngest age levels of Rising’s youth program and still play together in high school. These teammates have become lifelong friends. 

Midfielder Kale Howell, who just finished the 2025 season with the U19 team, said his favorite part of playing for the Elite Academy (EA) team was the camaraderie among his teammates and coaches.

“We had a special team,” Howell said. “I was there for five years, and we had a good group of guys that stuck together. They just made it so enjoyable to play. We had good team chemistry, so it was just fun.”

Howell met some of his best friends through the club, but also found the next step in his soccer career. The defender will soon head off to Cedarville University in Ohio to play NCAA Division II soccer. Howell credits his Rising coaches for helping him land a college commitment early.

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“I had a lot of talks with our recruiting coordinator,” Howell said. “He did a really good job on helping me hear about schools. He reached out to certain schools for me, he helped guide me through: What fits you? What doesn’t fit you? What did you like about this school? What did you not?”

Howell is just one of many players who have found their next step in soccer through Rising.

National Tournaments

This season, Rising sent not just one, but multiple men’s and women’s teams to Nationals in St. Louis, Missouri. In fact, over half of the club’s youth teams qualified for the big weekend.

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For center back Julian Coulston of the U14 EA team, Nationals provided a chance to see what the world of soccer is like outside of Arizona.

“We got to play two exhibition games against teams from New York and Texas,” Coulston said. “Even though we lost that first round match, it was a great experience to keep getting better and see different competition than the Arizona or California competition we normally get.”

Head Director William Malott, who works with both the U14 and U19 teams, discussed how a trip to Nationals helps shape a young player.

“(Nationals) was a good environment for them, and especially for those younger teams,” Malott said. “It feels different to play in that type of an environment, right? So to give those guys that experience that early in their playing career was really positive for us.”

More Than a Coach

At any level, a coach can either make or break a kids’ experience. Players often quit if they don’t like a coach. At the same time, a coach and their methods can help kids fall in love with the sport.

“We have really good coaches at Phoenix Rising,” Howell said. “We have a really good style of play. We like to play real soccer. They teach you through a bunch of different tactics of the game and really just develop your soccer IQ. They also push you to become better technically, and push you to be the best player you can be.”

Coaches within the Rising Academy system take on traditional coaching roles, but also serve as mentors and advisors throughout a season. For example, they do grade checks to make sure athletes remain engaged with their academics. When it comes time to look into colleges, they make sure an athlete really likes a school and not just its soccer program.

“The connections you build, the sort of support you give guys… The individual stuff is really what keeps me excited about going to the fields,” Malott said. “(The players) need a lot of guidance, being juniors and seniors in high school. It’s a really exciting time, but it’s a complicated time. You have to make a lot of big choices, you may or may not be emotionally ready to make. I think getting to support guys on that side is great.”

Taking the Next Step

One of the biggest goals for Rising’s academy teams is to prepare players for the next step in their soccer journeys. For some, that’s college. For others, it’s the pros. Two players currently reaping the benefits of the club’s internal pathway are defender Braxton Montgomery and midfielder Jamison Ping.

Ping and Montgomery have already played signigficant minutes with the First Team. Montgomery has logged over 1,000 minutes along the back line, while Ping has 14 appearances across all competitions and wore the captain’s armband for the first time in the club’s USL Jägermeister Cup match against El Paso Locomotive FC on July 19.

“It’s a very special thing to wear the captain’s armband at Phoenix Rising,” Ping said following the match in El Paso. “I have seen so many people, like (Assistant Coach and former Rising captain) Darnell King, wear it. Obviously, it means a lot to me as a person to wear the armband for a club I’ve played for for six years, it’s very special. I give thanks to my teammates and coaches for trusting me.”

Most recently, 16 year old Cyrus Kowall became the youngest starter in club history when he started Rising’s home match against Orange County SC on June 8th. These are just a few examples of the opportunities Kah has given academy players, who know that if they put in the work and show they are good enough, they will play.

“In every top club you go to, the base is the academy,” Kah said. “(Academy players) are important because they also hold the standards in training. For the overall growth of this club and the sport in North America, it’s important that people put time and effort into the academy. These players come from the community, and the community needs to be prideful and see they have players coming out of their region.”

Rising’s youth programs focus on building character and skill, looking for players with high soccer IQ. Coaches are their support system, while teammates from the youngest age groups quickly become lifelong friends. After years of hard work, a handful may even grace the pitch at Phoenix Rising Stadium themselves and even score a goal in front of Los Bandidos. For many, having that pathway within a club setup is what the sport is all about.

“I do think we offer a really high-quality program, and that people see that,” Malott said. “They see the quality of staff we have and they see the quality of the on-field elements of our program, the quality of off-field elements. There’s no one pathway for a family, and I think that at Phoenix Rising, we do a really good job of providing layers to the pathway so that kids can be where they need to be at the right times.”

Winning coloring sheet to be made into matchday poster for Back to School night on Aug. 23; Top Five to receive tickets for a future home match

Ahead of Phoenix Rising’s Back to School Night match against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on August 23, the club will hold a coloring competition with prizes rewarded to top entrants.

The winner will have their coloring sheet turned into the matchday poster for the Back to School Night match, while the top five selected coloring sheets will receive free tickets to an upcoming Rising home match. Additionaly, several entries will be showcased on the video board ahead of the match.

To be entered to win, upload either a picture or a scan of your completed coloring sheet below by Thursday, August 14. Please note, only high-quality scanned images will be eligible for the top prize.

Interested in making it to the match? Tickets for Back to School Night are still available on phxrisingfc.com.

See how Rising fans have carried their passion for the club while serving in the United States Armed Forces

Ahead of Phoenix Rising’s Military Appreciation Night match against Lexington SC at 7:30 p.m. (PT) July 4 at Phoenix Rising Stadium, fans currently serving the United States military as well as veterans reached out to share what Rising has meant to them. Below are some of their Rising stories.

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Isai Ardon

Branch: U.S. Navy
Rank: Petty Officer 3rd Class
Service: Three years, currently serving

Rising Memory: “My favorite Phoenix Rising game would definitely have to be the 2018 Western Conference Final against Orange County SC. The memories I made on that trip traveling with my family and fans alike on that bus ride, flooding their stadium with a sea of red and watching Rising make the first final appearance in the clubs history.”

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Hassan Al-Azawi

Branch: U.S. Coast Guard
Rank: Cadet 3rd Class
Service: One year, currently serving

Rising Memory: “Playing for the U19 Academy in MLS Next and watching the First Team win the USL.”

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Kristina Hamm

Branch: U.S. Air Force
Rank: Airman First Class
Service: Six months

Rising Memory: “I started attending with my son thanks to Vettix. After two years of hit and miss games I decided I had to be at every home game, so I became a season ticket holder. I could write a novel about the highlights, but the all time favorite (to date) was the 2023 season. My son and I were fortunate enough to attend the playoffs, Western Conference Championship, then The Championship!!! The icing on the cake was meeting the team at the airport and being honored to hold the cup (before it came home)!

I look forward to every game rain, shine, or oven! Vamos Rising!!”

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Marcos Romero

Branch: U.S. Army
Rank: Sergeant First Class
Service: 18 years, currently serving

Rising Memory: “Rocco (Ríos Novo) saving three PKs in a row to win the Championship.”

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Want to be featured? Or know someone who needs to be? Submit your Rising story HERE

Formella played a role in all three goals as Rising walked away with its fourth straight victory in league play

Written by Emma Dinnan

The setting sun provided a perfect backdrop for what happened in the 21st minute of Phoenix Rising’s 3-1 win over Orange County SC on June 7. Looking for an opening, midfielder Noble Okello found forward Dariusz Formella positioned in space at the top of the penalty box. Without the need for a touch, Formella dispatched a one-time effort into the back of the net to put Rising up 1-0. The goal was Formella’s second in all competitions this season, last netting a penalty against Houston Dynamo FC in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on May 7.

“For every offensive player, the long break (without scoring) a goal is something you don’t like,” Formella said following the match. “After the last Jägermeister Cup game, when I had the PK and I chipped it and missed it, I had to talk with one of the coaches because I saw it’s not going in a good direction, and I wasn’t myseIf.”

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For Formella, the perfectly-placed effort was just the start of one of his most impactful nights in a Rising kit. Over the next 70 minutes, the forward went on to make two assists, playing a role in every goal Rising scored against Orange County.

“I had a very good week of training,” Formella said. “I was trying to focus only on all simple things, and it worked. So I’m very happy. It was a big game for me and a crucial moment.”

Since he joined the team midway through the 2023 season, the 29 year old has scored 10 goals and made five assists. A crucial part of Rising’s attack, the Pole has played a big role in helping the club extend its winning streak to four matches.

“He played the role that we asked him as a nine fantastically… linking up, dropping back,” Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah said following the Orange County match. “I think that’s a position that suits him fantastically because he gets the time to roam and find spaces.”

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One thing that makes Formella stand out is how he collaborates with other players. Against Orange County, his ability to control the ball in tight spaces inside the box helped defender Ascel Essengue score his first-ever goal with Rising. Five minutes later, he assisted midfielder Charlie Dennis for his first goal of the season on a breakneck counter-attack.

“I know the quality that Formella has on his passes,” Dennis said. “He found me, perfectly to my feet, and I wanted to get the ball onto my left foot, against the defender’s momentum. That’s where it came down to, just putting the ball in the corner.”

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Over recent weeks, Formella has displayed his increasing on-field bond with midfielder Hope Avayevu. Their partnership was on full display in the club’s recent victory.

“I feel a very good connection with (Avayevu),” Formella said. “Just playing just one-two touches in training, we have very nice combinations. Today, we showed that a little bit, but I’m telling you it was not even 20%. I hope we’re gonna have more chances to do it, and we’re gonna be able to show it, because we have much more to show.”

Looking back at one of his best individual performances while in a Rising uniform, Formella chose to point to his teammates and look ahead to where the club’s recent momentum has it trending.

“Of course, you want to win every game,” Formella said. “It doesn’t matter if you play in three days or in one month, it’s very good that we are living this good moment now. We won the game, the fans went home happy and we can be excited for the next one.”

Rising players share their favorite pre-match beats and how music plays a role in their gameday routine

Written by Emma Dinnan

It’s one hour until Phoenix Rising kick off another match on 38th & Washington. As fans fill the stadium, nerves begin to settle. Sitting on a bench waiting to be taped, defender Collin Smith puts his earbuds in. He hears the beat kick in as LL COOL J’s “I’m Bad” begins to play. In his head, he envisions the scene from Michael Jordan’s docu-series “The Last Dance,” where Jordan famously racks up 63 points against the Celtics. 

“I remember that play,” Smith said. “I want to just really go out on the field and give my all and do the exact same thing, just make players be afraid of me.”

As the song plays, Smith nods along. Slowly his nerves begin to fade and he feels himself entering the “zone” ready to hit the field.

When it comes to preparing for a game, each player has his own routine. Pay attention before a match and you’ll see them with their headphones on blasting their favorite songs. Whether it’s “Sant Yalla” by Wally B. Seck or “Wrong Decisions” by NAV, the most popular hype songs among the team encompass multiple genres, artists, and styles.

For midfielder Charlie Dennis, his genre of choice is house music. One song the Brighton, United Kingdom, native has on repeat at the moment is “Se Mueve Asi” by Bruno Bona and Maty Badini. Dennis calls the song a reflection of his English roots and love for European music. 

“It’s big in Europe so I always just listen to it,” Dennis said. “I like to find new songs and “Se Mueve Asi” is just one I like.”

For many, house music means clubbing and boiler room sets. For Dennis, the sounds that people like to dance to are what gets him in the mental headspace for a game.

“I think the sounds, the beat, the rhythm… those are the things I like,” Dennis said. “I don’t know when I heard it. I just enjoyed that song. It’s one of those where you keep replaying it.”

Music isn’t the only thing that can affect a pre-match mindset; setting matters too. Dennis says the locker room can be loud, with a constant mix of French and rap music playing. He prefers to get in his zone seperately long before the match.

“When I’m driving in the car here to the stadium, I’ll definitely put music on, and then sometimes I’ll put my headphones in on the away trips,” Dennis said.

Smith, on the other hand, loves to go back in time to prepare himself for kickoff with a bit of old-school hip-hop. 

“I’m into the older songs: RnB, the older kind of rap songs, all those things,” the 21-year-old defender said. “I check out several generations of music and everything. If it gets me hyped, that’s what I end up rolling with.”

Smith admits that although he appreciates the music from everyone on the team, he would rather listen to his hype songs to construct his pre-match mindset.

“In the locker room I’m headphones in, doing my own thing,” Smith said. “Depending on the mood, I’ll kind of switch it up. Sometimes it’s rap, sometimes RnB, sometimes older rap. Sometimes even motivational videos I’ll watch instead of listening to music. It just kind of depends.”

Smith’s preparation starts the second he pulls on his jersey. Even the slightest difference in his routine, all the way down to his meticulously-crafted playlist, could throw off his game significantly,

“I put my AirPods in and if I don’t, I feel a little different,” Smith said. “That’s why it’s mandatory for me to go ahead and throw those in and listen to whatever I need to get hyped for the game.”

Whether Smith, Dennis or any player on Rising’s roster, music plays a significant role in the gameday routine. Each player’s respective hype song allows each individual player to set themselves straight and be in the best possible frame of mind to win games. Even better, when they succeed, they celebrate with the beat of the music.

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Here you can find the full playlist of the Rising player’s hype songs.

With six PK saves this season, including three against rivals New Mexico United, Rakovsky has hit his stride in net for Rising

Story written by Emma Dinnan

Phoenix Rising goalkeeper Patrick Rakovsky has stood on his head in recent weeks. The German shot-stopper currently has 18 saves to his name this season and an even more impressive six PK stops.

Rakovsky saved four penalties in the span of three days, first against Las Vegas Lights in the final minutes of regulation to secure a 1-0 victory on May 28, and most recently he stopped three straight against New Mexico United in a penalty kick shootout to help Rising earn two points in USL Jägermeister Cup play.

While Rakovsky has put his cat-like reflexes on full display in the last week, his PK mojo began back on April 16, when he saved two penalties to help the club eliminate FC Tulsa and advance to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 32. In recent media availabilities, Rakovsky gave reporters a glimpse into his mind, that of an expert shot-stopper, to explain what goes on between the sticks ––and between the ear lobes–– for 90-plus minutes.

Method Behind The Madness 

Everyone has their own methodology when it comes to preparing for penalty kicks. Rakovsky does his homework. 

“Everybody studies the penalties a little bit,” Rakovsky said. “I mean, we look what happens. We saw (Talen) Maples shoot two penalties against Orange County SC (on May 17). So we kind of have an idea how he shoots, right? But, yeah, nothing special. Just paying a little bit attention to what happens in the week.”

In the match against Vegas, there was a two-minute delay between when the penalty kick was awarded and when it was taken. Although maybe not the plan, Rakovsky discusses how it helped him get the upper hand. 

“The field in Las Vegas wasn’t the best,” Rakovsky said. “There was a big hole on the penalty spot, so as soon as (Valentin Noël) put it down, he put it kind of on the edge. So it’s kind of a mind game, right? We’re like, hey, it’s not in the middle. He needs to put it on the spot. So he has to re-adjust.”

He continued: “As soon as (Noël) walked back, the ball started moving again. He has to re-adjust. We start talking to him. I know Ryan Flood was talking constantly to him while he was waiting to shoot. So there are a bit of mind games.”

Rakovsky’s PK stop against Vegas saved three points, the difference between 7th place and 5th place in the Western Conference table. That fact didn’t go overlooked by his teammates.

“(Rakovsky) has been in amazing form ever since we started the season,” midfielder Noble Okello said. “He deserved it again, and we thank him for saving us once again. We appreciate what he does for this team.”

Three in a Row 

A 3-3 draw in regulation saw Rising’s match against New Mexico United on May 31 go to penalties to determine which team would walk away from the match with two points. That’s when Rakovsky went unconcious, saving three penalties in a row. The German admitted his performance in the FC Tulsa match edged that against New Mexico in his mind due to the fact it helped Rising advance in the Open Cup, but did admit his three straight PK saves were a career first.

While Rakovsky made it look simple, he acknowledged the need for a little luck when it comes to the art of stopping penalties.

“Penalty shootouts are not easy, but I feel like today was a great lesson; that we cannot stop when we’re up,” Rakovsky said. “I’m hoping we don’t go to penalties and that we win before that, but yeah, we had a little bit of luck our side because (New Mexico) didn’t shoot well. I’m lucky I went the right way.”

Rising Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah is gives goalkeeper coach Cory Robertson his flowers for all the work he does with Rakovsky, but that’s as far as he went. He wouldn’t dare speak on his keepers’ record in PK’s this season.

“Don’t jinx him,” Kah said. “Next question.”

Solid from the spot

In a close match, especially in knockout competition, having an edge in penalty kicks often makes the difference between a thrilling victory or excruciating defeat. Rakovsky feels that in a match that may not go as planned, penalty kicks give teams leeway to still come out on top.

“To win on penalties should give us a push,” Rakovsky said. “To see we’re able to win games, or at least not lose, even while we’re not at our best is a great thing.”

As a goalkeeper, Rakovsky lives for the feeling of staring down the line into the eyes of an opposing player at the penalty spot. When all eyes are on him. While he would prefer not being in that position every match, he knows he can cover for his teammates more often than not. And his track record backs it up.

“That’s why I play soccer,” Rakovsky said. “I love these moments. Technically, I have nothing to lose. (The opponent) has to score. He has the pressure on him.”

Click on the glove to see each of Patrick Rakovsky’s six penalty kick saves this season.