Match Recap

Rising returns to Jägermeister Cup action against New Mexico United on May 31

Phoenix Rising conceded just four shots, but it was enough for visiting San Antonio FC to capitalize on as Rising fell 1-0 on April 26 at Phoenix Rising Stadium.

“I feel for the boys because they work very hard,” Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah said. “They give us everything we ask of them. At this moment it’s a little bit of a struggle, but it’s a great struggle to go through. Some teams, you need it, but we’re going to get out on the other side stronger.”

The match marked Rising’s first-ever match in USL Jägermeister Cup play. Currently sitting in sixth place in Group 2 after the first match week, Rising have another chance to pick up three points and climb the group table when it hosts New Mexico United in the cup competition May 31 at Phoenix Rising Stadium.

TURNING THE PAGE
While Rising remains hungry for its first home victory, and second win of the 2025 season, it knows Saturday’s match served as a break from league play. That it has a chance to rebound and put the weekend behind them quickly.

“The game, it’s already passed,” midfielder Carl Sainté said. “We have to keep our heads up and trust the process and I think everything will work out.”

Kah’s squad now has a week to prepare for its return to league play, with a trip to Colorado Springs to face the reigning league champions. After that, it hosts MLS side Houston Dynamo in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 action before closing the week on the road against New Mexico United on May 10.

GOAL SCORING PLAYS
SA – Juan Agudelo (Nicky Hernández), 63rd minute: After receiving the ball in the center of the box, Juan Agudelo spun and used his right foot to strike the ball into the bottom-left corner of the net.

NOTES
-Saturday marked Rising’s first-ever match in USL Jägermeister Cup play.
-Additionally, it marked Rising’s second match against San Antonio FC of 2025.
-With a 90-minute effort, defender Collin Smith has now played 90 minutes in all but one of Rising’s nine matches in all competitions.
-Rising took home a result in three of its five matches in April.
-Next in USL Jägermeister Cup play, Rising will host New Mexico United on May 31.

NEXT GAME
Rising next hits the road to face reigning USL Championship title holders Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC at 6:00 p.m. (PT) May 3 at Weidner Field. Broadcast coverage will be available on AZFS and CBS Sports Golazo Network. Radio coverage will be provided on Rising Radio (team socials).

Phoenix Rising (0-1-0, 0pts, 6^th Group 2) vs San Antonio FC (1-0-0, 3pts, 2^nd Group 2)
April 26, 2025 – Phoenix Rising Stadium (Phoenix, Ariz.)

Goals by Half                             1          2         FT 
Phoenix Rising                            0          0         0
San Antonio FC                          0          1          1

Scoring Summary:
SA: Agudelo (N. Hernández), 63

Misconduct Summary:
SA: Taintor (caution), 16
SA: Osorio (caution), 77
SA: Erofeev (caution), 84
SA: Greive (caution), 90+3

Lineups:
PHX: GK Rakovsky, D Montgomery (Formella, 86), D Sainté, D Mar Boye © (Neville, 43), D Smith, M Ping (Margaritha, 67), M Scearce, M Okello, F Avayevu, F Cabral (Rivera, 68), F Sacko

Substitutes Not Used: GK Henry, D Araneda, M Rizzo, M De la Cruz, F Kowall

TOTAL SHOTS: 7 (Scearce, Sacko, 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 0; FOULS: 12 (Cabral, 4); OFFSIDES: 4; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 0

SA: GK Namani ©, D Gomez (Flores, 77), D Taintor, D Omar, D Osario, M Erofeev (Greive, 83), M Berron, M Pacheco (Paredes, 76), M Hernández, M Haakenson (J. Hernández, 76), F Agudelo

Substitutes Not Used: GK Sanchez, D Blanco, D Crognale, M Soto

TOTAL SHOTS: 4 (Four players, 1) SHOTS ON GOAL: 1 (Agudelo, 1); FOULS: 17 (N. Hernández, 4) OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 0

Referee: Elijio Arreguin
Assistant Referees: Brendan Lucas, Benjamin Davis
Fourth Official: Alan Martinez Espinoza
Attendance: 6,515

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.

Jearl Margaritha, Damián Rivera score curling efforts as Rising come back from two goals down

For a second time this season, Phoenix Rising overturned a two-goal deficit to earn a result. Forwards Jearl Margaritha and Damián Rivera each scored curling efforts, while forward Rémi Cabral notched his first-ever multi-assist match as Rising drew Sacramento Republic FC 2-2 on Saturday afternoon at Phoenix Rising Stadium.

Margaritha now has a goal contribution in four consecutive matches in all competitions dating back to Rising’s 2-1 win over San Antonio FC on April 6. His goal marked his second of the regular season and third in all competitions. Rivera also netted his second goal of the season, both of which have been at home.

“It was a difficult game, especially with having the Wednesday U.S. Open Cup game,” Cabral said. “We played 120 minutes and came back on Saturday to play at 1 in the afternoon. It wasn’t easy, but I think the team had a good reaction to show the character we have.”

ANOTHER COMEBACK RESULT
For a second time this season, Rising rallied from two goals down to earn a result. Down 2-0 in the 34^th minute, Margaritha brought his team back into the match in the 37^th minute with a curling strike that found the left side of the net. Rivera completed the comeback in the 78^th minute, closing a rapid-fire Rising attack with a spectacular finish of his own, a perfectly placed strike with his right foot that found the upper corner of the net.

“We started off slow,” Rivera said. “We had to build ourselves into the game and kept improving as the game went on. We took advantage of a couple of our chances and were unlucky not to get the three points.”

Saturday marked the club’s second multi-goal comeback and first since rallying to draw El Paso Locomotive FC 4-4 on March 15, the second matchweek of the season.

WRAPPING UP A BUSY WEEK
Saturday also concluded the first three-match week of the season for Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah’s squad. The team picked up two results, winning in penalties to advance to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 against FC Tulsa on April 16 and Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Sacramento Republic FC.

“Nobody’s going to feel sorry for you,” Kah said. “We know what we signed up for and this is part of the game. We talk about being mentally strong, about being resilient, showing character. I think we have been showing it all through this year. You always want three points at home, but this point will go a long way after the long week we had.”

Rising only has one match on its agenda next week, a USL Jägermeister Cup showdown against San Antonio FC on April 26. Its next three-match week comes in early May at Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (5/3) and New Mexico United (5/10), with a Wednesday home match against MLS side Houston Dynamo (5/7).

GOAL-SCORING PLAYS
SAC – Sebastián Herrera (Russell Cicerone), 18th minute: After receiving the ball at the top of the box, Russell Cicerone slid a low pass centrally that Sebastián Herrera redirected into the bottom-right side of the net with his right foot.

SAC – Dominik Wanner (Jack Gurr), 34th minute: From the right side of the box, Jack Gurr lifted a floated cross to the back post that Dominik Wanner volleyed into the back of the net from close range with his right foot.

PHX – Jearl Margaritha (Rémi Cabral), 37th minute: Charging down the middle, forward Rémi Cabral found forward Jearl Margaritha in the right channel. The Curaçao international cut back in the box before using his left foot to curl the ball into the far-left side of the net.

PHX – Damián Rivera (Rémi Cabral), 78th minute: After receiving the ball in the left half-space, Cabral drove toward the endline before sending a low pass to forward Damián Rivera in the middle of the box. Rivera then took a touch to set up his right-footed strike that found the upper-right corner of the net.

NOTES
-Saturday marked the 25^th regular season matchup between Phoenix Rising and Sacramento Republic FC.
-With the draw, Rising now holds a 7-8-10 regular-season record in the series, which dates to the 2014 season.
-Additionally, Saturday marked the second time this season Rising has come from at least two goals behind to earn a result (@ELP, 3/15).
-With his goal in the 37^th minute, forward Jearl Margaritha notched a goal contribution in four straight matches in all competitions (3G, 1A).
-The goal marked his second in regular season play in 2025.
-Additionally, it marks a second straight match forward Rémi Cabral assisted Margaritha in all competitions (USOC 4/16 at TUL).
-Notably, the assist is Cabral’s second-ever in USL Championship play.
-Forward Damian Rivera notched his second goal of the season in the 78^th minute.
-Two assists for Cabral marks his most-ever in a single game.
-Rising finished its first three-match week of the 2025 season with two results (1-1 @TUL, 4/16).
-Rising has now scored a league-high 13 goals in regular season play so far this season.

NEXT GAME
Rising next hosts San Antonio FC to kick off Jägermeister Cup play. The match is slated to kick off at 7:00 p.m. (PT) on Saturday, April 26, at Phoenix Rising Stadium with broadcast coverage available on 3TV, AZFS and ESPN+. Radio coverage will be provided on KDUS 1060 AM (English) and La Onda 99.5 FM (Spanish).

Phoenix Rising (1-3-3, 6pts) vs Sacramento Republic FC (1-2-3, 6pts)
April 19, 2025 – Phoenix Rising Stadium (Phoenix, Ariz.)

Goals by Half                             1          2          FT
Phoenix Rising                           1          1           2
Sacramento Republic FC          2          0           2

Scoring Summary:
SAC: Herrera (Cicerone), 18
SAC: Wanner (Gurr), 34
PHX: Margaritha (Cabral), 37
PHX: Rivera (Cabral), 78

Misconduct Summary:
SAC: Kleeman (caution), 5
PHX: Sacko (caution), 36
SAC: Herrera (caution), 42
SAC: Wanner (caution), 58
SAC: Djedje (caution), 71
SAC: Lopez (caution), 77
PHX: Cabral (caution), 85

Lineups:
PHX: GK Rakovsky, D Montgomery, D Walls (Sainté, 74), D Mar Boye ©, D Neville (Smith, 45), M Scearce, M Okello (Ping, 69), M Avayevu (Johnson, 84), F Margaritha, F Cabral, F Sacko (Rivera, 45)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Henry, D Araneda, F Kowall, F Formella

TOTAL SHOTS: 7 (Avayevu, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Multiple players, 4); FOULS: 24 (Sacko, 7); OFFSIDES: 4; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 2

SAC: GK Vitiello ©, D Benitez, D Kleemann, D Timmer, M Ukaegbu (Djedje, 64), M Wanner (Spaulding, 64), M Willey, M Gurr (Edwards, 45), F Cicerone, F Herrera (Jamieson, 75), F Parano (Lopez, 74)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Mazzola, M Ferandes, M Spaulding, F Amann

TOTAL SHOTS: 15 (Parano, 7) SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Parano, 2); FOULS: 19 (Herrera, 5) OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 1; SAVES: 2

Referee: Nabil Bensalah
Assistant Referees: Cameron Siler, Emmanuel Padilla
Fourth Official: Oziel Mendez
Attendance: 5,021

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.

Patrick Rakovsky saves two penalty kicks as Rising advances to the Round of 32 of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup

TULSA, Okla. – Phoenix Rising advanced to the Round of 32 of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, drawing FC Tulsa 1-1 in regulation before emerging victorious following a penalty kick shootout at Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium on April 16. Forward Jearl Margaritha scored his team’s lone goal, while goalkeeper Patrick Rakovsky finished with four saves, including two penalty saves, to ensure Rising advanced to the Round of 32 for a second consecutive season.

“What an unbelievable performance from the whole group,” Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah said. “It shows the character and resilience this group possess. Things didn’t go the way we wanted it, but these are the victories that will push the team forward.”

Rising will find out its next opponent in the U.S. Open Cup, as well as a potential Round of 16 foe, tomorrow morning. The draw is scheduled for 6:15 a.m. (PT) on March 17 and will be broadcast on CBS Sports Golazo Network.

ANSWERING THE CALL
After missing out on the last three matches, Rakovsky returned to the starting lineup Wednesday evening and made an immediate impact. The German made four saves, but none were bigger than his penalty save in the 120+1 minute in which he used his outstretched right paw to deflect the ball out of danger.

“I saved the PK, which gave us the momentum, and then we were ice-cold in front of the box and scored all the penalties,” Rakovsky said. “It was awesome.”

Had Tulsa converted the spot kick, the game would have likely ended minutes later. Instead, Rakovsky allowed a Rising team that had played with 10 men for over 45 minutes to push the match to penalties. There, the keeper stood tall once more to deny Kalil ElMedkhar’s effort, allowing Rising to take the front-foot in the shootout. Four perfecty-placed penalties later and it was game, set, match.

“With this game, we should have great momentum,” Rakovsky said. “To go into the next game, play in front of our home fans and get that first win.”

LEADING ATTACKERS
Rising has racked up 12 goals in all competitions so far this season, with eight separate players finding the back of the net. Notably, three Rising players are already up to four goal contributions after Rémi Cabral (3G, 1A) notched his first assist of the season.

Cabral joins forward Ihsan Sacko (1G, 3A) and midfielder Hope Avayevu (2G, 2A) for the team lead in goal contributions. Additionally, forward Jearl Margaritha has a goal contribution in three straight matches, scoring against San Antonio FC (4/6) and FC Tulsa (4/16), and assisting against Detroit City FC (4/12).

GOAL-SCORING PLAYS
PHX – Jearl Margaritha (Rémi Cabral), 51st minute: Ihsan Sacko’s back-heel pass to Hope Avayevu in the left half-space sprung Rising’s attack. His low cross into the box was ushered along by Rémi Cabral to Jearl Margaritha at the back post, who used his right foot to rifle the ball into the top of the net.

TUL – Stefan Lukic, 86th minute: A cross sent into the box from the left ended at the feet of Stefan Lukic at the back post, who knocked the ball into the back of the net with his left foot.

PENALTY KICKS
TUL: Kalil ElMedkhar- Saved
PHX: Emil Cuello- Scored
TUL: Faysal Bettache- Missed
PHX: JP Scearce- Scored
TUL: Arthur Rogers- Scored
PHX: Casey Walls- Scored
TUL: Giordano Colli- Scored
PHX: Carlos Sainté- Scored

NOTES
-Today marked the start of Rising’s 11^th U.S. Open Cup campaign.
-With the win, Rising advance to the Round of 32 for a second consecutive season.
-Notably, it matches the furthest the club has ever advanced in the competition.
-Forward Jearl Margaritha has now notched a goal contribution in three consecutive matches (2G, 1A).
-Additionally, the assist marked forward Rémi Cabral’s first of the 2025 season.
-The Frenchman (3G, 1A) now matches forward Ihsan Sacko (1G, 3A) and midfielder Hope Avayevu (2G, 2A) for the most goal contributions so far this season.
-With four saves, Patrick Rakovsky has now made 12 saves in all competitions this season.
-One goal matches the fewest goals Rising has conceded in a match this season (1-0 vs. TUL; 3/8).
-Rising has now picked up a result in three of its four road matches in all competitions.

NEXT GAME
Rising resumes regular season play against Sacramento Republic FC. The match will kick off at 1:00 p.m. (PT) on Saturday, April 19, at Phoenix Rising Stadium with broadcast coverage available on 3TV, AZFS and ESPN+. Radio coverage will be on KAZG 1440 AM (English) and La Onda 1190 AM (Spanish).

Please CLICK HERE to find a highlights from tonight’s match.

Phoenix Rising at FC Tulsa
April 16, 2025 – Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium (Tulsa, Okla.)

Goals by Half                            1          2         ET       FT      (PK)
Phoenix Rising                         0          1          0         1       4
FC Tulsa                                    0          1          0          1      2

Scoring Summary:
PHX: Margaritha (Cabral), 51
TUL: Lukic, 86

Misconduct Summary:
TUL: Cerato (caution), 19
PHX: Cabral (caution), 69
PHX: Cabral (ejected), 75
PHX: Rivera (caution), 120+3

Lineups:
PHX: GK Rakovsky, D Cuello, D Mar Boye ©, D Montgomery, D Smith, M Scearce, M Okello (Ping, 105), M Avayevu (Sainté, 79), F Margaritha (Johnson, 103), F Cabral, F Sacko (Walls, 86)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Henry, F Rivera, F Kowall

TOTAL SHOTS: 21 (Margaritha, 7); SHOTS ON GOAL: 9 (Margaritha, 4); FOULS: 11 (Cabral, 3); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 7; SAVES: 4

TUL: GK Peñaranda, D Batista, D Cissoko © (Laszo, 97), D St Clair (Lukic, 63), M Damm (Rogers, 105), M Colli, M Cerato (Bettache, 103), M Pierre, F Dalou (ElMedkhar, 63), F Calheira, F Stojanovic (Toure, 80)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Dowd

TOTAL SHOTS: 23 (Calheira, 6) SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Calheira, 4); FOULS: 14 (Pierre, 4) OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 16; SAVES: 7

Referee: Rodrigo Albuquerque
Assistant Referees: Jay Norris, AJ Franklin
Fourth Official: Brandon Queri
Attendance: 704

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.

Collin Smith, Darius Johnson make their first goal contributions with Rising

PHOENIX – Phoenix Rising took its first lead at home of the 2025 season but fell to a late surge of goals in a 3-2 loss to Detroit City FC on Saturday, April 12, at Phoenix Rising Stadium. Defender Collin Smith and forward Darius Johnson made their first-ever goal contributions for Rising, while forward Jearl Margaritha (1G, 1A) contributed to a goal in a second straight match and Hope Avayevu netted his second goal of the season.

“The fans want to see a team. We want to see a team,” Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah said. “This is a part of the progress. I know what the boys can do, and for me, I rally everybody to be behind the team. Their voices and their frustration are great because they believe and want this team to do better. So do we. It’s going to take moving in the right direction and working together to create a team that they can be proud of.”

A NIGHT OF FIRSTS
With his goal in the 42^nd minute, defender Collin Smith scored his first goal with Rising. Additionally, his back-post header marked his first-ever goal in USL Championship play. Forward Darius Johnson also made his first-career USL Championship goal contribution, assisting midfielder Hope Avayevu for the game’s second goal late in the second half.

“The ball came into me, and I thought I was going to fly through the net. I was ready,” Smith said. “I was waiting for that one. I was ready for that one. I am super excited to be able to get that (goal) and of course, Margaritha did his thing.”

GOAL-SCORING PLAYS
PHX – Collin Smith (Jearl Margaritha), 42nd minute: Jearl Margaritha took on a series of defenders on a run down the left before serving a lofted cross to the back post, which Collin Smith nodded into the bottom-right corner of the goal

PHX – Hope Avayevu (Darius Johnson), 71st minute: On a counter-attack, forward Darius Johnson recovered his shot that hit the left post and laid it off to midfielder Hope Avayevu who used his right foot to finish into the bottom-right corner of the net.

DET – Darren Smith (Rhys Williams), 87th minute: Rhys Williams’ floated cross found Darren Smith at the back post who used his right foot to volley the ball into the back of the net from close range.

DET – Darren Smith, 89th minute: Detroit City worked the ball down the left side, with the ball reaching Smith in the center of the box, who poked the ball home.

DET – Jeciel Cedeño (Jay Chapman), 90th minute: Racing down the right side, Jay Chapman found the feet of Jeciel Cedeño, who cut into the middle before using his left foot to curl the ball into the far-left side of the net.

NOTES
–With defender Collin Smith’s goal in the 42^nd minute, Rising took its first lead in a home match since September 28, 2024 (vs. LV).
–The goal marked Smith’s first-ever in USL Championship play.
–With his assist, forward Jearl Margaritha now has goal contributions in consecutive matches (1G, 1A).
–The assist is Margaritha’s third for Rising since joining the club.
–Rising has now scored three goals in the final 15 minutes of the first half, the third most in the USL Championship so far (LDN, RI, 4).
–Defender Casey Walls made his Rising debut, checking into the match in the 57^th minute.
–Midfielder Hope Avayevu’s goal in the 71^st minute marked his fourth goal contribution of the season (2G, 2A).
–Avayevu joins forward Ihsan Sacko (1G, 3A) for the most goal contributions so far this season.
–Additionally, the assist marked Darius Johnson’s first-ever goal contribution with Rising and first in the USL Championship.

NEXT GAME
Rising next begins its campaign in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, traveling to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to face FC Tulsa in the Third Round of the competition. The match is slated to kick off at 5:00 p.m. (PT) on Wednesday, April 16, at Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium. The match will be broadcast on Paramount+ with radio coverage provided by Rising Radio (team socials).

Phoenix Rising (1-3-2, 5pts) vs Detroit City FC (3-1-2, 11pts)
April 12, 2025 – Phoenix Rising Stadium (Phoenix, Ariz.)

Goals by Half                            1          2          FT 
Phoenix Rising                         1          1          2
Detroit City FC                         0          3          3  

Scoring Summary:
PHX: Smith (Margaritha), 42
PHX: Avayevu (Johnson), 71
DET: Smith (R. Williams), 87
DET: Smith, 89
DET: Cedeño (Chapman), 90

Misconduct Summary:
DET: Williams (caution), 11
PHX: Okello (caution), 15
PHX: Margaritha (caution), 50

Lineups:
PHX: GK Henry, D Cuello, D Mar Boye ©, D Montgomery (Walls, 57), D Smith, M Sainté, M Okello (Scearce, 57), M Avayevu (Formella, 79), F Sacko, F Cabral (Johnson, 69), F Margaritha (Rivera, 69)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Rakovsky, D Neville, M Ping, F Kowall

TOTAL SHOTS: 11 (multiple players, 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (multiple players, 1); FOULS: 12 (multiple players, 2); OFFSIDES: 3; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 2

DET: GK Herrera, D Amoo-Mensah, D Carroll, D Bryant, M Villanueva (Doner, 70), M Rutz (Morris, 59), M Chapman, M Williams, F Abedayo-Smith (Smith, 60), F Cedeño (Wiedt, 90+3), F Williams

Substitutes Not Used: GK Saldana, M Gasso, M Polisi

TOTAL SHOTS: 15 (Chapman, 4) SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Smith, 2); FOULS: 16 (Carroll, 3) OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 8; SAVES: 1

Referee: Natalie Simon
Assistant Referees: Ben Rigel, Justin Fillmore
Fourth Official: Mark Novosel
Attendance: 5,108

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.

Rémi Cabral and Jearl Margaritha score, Ihsan Sacko contributes to goal in fourth straight match

Phoenix Rising took its first lead of the season, and ultimately picked up its first win, taking down San Antonio FC 2-1 on April 6 at Toyota Field. Forward Rémi Cabral netted his team-leading third goal of the season, forward Jearl Margaritha opened his 2025 account and goalkeeper Triston Henry held the hosts scoreless as Rising secured its first-ever win under Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah.

“We had a tough beginning of the season, but we knew our time was coming,” Cabral told the CBS broadcast following the match. “Today was the best occasion–– a Sunday afternoon at a beautiful stadium against a really good team. It was a big statement and I’m really happy with it.”

All three goals came in a six-minute window midway through the second half. After not leading a minute entering Sunday, Rising went ahead on two separate occasions and held onto its last advantage for over 30 minutes to see out three points and knock out the USL Championship’s last perfect side.

“I’m super proud of the boys’ resilience,” Kah said. “They never for once showed any doubt in their quality and belief. This is their victory. They deserved it.”

AN EXPLOSIVE ATTACK
For the third time this season, Rising finished a match with multiple goals. For the first time, one of those matches rewarded the club with three points.

Cabral netted his third goal of the season, and second in as many weeks, scoring with a right-footed strike from the penalty spot. Notably, Cabral sits tied for the second-most goals in the USL Championship so far this season.

Additionally, Margaritha netted his first goal of the season. His shifty run down the right side of the box and finish into the roof of the net marked his third goal as a Rising player. The Dutch forward is one of seven individual players to net a goal for Rising this season. Notably, forward Ihsan Sacko (1G, 3A) picked up his fourth goal contribution of the season and fourth in as many matches.

“What we’re trying to implement is dominant football,” Kah said. “A team that is looking to be on the front-foot, trying to win games and score goals, because goals win you games.”

SHOWING MATURITY
Up 2-1 after retaking the lead through Margaritha’s emphatic goal in the 67^th minute, Rising had 23 minutes of regulation and nine minutes of stoppage time to hold on. Kah’s squad bent in that half hour, but never broke as it survived a San Antonio onslaught to emerge with three points deep in the heart of Texas.

“I saw a team that managed the game well,” Kah said. “(The players) were very clever and slowed it down, played to their strengths… For 20-30 minutes they managed the game how we wanted them to.”

Henry played a large role in ensuring his side maintained its one-goal advantage. Outside of conceding San Antonio’s lone goal, which came from the penalty spot, the Canadian keeper was called into action time and time again to gather the ball in the box as well as deflect speculative efforts to safety. Notably, the keeper has made nine saves in his first two starts of the season.

Between Rising’s attack maintaining its rhythm and Henry’s goalkeeping, Kah’s squad showcased its maturity to hold onto a second-half lead and ultimately snap a seven-match winless run that dated back to the 2024 season.

Goal-Scoring Plays
PHX – Rémi Cabral (penalty), 61st minute: On a penalty kick, forward Rémi Cabral used his right foot to slot the ball into the bottom-right corner.

SA – Jorge Hernández (penalty), 65th minute: On a penalty kick, midfielder Jorge Hernández used his left foot to slot the ball into the bottom-right corner.

PHX – Jearl Margaritha (Ihsan Sacko), 67th minute: Running down the right channel, forward Ihsan Sacko picked out forward Jearl Margaritha, who twisted down the right side of the box before using his right foot to roof the ball into the top-right netting.

Notes
– In front of a national audience on CBS Sports Network, Rising picked up its first win of the season.
– It marked the club’s first win since October 12, 2024 (1-0, @OAK), snapping a seven-game winless streak.
– Additionally, it was the club’s first three-point performance under new Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah.
– Rising is the first club to pick up a win against previously perfect San Antonio this season.
– Forward Rémi Cabral’s 61^st-minute goal from the penalty spot gave Rising its first lead of the 2025 campaign.
– Notably, it was Cabral’s team-leading third goal of the season, and second in consecutive matches.
– With three goals, the Frenchmen now sits tied for the second-most goals in the USL Championship.
– Forward Jearl Margaritha netted his first goal of the 2025 campaign in the 67^th minute.
– Notably, it was his third-career goal with Rising.
– Margaritha is the seventh Rising player to find the back of the net through the opening five matches.
– Forward Ihsan Sacko (1G, 3A) made his fourth goal contribution of the season, assisting Margaritha.
– Sacko’s three assists are the second-most in the USL Championship this season.
– The French forward has contributed to goals in each of Rising’s last four matches.
– Rising has scored multiple goals in three of its five matches so far this season.
– Dariusz Formella notched his 150^th-career appearance in USL competition.
– Today marked Rising’s first shutout of the 2025 season.
– Goalkeeper Triston Henry has now made at least four saves in consecutive matches.

Next Game
Rising next returns to Phoenix to kick off a home-heavy stretch, which begins against Detroit City FC on Saturday, April 12, at Phoenix Rising Stadium. The match is set for 7:00 p.m. (PT) and will be broadcast on AZFS and CBS Sports Golazo Network, with radio coverage available on KDUS AM 1060, Sirius XM (English) and La Onda 1190 AM (Spanish).

Phoenix Rising (1-2-2, 5pts) vs San Antonio FC (4-1-0, 12pts)
April 6, 2025 – Toyota Field (San Antonio, Tex.)

Goals by Half                            1          2          FT 
Phoenix Rising                            0          2          2
San Antonio FC                           0          1          1  

Scoring Summary:
PHX: Cabral (penalty), 61
SA: J. Hernández (penalty), 65
PHX: Margaritha (Sacko), 67

Misconduct Summary:
PHX: Okello (caution), 38
PHX: Henry (caution), 63
SA: Flores (caution), 79
SA: Crognale (caution), 83
SA: J. Hernández (caution), 90+6

Lineups:
PHX: GK Henry, D Cuello, D Montgomery, D Smith, D Neville (Avayevu, 76), M Scearce (Traore, 76), M Okello, M Sacko, F Rivera (Formella, 69), F Cabral (Johnson, 82), F Margaritha ©

Substitutes Not Used: GK Rakovsky, D King, M Rizzo, M Ping, F Kowall

TOTAL SHOTS: 8 (Cabral, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (multiple players, 1); FOULS: 14 (Okello, 3); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 4

SA: GK Sánchez, D Medranda, D Souahy, D Crognale ©, D Osorio (Pacheco, 88), M Berrón (Flores, 70), M Soto, M Haakenson (Paredes, 70), M J. Hernández, M LaCava (N. Hernández, 88), F Agudelo (Greive, 70)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Namani, D Buckmaster, D Seiterle

TOTAL SHOTS: 13 (Medranda, 4) SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Medranda, 2); FOULS: 17 (Agudelo, 4) OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 7; SAVES: 2

Referee: Greg Dopka
Assistant Referees: Brian Marshall, Tom Felice
Fourth Official: William Hale
Attendance: 7,498

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.

Rémi Cabral notches his second goal of the season, two more Academy products debut

Phoenix Rising came back from an early deficit but couldn’t overcome going down to nine men midway through the second half in a 3-1 loss to Monterey Bay FC on Saturday night at Cardinale Stadium. Rémi Cabral scored his second goal of the season, while Ihsan Sacko contributed his third goal contribution in as many matches, but it wasn’t enough for Rising to steal any points on the road against one of the hottest teams in the USL Championship through the season’s first month.

“I think there was nothing in the game until the red card,” Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah said following the match. “You concede from the red card, again you concede from a set play, which at this moment is hurting our team. We have to get better, and we will continue to get better, but the work the boys have been putting in, we’re very happy with them.”

LES DEUX FRANÇAIS
Through four matches, Rising’s two French forwards have played a role in five of the club’s seven goals. Sacko (1G, 2A) now matches midfielder Hope Avayevu (1G, 2A) for the team lead in goal contributions, while Cabral paces the squad in goals with two. Notably, Sacko has goal contributions in three consecutive matches.

“They are forming a great understanding amongst themselves, and they do great,” Kah said. “For us, it’s about keeping them together so they can create more of a partnership, more of a relationship and understanding.”

The pair combined for Rising’s game-tying goal in the 17^th minute, playing a sequence of give-and-goes down the right sideline that ended in Cabral sweeping the ball into the near corner with his right foot. Sharing the field in each of the club’s four games to begin the regular season, Cabral and Sacko continue to develop an on-field chemistry that has resulted in the beginning of a formidable duo.

MORE DEBUTS
Two more Phoenix Rising Academy players made their professional debuts in Seaside, California, on Saturday night. With four minutes of regulation to play, forward Cyrus Kowall and midfielder Pierce Rizzo checked in to finish the match. The Academy duo are two of four Rising Academy players to debut this season, with midfielder Jamison Ping and defender Braxton Montgomery making their first professional appearances earlier this season.

“We were 3-1 down with a few minutes to go,” Kah said. “There’s not a better way to introduce those kids and I think they did well. Jamison (Ping) was brilliant as well when he came in. He got stuck in.”

Added Kah: “You have a guy like Braxton (Montgomery) who comes in and he was immense in the back line today. He didn’t put a foot wrong, so I was happy with his performance.”

Notably, Assistant Coach Darnell King made his second professional debut, coming in off the bench to bolster the defense after Rising went down to nine men. King was one of five Rising players to enter the match as a substitute.

Goal-Scoring Plays
MB – Carlos Guzmán (Ilijah Paul), 3rd minute: On a set piece taken from outside the box, Anton Søjberg rolled the ball into the path of Ilijah Paul, who sent a low cross into box that Carlos Gúzman poked into the back of the net with his right foot.

PHX – Rémi Cabral (Ihsan Sacko), 17th minute: After winning the ball at midfield, Ihsan Sacko picked the ball up at midfield and played a give-and-go with Rémi Cabral, who used his right foot to finish at the near post.

MB – Adrian Rebollar, 64th minute: On a free kick taken from outside the left side of the box, Sacko cleared the initial ball in, but only into the path of Adrian Rebollar who unleashed a left-footed strike from the top of the box that found the back of the net.

MB – Anton Søjberg (Miles Lyons), 73rd minute: After receiving the ball just outside the box, Miles Lyons sent in a right-footed cross to the head of Anton Søjberg who redirected the ball into the back of the net.

Notes

– Tonight marked defender Braxton Montgomery’s first-career start.
– Additionally, the 18-year-old has now appeared in three matches for Rising.
– Forward Jearl Margaritha picked up his first start of the season in the match.
– Rémi Cabral’s tidy finish in the 17^th minute marked his second goal of the season.
– Additionally, Ihsan Sacko (1G, 2A) notched his third goal contribution of the season on Cabral’s opener.
– Notably, Sacko has a goal contribution in three consecutive matches.
– Tonight marked Darnell King’s first appearance for Rising since the 2023 USL Championship Final on November 12, 2023.
– Rising Academy products Cyrus Kowall and Pierce Rizzo made their professional debuts in the match.
– Notably, the duo makes up two of four Academy products to make their professional debuts so far this season.
– Triston Henry made his Rising debut in goal.
– Notably, his five saves mark a season-high for a Rising goalkeeper so far this season.

Next Game
Rising next plays in front of a national audience, traveling to San Antonio, Texas, for a match against Western Conference leaders San Antonio FC on Sunday, April 6, at Toyota Field. Kickoff is set for 1:00 p.m. (PT) on CBS, with radio coverage available on Sirius XM and Rising Radio (team socials).

Phoenix Rising (0-2-2, 2pts) vs Monterey Bay FC (3-1-0, 9pts)
March 29, 2025 – Cardinale Stadium (Seaside, Calif.)

Goals by Half                            1          2          FT 
Phoenix Rising                          1          0          1
Monterey Bay FC                      1          2          3  

Scoring Summary:
MB: Guzmán (Paul), 3
PHX: Cabral (Sacko), 17
MB: Rebollar, 64
MB: Søjberg (Lyons), 73

Misconduct Summary:
PHX: Okello (caution), 2
MB: Lyons (caution), 15
PHX: Margaritha (caution), 21
PHX: Mar Boye (caution), 26
MB: Gnaulati (caution), 40
PHX: Neville (caution), 43
MB: Søjberg (caution), 55
PHX: Mar Boye (ejection), 62
PHX: Sainté (ejection), 68
PHX: Ping (caution), 89

Lineups:
PHX: GK Henry, D Neville, D Montgomery, D Mar Boye ©, D Smith, M Avayevu (Rizzo, 86), M Sainté, M Okello (Ping, 77), F Margaritha (Formella, 77), F Cabral (King, 69), F Sacko (Kowall, 86)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Rakovsky, M Da Silva, F Rivera

TOTAL SHOTS: 5 (Okello, Cabral, 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Cabral, 2); FOULS: 20 (three players, 3); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 1; SAVES: 5

MB: GK Campuzano, D Robinson, D Guzmán, D Gordon ©, D Lyons (Garcia, 76), M Malango (Ivanovic, 59), M Fonguck (Gallaway, 84), M Gnaulati (Bryant, 59), M Rebollar, F Søjberg (Fehr, 85), F Paul

Substitutes Not Used: GK Gomez, D Lara

TOTAL SHOTS: 17 (Søjberg, 5) SHOTS ON GOAL: 8 (Søjberg, 3); FOULS: 16 (Søjberg, 4) OFFSIDES: 5; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 2

Referee: Brandon Stevis
Assistant Referees: Eric Krueger, Alexander Arita
Fourth Official: Andrew Hanks
Attendance: 3,210

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.

Damian Rivera, Hope Avayevu net goals as Rising picks up its first home result of 2025  

Phoenix Rising came back from a goal behind twice to win its first point at home of the 2025 season, drawing Rhode Island FC 2-2 on Saturday night at Phoenix Rising Stadium. Damian Rivera scored his first goal with the club, while Hope Avayevu netted his third goal contribution of the season as both sides ended level.

“Honestly, we wanted a win, but we will take a point,” Avayevu said. “It feels good to score at home in front of the fans here.”

YOUNG FACES
Five Phoenix Rising Academy products made Kah’s matchday squad for Rising’s third game of the 2025 campaign. Jamison Ping, Braxton Montgomery, Zach Da Silva, Cyrus Kowall and Pierce Rizzo all suited up, with Ping receiving the starting nod on his 17^th birthday.

Notably, Ping became the second-youngest player to start for Rising. One week after making his professional debut, checking in in the 90+6 minute against El Paso Locomotive FC, the midfielder put in a 45-minute shift against Rhode Island FC.

“(Ping) deserved it,” Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah said. “He has worked his tail off in the preseason and worked himself into being the starter with JP (Scearce) and Carl (Sainté) out, so he fully deserved it.”

Montgomery also made his second Rising appearance, subbing into the match in the 90+1 minute.

“For us to be able to be the football club we want to be, we also have to look within ourselves and give the opportunities,” Kah said. “I know there’s a lot of great young footballers running around in Phoenix, in our academies, so for us it’s about utilizing that.”

A HOT START
Midfielder Hope Avayevu continued his hot start to the season, notching his third goal contribution of 2025 with the game-tying goal in the 55^th minute. Selected to the USL Championship Team of the Week 2 following his two-assist night in a 4-4 draw against El Paso Locomotive FC on March 15, the midfielder proved impactful in the box score yet again in Week 3. Three games into his first season in Phoenix, Avayevu is already proving a perfect fit for Kah’s midfield.

“I want to help the team win,” Avayevu said. “That’s the main purpose that I’m here. If I’m not able to score, I’ll be able to assist somebody to score a goal. Whatever I’m good at, that’s what I need to put in the team to be able to help the team win, so that is what I’m doing.”

SECOND-HALF WARRIORS
For a second-consecutive match, Rising came from behind to take a point in the second half. On Saturday, it was Avayevu whose goal in the 55^th minute allowed Rising to take a point from the reigning 2024 USL Championship Eastern Conference winners.

“We don’t like to lose,” Ihsan Sacko said. “Personally, I’m a competitor, and I think the team is too. It’s a good sign for the future because we know our goal and we can continue in this way.”

Through three games, Rising has scored four goals in the second half, while allowing just two.

“The biggest thing I can tell about this group is that again we saw the character,” Kah said.  We’ve see the character and the drive. I would rather see us go in front than be behind, but everything will take time. That’s one thing I’m very proud of.”

Goal-Scoring Plays
RI – JJ Williams (Albert Dikwa), 6th minute: Picking up the ball in the left half-space, Albert Dikwa lofted a cross to JJ Williams at the back post, who headed the ball down and into the bottom-right corner of the net.

PHX – Damian Rivera (Ihsan Sacko), 40th minute: After receiving the ball on the right, Ihsan Sacko cut in centrally and picked out Damian Rivera, who juggled the ball on a half-turn before using his left foot to fire the ball into the right side of the net.

RI – Pape Mar Boye (OG), 43rd minute: On a free kick taken from far outside the box, Pape Mar Boye inadvertently headed the ball into the ground which bounced into the net.

PHX – Hope Avayevu, 55th minute: After a crafty run down the right channel, Jearl Margaritha sent a low cross into the box, which Koke Vegas palmed into the path of Hope Avayevu, who used his left foot to hammer the ball into the roof of the net.

Notes

• A week after being the second-youngest Rising player to make his professional debut, Jamison Ping received his first start with the club.
• Ping was one of five Phoenix Rising Academy products to be named to the matchday roster (Rizzo, Da Silva, Kowall, Montgomery).
• Damian Rivera’s goal in the 40^th minute marked his first with Rising.
• Notably, the goal was Rising’s first at home this season.
• With the assist, Ihsan Sacko made his second goal contribution of the season (and second in as many weeks).
• Hope Avayevu notched his first goal of the 2025 campaign in the 55^th minute.
• Notably, the goal marked Avayevu’s team-leading third goal contribution of the season (1G, 2A).
• Rising has now scored four goals in the second half so far this season.
• Additionally, Rising has come back to take a point in consecutive matches.

NEXT GAME
Rising next kicks off a two-match road trip, traveling to Northern California for a match against Monterey Bay FC on Saturday, March 29, at Cardinale Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. (PT) on AZFS and CBS Sports Golazo Network.

Phoenix Rising (0-1-2, 2pts) vs Rhode Island FC (0-1-1, 1pt)
March 22, 2025 – Phoenix Rising Stadium (Phoenix, Ariz.)

Goals by Half                            1          2          FT 
Phoenix Rising                         1          1          2
Rhode Island FC                  2          0          2  

Scoring Summary:
RI: Williams (Dikwa), 6
PHX: Rivera (Sacko), 40
RI: Mar Boye (OG), 43
PHX: Avayevu, 55

Misconduct Summary:
RI: Fuson (caution), 19
PHX: Cuello (caution), 28
PHX: Smith (caution), 46
RI: Sanchez (caution), 48
PHX: Mar Boye (caution), 76

Lineups:
PHX: GK Rakovsky, D Cuello (Neville, 34), D Traore, D Boye ©, D Smith, M Ping (Margaritha, 45), M Okello, M Avayevu (Montgomery, 90+1), F Rivera (Doratiotto, 90+1), F Sacko, F Cabral (Formella, 73)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Henry, M Rizzo, F Da Silva, F Kowall

TOTAL SHOTS: 9 (Rivera, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Rivera, 3); FOULS: 12 (Mar Boye, Sacko, 3); OFFSIDES: 3; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 4

RI: GK Vegas ©, D Nodarse, D Yao, D Stoneman, D Holstad (Brito,81), M Sanchez, M Dikwa, M Okiyoshi (Ybarra, 59), F Rodríguez (Shapiro-Thompson, 81), F Fuson (Herivaux, 71), F Williams

Substitutes Not Used: GK Meyer, D Dewhurst, M Vang

TOTAL SHOTS: 17 (Williams, 6) SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Williams, Dikwa, 2); FOULS: 8 (Yao, Williams, 2); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 2

Referee: Alyssa Nichols
Assistant Referees: Fernando Fierro, Karsten Gillwald
Fourth Official: Mark Verso
Attendance: 5,549

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.

Five Rising players made their first goal contributions with the club in Saturday’s eight-goal affair

Phoenix Rising rallied from a three-goal deficit to take its first point of the 2025 regular season, earning a 4-4 draw against El Paso Locomotive FC on Saturday night at Southwest University Park. Defender Mohamed Traore netted the game-tying goal from midfield, while five Rising players made their first goal contributions with the club in the second-half comeback.

“It’s not easy going down 2-0, 2-1, then 3-1 right off the bat,” Rising Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah said. “I think character is what these boys have shown. For me, I’m very happy because you could have easily given up, but they didn’t. I’m very happy and pleased with what we showed. We’re moving in the right direction.”

A CHAOTIC COMEBACK
Rising trailed 4-1 when El Paso Locomotive FC forward Amando Moreno’s bicycle-kick attempt found the back of the net in the 53rd minute. Instead of buckling after conceding twice in the eight minutes after halftime, Kah’s squad found a second wind.

Rémi Cabral sparked the comeback, scoring a poacher’s goal after taking a touch to control a hard-hit entry ball from Collin Smith. From there, Rising found opportunities in transition, with Hope Avayevu constantly carrying the ball into dangerous areas. In the 80^th minute, a forward run ended in a straight-forward attempt from Ihsan Sacko, who powered the ball into the back of the net. Traore then capped off the comeback with a wonder-strike that chipped El Paso’s keeper from midfield.

“In the second half we showed character,” Traore said. “We showed our identity and we’ll just keep building on it.”

FIRST CONTRIBUTIONS
Traore was one of five players to open his Rising contribution account Saturday night. Okello’s headed goal just before halftime was his first with the club, and first in the USL Championship. Sacko also scored his first goal after arriving last offseason. Avayevu (2) and Smith’s (1) first goal contributions came in the form of assists.

“I’m happy to score my first goal with the club,” Traore said. “Hopefully we keep going like this.”

GOAL-SCORING PLAYS

ELP – Roberto Avila, 6th minute: Off a corner kick taken from the left, an El Paso player at the back post got a foot to the ball and sent a deflected pass into the path of Roberto Avila, who used his right foot to volley the ball into the upper-left corner of goal.

ELP – Amando Moreno, 34th minute: In transition, Memo Díaz slipped a ball into the path of Amando Moreno and, after faling down in the box, returned to his feet before using his right foot to slot the ball into the lower-left corner of the net.

PHX – Noble Okello (Hope Avayevu), 45+3 minute: Hope Avayevu’s in-swinging corner taken from the left found the head of a towering Noble Okello, who powered the ball into the back of the net.

ELP – Gabi Torres (Roberto Avila), 47th minute: On the break, Roberto Avila dribbled into the box before sliding a low cross into the path of Gabi Torres at the back post, who used his right foot to send the ball into the back of the net.

ELP – Amando Moreno, 53rd minute: A corner kick served in from the left took a deflection and dropped to Moreno, who connected with the ball on a bicycle kick attempt to send it into the lower-left corner.

PHX – Rémi Cabral (Collin Smith), 69th minute: A driven pass played into the box by Collin Smith found the feet of Rémi Cabral, who used his left foot to cushion the ball before slotting the ball home with his right.

PHX – Ihsan Sacko (Hope Avayevu), 80th minute: After winning the ball at midfield, Avayevu drove down the left half-space before sliding the ball into the path of Ihsan Sacko who used his right foot to fire the ball into the back of the net.

PHX – Mohamed Traore, 86th minute: Running onto the ball at midfield, Mohamed Traore used his right foot to send a powerfully-driven shot that chipped goalkeeper Jahmali Waite on its way to the top of the net.

NOTES

• Tonight marked Rising’s first road match of the 2025 USL Championship season.
• Five Rising players (Noble Okello, Hope Avayevu, Collin Smith, Ihsan Sacko, Mohamed Traore) made their first goal contributions with the club Saturday.
• The eight-goal affair is the highest-scoring match in USL Championship play so far this regular season.
• Noble Okello’s goal in the 45+3 marked his first with the club.
• Notably, the goal was Rising’s first of the 2025 regular season.
• With his assist on Okello’s opener, Hope Avayevu made his first goal contribution as a Rising player.
• Rémi Cabral opened his 2025 scoring account with his second-half goal.
• The goal marked Cabral’s eighth in USL Championship play.
• Additionally, the assist was Collin Smith’s first goal contribution with Phoenix Rising.
• Ihsan Sacko (80^th min) and Mohamed Traore (86^th minute) each scored their first goals with the club.
• Traore’s goal was his first goal in USL Championship play since August 2021 (vs. PHX).
• Entering the match in the 90+6 minute, Jamison Ping became the second-youngest player in club history to make his regular-season debut.

NEXT MATCH

Rising returns home to face 2024 USL Championship runner-up Rhode Island FC on Saturday, March 22, at Phoenix Rising Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. (PT) on AZFS and ESPN+. Local radio broadcasts can be found on KDUS 1060 AM (English) and La Onda 1190 AM (Spanish).

Phoenix Rising (0-1-1, 1pt) at El Paso Locomotive FC (0-0-2, 2pts)
March 15, 2025 – Southwest University Park (El Paso, Tex.)

Goals by Half                             1          2          FT 
Phoenix Rising                            1          3          4
El Paso Locomotive FC               2          2          4  

Scoring Summary:
ELP: Avila, 6
ELP: Moreno, 34
PHX: Okello (Avayevu), 45+3
ELP: Torres (Avila), 47
ELP: Moreno (Moshobane), 53
PHX: Cabral (Smith), 69
PHX: Sacko (Avayevu), 80
PHX: Traore, 86

Misconduct Summary:
ELP: Díaz (caution), 58
ELP: Alfaro (caution), 64
ELP: Twumasi (caution), 80
ELP: Ortíz (caution), 80
ELP: Daroma (caution), 90+2
ELP: Daroma (ejected), 90+3
ELP: Alfaro (ejected), 90+5

Lineups:
PHX: GK Rakovsky, D Neville (Cuello, 67), D Traore, D Mar Boye (C), D Smith, M Avayevu (Ping, 90+6), M Sainté (Scearce, 67), M Okello, F Rivera, F Cabral, F Formella (Sacko, 45)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Henry, D Montgomery, D Araneda, M Doratiotto

TOTAL SHOTS: 15 (two players, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 7 (seven players, 1); FOULS: 17 (Smith, 4); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 7; SAVES: 0

ELP: GK Waite, D Alfaro, D Ackwei, D Ortíz (C), D Torres (Ruíz, 67), M Díaz (Quezada, 67), M Moreno, M Daroma, F Coronado (Twumasi, 75), F Moshobane (Cabrera Jr., 67), F Avila (Carter, 82)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Mora-Mora, D Romero, D Vazquez, F Valdivia

TOTAL SHOTS: 11 (two players, 3) SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Moreno, 2); FOULS: 12 (four players, 2); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 7; SAVES: 2

Referee: Calin Radosav
Assistant Referees: Matthew Schwartz, Seun Yinka-Kehinde
Fourth Official: Muhammad Kaleia
Attendance: 4,386

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.

Pa-Modou Kah makes his debut as Rising Head Coach, Braxton Montgomery receives his first professional minutes

Phoenix Rising fell just short in its home opener, conceding midway through the first half in a 1-0 loss to FC Tulsa on Saturday afternoon. Pa-Modou Kah manned the touchline for the first time at Phoenix Rising Stadium, while academy product Braxton Montgomery made his professional debut. 

“Obviously, you give away a goal, but for me it’s the performance that matters to me the most,” Kah said. “We’re not in control of the results but we are in control of the performance, and I think the boys gave their effort and I will never fault them for that. They were brilliant.”

A NIGHT OF DEBUTS

Seven Rising players (Noble Okello, Ihsan Sacko, Carl Sainté, Damián Rivera, Hope Avayevu, Braxton Montgomery, Collin Smith) played their first minutes with the team, while Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah took charge from the sidelines for the first time.  

Notably, Braxton Montgomery –– a product of the Phoenix Rising Academy –– made his professional debut, checking in for the game’s final 15 minutes. The 17-year-old defender is one of five academy players to recently sign a USL Academy contract, which allows players to retain college eligibility while playing professional soccer. 

“To have one of our academy players make his debut at home is massive for (Montgomery),” Kah said. “We’re happy to play him. We needed players in the position, know he can do the job and he did his job fantastically.” 

GOAL-SCORING PLAYS

TUL – Alexander Dalou, 25th minute: Capitalizing on a Tulsa shot that fell to the middle of the box, Dalou ran onto the rebound and used his right foot to curl a shot into the upper-right corner of the net.  

NOTES

• Tonight’s match was Phoenix Rising’s first of the 2025 USL Championship season. 

• Notably, it was the first under new Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah. 

• Defender Braxton Montgomery made his professional debut tonight, entering the match in the 75^th minute. 

• Goalkeeper Patrick Rakovsky finished with a game-high four saves. 

NEXT MATCH

Rising next embarks on its first road match of the 2025 season, traveling to El Paso, Texas, to face El Paso Locomotive FC on Saturday, March 15 at Southwest University Park. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m. (Mountain) on AZFS and ESPN+.  Local radio broadcasts can be found on KDUS 1060 AM (English) and La Onda 1190 AM (Spanish). 
 
Phoenix Rising (0-1-0, 0pts) vs. FC Tulsa (1-0-0, 3pts) 
March 8, 2025 – Phoenix Rising Stadium (Phoenix, AZ.) 
 
Goals by Half                0          0          0  
Phoenix Rising           0         0          0 
FC Tulsa                         1          0          1 
 
Scoring Summary: 
TUL: Dalou, 25 
 
Misconduct Summary: 
TUL: Dalou (caution), 24 
PHX: Formella (caution), 35 
TUL: Cissoko (caution), 66 
 
Lineups: 
PHX: GK Rakovsky, D Flood (Montgomery, 75), D Traore, D Mar Boye (C), D Smith, Avayevu (Dennis, 80), M Okello, M Sainte, F Rivera (Johnson, 71), F Cabral (Sacko, 71), F Formella 
 
Substitutes Not Used: GK Henry, D Neville, D Araneda, M Scearce, M Ping 
 
TOTAL SHOTS: 7 (seven players tied, 1); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (three players, 1); FOULS: 15 (Okello, Rivera, 3); OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 4 
 
TUL: GK Peñaranda, D Batista, D Cissoko (C) (Pierre, 68), D Rogers, M Damm (Seagrist, 89), M Diallo, M Colli, M St. Clair, F Dalou (Laszo, 61), F Calheira (ElMedkhar, 68), F Stojanovic (Bettache, 89) 
 
Substitutes Not Used: GK Dowd, M Lukic 
 
TOTAL SHOTS: 8 (two players, 2) SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Dalou, 2); FOULS: 17 (Diallo, 3); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 2; SAVES: 2 
 
Referee: Elton Garcia 
Assistant Referees: Darren Bandy, Bennett Savage 
Fourth Official: Abdu Razzaq Juma 
Attendance:  6,478 
 
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial. 

Late push for equalizer falls short as Rising bows out in first-round playoff thriller.

Phoenix Rising’s season came to a heart-wrenching close in the first round of the playoffs, as a late surge for an equalizer fell just short against New Mexico United, sealing a narrow 2-1 defeat on the road in dramatic fashion.

Phoenix Rising started the match assertively, recording four shots in the first 30 minutes before New Mexico United registered its first attempt. Federico Varela and Emil Cuello were both on target for Rising, challenging New Mexico goalkeeper Alexander Tambakis with crucial saves.

However, the first half was defined by defense. Rising limited New Mexico to just one shot, none on target. New Mexico’s key forward, Greg Hurst, finished the half with only eight touches. Possession was evenly split, as both teams played cautiously, focusing on preventing each other from advancing rather than aggressively seeking the opening goal.

The second half began with renewed intensity, as New Mexico’s Mukwelle Akale cut to his left just two minutes in and pulled a shot across the goal, forcing Rocco Rios Novo into his first save of the night.

Rising quickly countered, with Jearl Margaritha finding space on his right foot and attempting a dipping shot to the far corner. The ball deflected favorably for Phoenix Rising, landing at the feet of Federico Varela, who tapped it in for the opening goal and his fourth of the 2024.

New Mexico then pressed hard for an equalizer. After ten minutes of sustained pressure, they finally broke through as Will Seymore found himself in the right spot after a flurry of shots. He struck the ball, which ricocheted off all three posts before finally crossing the line.

The game continued back and forth, with Rising seizing the initiative, recording four unanswered shots after conceding the equalizer. However, they were ultimately caught on the counterattack, as Mukwelle Akale found space on the right to connect with substitute Avionne Flanagan’s cross for the go-ahead goal.

Rising continued pressing for an equalizer as time ran out. New Mexico held a deep defensive line, but Darius Johnson nearly leveled the score in the final moments when Charlie Dennis delivered a cross near the penalty spot, allowing Johnson to steer it toward the net. It was the last effort from either side, as Phoenix’s season concluded on the road in the first round of the playoffs.

Scoring:
PHX – 49′ Federico Varela
NM – 58′ Will Seymore
NM – 85′ Mukwelle Akale (Avionne Flanagan)

Discipline:
PHX – 61′ Alejandro Fuenmayor (Caution_
PHX – 63′ Laurence Wyke (Caution)
NM – 76′ Anthony Herbert (Caution)

Lineups:
Phoenix Rising FC – Rocco Ríos Novo, Emil Cuello (90′ JP Scearce), Alejandro Fuenmayor, Pape Mar Boye, Laurence Wyke (89′ Juan Carlos Azocar), Renzo Zambrano, Jearl Margaritha, Federico Varela (84′ Dariusz Formella), Charlie Dennis, Edgardo Rito (68′ Darius Johnson), Tomás Ángel (90′ Remi Cabral)

Substitutes Not Used – Jose Hernandez, Patrick Rakovsky

New Mexico United – Alexander Tambakis, Christopher Gloster, Talen Maples, Anthony Herbert, Will Seymore, Zico Bailey (90+2′ Nicky Hernandez), Nanan Houssou, Mukwelle Akale (90+2′ Kalen Ryden), Marco Micaletto (82′ Sergio Rivas), Marlon Vargas (73′ Avionne Flanagan), Greg Hurst

Substitutes Not Used – Kristopher Shakes, Jacobo Reyes, Daniel Bruce