Match Recap

PHOENIX, Arizona (Saturday, March 23) – Phoenix Rising FC (1-2-0) picked up a 1-0 shutout win at home  tonight in front of 6,036 fans vs. Oakland Roots SC (1-1-1) thanks to a second half goal from Panos Armenakas.

The goal was set up by a stellar run down the left side by Juan Carlos Azocar.

“I’m delighted for the players,” said Rising Head Coach Danny Stone, who picked up the first win of his head coaching career. “It’s been a couple of weeks where we asked some questions and they continued to work. Tonight, I felt the team completely deserved a victory. The effort and performance they gave tonight was deserving of a victory.”

Rising is back at home next Saturday, March 30 vs. New Mexico United at 7:30 p.m.

Tonight’s match began with Rising holding Oakland in its defensive third of the field and producing several quality scoring chances leading up to the 14^th minute, when Dariusz Formella cracked a hard shot on goal from the right side of the box. Oakland goalkeeper Paul Blanchette was there to make a diving save to his right side. A second chance was blocked off the line by a Roots defender, then Erickson Gallardo ripped a third shot towards goal, but the attempt sizzled a few inches over the crossbar.

Formella nearly was the recipient of a goalkeeping error from Blanchette in the 32^nd minute. The ball deflected away from the goalkeeper, off to his left side. Formella was first to the ball, hitting a first touch shot on goal, but Blanchette recovered in time to make another diving save to his left side to keep Phoenix off the board.

Blanchette was at it again in the 40^th minute, making yet another highlight reel save, diving low to his left side to stop an attempt from Renzo Zambrano.

Rising finally broke through four minutes into the second half when the ball was sent out wide to Azocar, who was making his first start of the season. Azocar sprinted at Oakland’s back line and found a way through via Formella, who laid off a perfect, one-touch return pass. Azocar picked out the run of Armenakas and the midfielder finished off the chance to give Phoenix the 1-0 victory.

Phoenix produced six shots on goal in the win while limiting Oakland to zero shots on target, giving Rocco Rios Novo and the Rising defense its first clean sheet of the season.


Scoring:
PHX – Panos Armenakas (JC Azocar) 49


Discipline:
OAK – Paul Blanchette (caution) 38
OAK – Gagi Margvelashvili (caution) 45
PHX – Renzo Zambrano (caution) 51
OAK – Cam Riley (caution) 54
PHX – Mo Traore (caution) 61
PHX – Jose Hernandez (caution) 67
OAK – Guillermo Diaz (caution) 73
OAK – Etgar Cruz (caution) 90+8

Lineups:

Phoenix Rising FC – Rocco Rios Novo, Laurence Wyke, Pape Mar Boye, Mo Traore, Edguardo Rito, JC Azocar (Gabi Torres 77), Jose Andres Hernandez (JP Scearce 83), Renzo Zambrano, Panos Armenakas (Emil Cuello 90+2), Erickson Gallardo (Fede Varela 77), Dariusz Formella.

Substitutes Not Used: Patrick Rakovsky, Remi Cabral, Gabi Torres, Gio Doratiotto, Remi Cabral, Odle, Smuck.

Oakland Roots – Paul Blanchette, Baboucarr Njie (Ilya Alekseev 86), Niall Logue, Gagi Margvelashvili, Cam Riley (Etgar Cruz 77) , Daniel Gomez, Justin Rasmussen, Jonathan Rodriguez (Napo Matsoso 58), Jeciel Cedeno, Guillermo Diaz, Miche-Naider Chery.

Substitutes Not Used: Javier Bedolla Vera, Kieran Bracken Serra, Thomas Camier, Timothy Syrel.

MONTEREY BAY, California (Saturday, March 16) – Phoenix Rising FC dropped a narrow, 1-0, decision tonight at Cardinale Stadium.

Monterey Bay took a 1-0 lead in the 22^nd minute when a turnover at the back gave Adrian Rebollar the ball on the edge of the area. Rebollar quicky found Rafael Baca in the center of the area and the Union’s No. 10 smacked a hard shot into the back of the net to give the home side the early lead.

The heavy pressure from Monterey Bay continued until the final 10 minutes of the first half, but Rising goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo kept Phoenix in the match, making three saves and punching away a fourth chance until his teammates could steady the ship.

Rising’s best chance of the first half came in stoppage time, when Renzo Zambrano crossed the ball to Gabi Torres on the left flank. Torres feinted to free up his left foot then curled a pass to the back post for Remi Cabral. The pass was spot on, but Monterey Bay goalkeeper Anthony Siaha charged off his line to pluck the ball out of the air and preserve the one-goal lead heading into the break.

Phoenix came out of halftime on the front foot and nearly evened the score in the 56^th minute when Panos Armenakas collected a pass in acres of space. The midfielder ran at the defense before finding Fede Varela with a lateral pass. Rising’s No. 10 cracked a hard shot, low toward the post, but Siaha was there to make a diving save to his left side.

Monterey Bay settled down and held Phoenix without another quality chance to score for a large portion of the second half, but Rising was still just a goal away from tying the match in stoppage time of the second half. Unfortunately for the defending champs, the offense could not find its rhythm, even with the introduction of several offensive-minded substitutions.

Rising fell to 0-2-0 and will look to turn things around at home next Saturday, March 23 (7 p.m.) vs Oakland Roots SC.


Scoring:
MB – Rafael Baca (Adrian Rebollar) 22

Discipline:
PHX – Jose Hernandez (caution) 70
PHX – Edgaurdo Rito (caution) 77
MB – Enríquez (caution) 84
MB – Fehr (caution) 86
MB – Anthony Siaha (caution) 90+3
PHX – Emil Cuello (caution) 90+4

Lineups:

Phoenix Rising FC – Rocco Rios Novo, Laurence Wyke, Pape Mar Boye, Mo Traore (Ryan Flood 78), Edguardo Rito, Gabi Torres (JC Azocar 57), Jose Andres Hernandez (Erickson Gallardo 78), Renzo Zambrano, Fede Varela (Emil Cuello 67), Remi Cabral (Dariusz Formella 67), Panos Armenakas.

Substitutes Not Used: Patrick Rakovsky.

Monterey Bay – Anthony Siaha, Doner, Martinez, Greene, Guzmán, Baca, Rebollar, Fehr, Archimède (Tristan Trager 67), Enríquez (Gallaway 84), Hugh Alexander Dixon (Ryan Dieter 66)

Substitutes Not Used: Herrera, Glasser, Lara, Orendian.

Phoenix Rising FC fell, 1-0, in its 2024 season opener tonight to Birmingham Legion.

The defending USL Championship Title Winners drew the eighth largest crowd (8,187) in the eighth season of franchise history and nearly took a one-goal lead in the 34^th minute when Fede Varela played a ball over the top of Birmingham’s defense to Edguardo Rito. The right winger settled the pass and ripped a hard shot on goal, but Matt Van Oekel made a diving save high to his right side. The rebound sent the goalkeeper scrambling to get a hand to the ball that had popped high into the air. Dariusz Formella nearly put away a third chance from the rebound, but the goalkeeper got his right foot down in time to deny the forward.

Panos Armenakas played a beautiful through ball to Rito in the 40^th minute. Similar to his last chance, Rito got every bit of a right-footed shot on Van Oekel, but once again the goalkeeper made an outstanding save, diving to his right side to push the shot wide of the post and out for a corner kick.

Just before the end of the half, Rising was fortunate to escape the first 45 minutes of play without surrendering a goal. Birmingham shouted for a handball on Rising defender Pape Mar Boye just before a shot attempt off a corner kick was cleared off the line at the last moment.

Rising controlled the match through the opening 20 minutes of the second half, but it was Birmingham that took a 1-0 lead in the 67^th minute when Diba Nwegbo fired a shot towards the back post from just outside the top corner of the box. Phoenix goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo had it covered as it rocketed towards the back post, but the shot took a deflection on its way through the area and the ball dribbled past the goalkeeper at the near post to make it 1-0 in favor of the visitors.

Rising pressed for an equalizer late but Van Oekel owned this night, finishing the match with eight saves and two punches to secure the shutout on the road against the defending champions.

Rising is on the road next weekend before returning on March 23 to face Oakland Roots at 7 p.m.

Scoring:
BIR – (own goal) 67

Discipline:
BIR – Enzo Martinez (caution) 45
PHX – Dariusz Formella (caution) 53
PHX – Edguardo Rito (caution) 71
BIR – Alex Crognale (caution) 73
BIR – Diba Nwegro (caution) 76

Lineups:

Phoenix Rising FC – Rocco Rios Novo, Laurence Wyke, Pape Mar Boye, JP Scearce, Edguardo Rito, Gabi Torres (JC Azocar 65), Jose Andres Hernandez (Eddie Munjoma 87), Renzo Zambrano, Fede Varela (Email Cuello 65), Darius Formella (Remi Cabral 70), Panos Armenakas (Erickson Gallardo 70).

Substitutes Not Used: Patrick Rakovsky, Mo Traore, Skylar Odle, Isaiah Kaakoush.

Birmingham Legion – Matt Van Oekel, Phanuel Kavita, AJ Paterson, Alex Crognale, Kobe Hernandez-Foster, Enzo Martinez, Diba Nwegro (Moses Mensah 82), Preston Tabort (Stephano Pinho 74), Tyler Pasher, Prosper Kasim (Miguel Perez 82), Mo Turay (Mujeeb Murana 63).

Substitutes Not Used: Trevor Spangenberg, Jake Rufe.

PHOENIX, Arizona (Saturday, March 1) – Phoenix Rising FC fell, 2-0, to LA Galaxy II tonight in its final preseason tune-up leading into next Saturday’s home opener.

Fans can purchase tickets to that match at PHXRisingFC.com or by calling 623-594-9606.  

Tonight, a costly turnover at midfield created a free kick opportunity for Los Dos in just the 10^th minute of the match. From 25-yards out, a Galaxy II striker made Phoenix pay, striking a left-footed curler that caught the bottom of the crossbar and settled into the back of the net to make it, 1-0.

Rising nearly pulled level in the 17^th minute when Edguardo Rito sent in a cross from Phoenix’s right flank. The line-drive cross found Gabi Torres at the back post and the Brazilian headed a sharp shot on goal. Unfortunately for Rising, the hard shot was directly at the Los Dos goalkeeper, who collected the shot and did not allow a rebound.

Darius Formella came free on a quick restart in the 24^th minute. He tried to beat the Los Dos goalkeeper low to his near post, but the Galaxy II goalkeeper made an outstanding kick save with his left foot.

LA made it 2-0 on a corner kick in the 27^th minute. After a nice save by Rocco Rios Novo, a Galaxy midfielder send a corner to the back post, where a header was redirected down and just inside the post.

Rising earned a free kick in a similar area as Los Dos’ first goal in the 75^th minute. Panos Armenakas ripped a shot on goal, but the attempt was blocked high up into the air. Near the end line, Laurence Wyke chased down the loose ball and put a shot on goal at the front post, but once again, the LA goalkeeper was in good position to make the save. That was as close as Rising would come to finding the back of the net this night.

“Overall we played well in the first half,” said Rising head coach Danny Stone. “We conceded two, but I felt we controlled the match outside a spell of about 10 minutes. Same in the second half, I felt that we just lost our rhythm at times. We created a lot of good moments. I’m a bit disappointed we haven’t been able to take those chances. As far as the overall performance, we were threatening tonight. The team will be disappointed they didn’t get a result. When I walk into that locker room, that will be the feeling. We played well enough to earn more than we got.”


Scoring:
LAII – Goal 10
LAII – Goal 27

Discipline:
PHX – Jose Hernandez (caution) 8
LAII – caution 22
LAII – caution 23


Lineups:

Phoenix Rising FC – Rocco Rios Novo, Wyke, Pape Mar Boye, Flood (trailist), Edguardo Rito, Gabi Torres, Jose Andres Hernandez, Renzo Zambrano, Fede Varela, Darius Formella, Panos Armenakas.

PHOENIX, Arizona (Saturday, February 24) – Phoenix Rising FC drew Las Vegas Lights FC, 0-0, in a preseason friendly tonight at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium.

Rising opens its regular season at home in two weeks, a Saturday, March 9 matchup against Birmingham Legion FC (7:30 p.m.).

Tonight, Head coach Danny Stone sent out a mix of six returning players and five offseason additions to start the match. Defending NCAA Champion Pape Mar Boye showed athleticism and composure during his first half in front of goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo, who recently returned from international duty with Argentina’s Olympic squad. The duo, along with returning center midfielders Renzo Zambrano and Jose Andres Hernandez and reinforcement defenders Laurence Wyke and JP Scearce held Vegas scoreless through the first 45 minutes of play, in large part due to a full-extension diving save by Rios Novo near the 40^th minute.

Rising increased its time of possession and created more offensive opportunities in the opening 10 minutes of the second half, but once again, the story was Rios Novo. The goalkeeper made a diving save to his left side and then absorbed a hard shot from distance in a 30-second span around the 55^th minute.

John Stenberg made his return to live action in the 65^th minute, subbing on for JP Scearce.

The starters all exited the match in the 80^th minute as the squad continues to build towards 90 minutes of fitness.

“It was a tough game but a good preseason friendly,” said Rising Head Coach Danny Stone following the match. “A competitive game, I thought we improved in the second half. I was pleased with the adaptations we made at halftime. Credit to Vegas, they played well in the first half. We got stronger as the game went forward. It’s another really good preseason test for us. It was exactly the kind of test we needed heading into the final weeks of preseason.”



Scoring:
NONE

Discipline:
NONE

Lineups:

Phoenix Rising FC – Rocco Rios Novo, Wyke, Pape Mar Boye, JP Scearce (John Stenberg 65), Edguardo Rito, Gabi Torres, Jose Andres Hernandez, Renzo Zambrano, Emil Cuello, Darius Formella, Remi Cabral.

PHOENIX, Arizona (Saturday, January 27) – Phoenix Rising FC fell, 1-0, to Major League Soccer’s Portland Timbers at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in its first preseason match of the year today.

Just six days into its preseason, the result is promising for Phoenix, which won the league just 76 days ago. Head Coach Danny Stone’s lineup featured more than 10 trialists and Phoenix Rising FC Academy players.

The lone goal Rising allowed came in just the fifth minute, when a turnover in the back was pushed forward up the left side. Portland’s Anthony Alves collected the pass and immediately smacked a hard shot over the shoulder of Hunter Sulte, who was filling in at goalkeeper for Phoenix while Rocco Rios Novo is away on international duty and Patrick Rakovsky recovers from a knock he picked up in training.

Phoenix earned a free kick just outside the corner of the area in the 11^th minute. Erickson sent in the cross and JP Scearce got a head to the ball, but the play was stopped short for offsides.

Erickson and Gabi Torres combined on Rising’s left side in the 21^st minute. The play produced a long shot attempt from Torres that Portland goalkeeper Max Crepeau handled easily.

Rising Head Coach Danny Stone made wholesale changes in the 34^th minute, bringing on 10 field players to relieve the team in just its sixth day of preseason training.

The mix of trialists and academy players earned a free kick in a similar position as the first team in the 42^nd minute. The ensuring shot was aimed at the post to Crepeau’s right side but sailed high and wide of its mark.

After the break, Stone brought on Pape Mar Boye, Mo Traore, Edguardo Rito, Jose Hernandez, Juan Carlos Azocar, Emil Cuello and Fede Varela, mixed with a group of trialists.

Portland nearly made it 2-0 in the 64^th minute with a nice through ball played in-behind, but Phoenix’s goalkeeper (Dallas, trialist) came off his line to take away the angle before blocking the attempt from a Timbers forward.

At the opposite end, Juan Carlos Azocar ripped a low shot towards the near post in the 70^th minute, but once again, Crepeau was in position to make the save and smother the rebound.

Rising nearly pulled level in the 78^th minute when a line-drive cross was sent into the area, but the header that followed skipped just wide of the post to Crepeau’s right side.

Portland had a free kick opportunity from just outside the box in the 80^th minute but the attempt went directly to the goalkeeper, who was called upon a moment later to make a third save on a breakaway attempt. Once again, he (Dallas, trialist) was up to the task, stepping off his line to block away the attempt with his chest and preserve the 1-0 scoreline.


Scoring:
POR – Anthony Alves 5

Discipline:
POR- Dario Zaparic (caution) 23

Lineups:

Phoenix Rising FC – Hunter Sulte, Isaiah Kaakoush, Nicholas Paige, Alejandro Fuenmayor, Eddie Munjoma, JP Scearce, Panos Armenakas, Renzo Zambrano, Gabi Torres, Erickson Gallardo, Remi Cabral.

Second Half Lineup: Dallas (Trialist), Chris (Trialist), Pape Mar Boye, Mo Traore, Edguardo Rito, Jose Hernandez, Martin (Trialist), Juan Carlos Azocar, Emil Cuello, Fede Varela, Mark (Trialist).  

Portland Timbers FC – Max Crepeau, Kamal Miller, Dario Zuparic, Jaden Jones-Riley, Zac McGraw, Marvin Loria, Diego Chara, Eryk Williamson, Anthony Alves, Santiago Moreno, Felipe Mora.

CHARLESTON, SC (Saturday, November 12) – Phoenix Rising FC are USL Champions after defeating the Charleston Battery, 3-2, in kicks from the mark after 120 minutes could not separate the sides from a 1-1 draw at Patriots Point.

Rising and Charleston traded glancing blows and corner kicks in the opening 20 minutes of the match, but neither team could put a shot on goal until the Battery’s Nick Markanich sent in a cross from the right flank in the 22^nd minute. Phoenix goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo was alert and made an easy first save of the match the keep the match scoreless early.

The match settled down for the next 15 minutes, drawing Phoenix into a false sense of confidence before Charleston’s Mark Segbers came free down the left flank. Segbers collected the pass in-behind the Rising defense and centered the ball for Nick Markanich, who cracked a first touch shot hard into the far corner of the net to make it 1-0 Battery.

Rising came out of halftime looking more like itself. Daruisz Formella broke free down the left flank in the 54^th minute and nearly found Danny Trejo with a centering pass, but the two were just a step off. Moments later, Rising earned a corner kick and set piece 40-yards from goal, but once again could not get on the same page to complete a series of passes with a shot on goal.

Referee Elton García pointed to the spot, awarding Phoenix a penalty kick in the 66^th minute, but the spot kick disappeared after a lengthy delay and long conversation with the assistant referee.

Two clutch saves from Rios Novo in the 84^th and 85^th minutes kept Rising in the match and hopes alive for a late equalizer.

It came late, and not too late.

Defender Mo Traore recycled the ball from an earlier cross and lined a ball back into the area, where center back John Stenberg rose above the crowd to smash a header past Battery goalkeeper Trey Muse to make it 1-1 just before the final whistle.

Erickson smashed a shot from distance on target in the 99^th minute of the match, but Muse was alert and made an outstanding save, diving to his right side to keep the match locked at 1-1.

Emil Cuello let a shot rip in the 105^th minute. It nearly snuck past Muse at the near post but the goalkeeper bodied the ball to the ground and smothered it. That’s as close as either team would come and the match was ushered into penalty kicks.

Charleston put away their first two kicks from the spot while Muse saved attempts from Cuello and Daniel Krutzen. Renzo Zambrano buried Phoenix’s third kick to make it 2-1, but Rising needed a save from Rios Novo desperately. They didn’t get it, but Charleston’s Leland Archer missed wide to the left side.

Erickson stepped up next for Phoenix and made it 2-2 with the Battery’s fourth kick coming. Rios Novo saved it, diving to his right side to block a shot by Chris Allen. Manuel Arteaga came up next for Phoenix and made it 3-2, beating Muse to the post to the goalkeeper’s left side. The final attempt came from Charleston’s Derek Dodson, who went to Novo’s right side. Rising’s goalkeeper guessed correctly and pushed Dodson wider than he intended. The ball skipped off the post and away from goal to give Rising its first USL Championship, 3-2, in penalty kicks.   


Scoring:
CHR – Nick Markanich (Mark Segbers) 36
PHX – John Stenberg (Mo Traore) 90

Discipline:
PHX – Mo Traore (caution) 11
PHX – Carlos Harvey (caution) 72
CHL – Roberto Avila (caution) 72
PHX – Alejandro Fuenmayor (caution) 73
PHX – Emil Cuello (caution) 80
PHX – Renzo Zambrano (caution) 115

Lineups:

Phoenix Rising FC – Rocco Rios Novo, Alejandro Fuenmayor, John Stenberg (Daniel Krutzen 91), Mo Traore, Eddie Munjoma (Henry Uzochukwu 83), Darnell King (Erickson 58), Jose Andres Hernandez (Renzo Zambrano 58), Carlos Harvey, Panos Armenakas (Emil Cuello 71), Danny Trejo, Dariusz Formella (Manuel Arteaga 71).

Substitutes Not Used: Patrick Rakovsky.

Charleston Battery – Trey Muse, Tristan Trager (Beto Avila 63), Derek Dodson, Leland Archer, Juan Palma, Emilo Ycaza, Chris Allen, Augustine Williams, Nick Markanich, Mark Segbers (AJ Paterson 119), Arturo Rodriguez (Robbie Crawford 90).

Substitutes Not Used: Daniel Kuzemka, AJ Cochran, Andrew Booth, Piere Reedy.