Match Recap

Rising took offense to the goal by Pittsburgh and scored two minutes later when a pass from Pape Mar Boye gutted the Pittsburgh defense. Cabral latched onto the pass, turned his defender and finished low into the corner to make it 1-1.

Postgame Interview with Head Coach Danny Stone

Phoenix Rising FC fell to 2-4-1 on the season after a 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh Riverhounds tonight in front of 6,759 fans at Phoenix Rising Stadium.

Rising took offense to the goal by Pittsburgh and scored two minutes later when a pass from Pape Mar Boye gutted the Pittsburgh defense. Cabral latched onto the pass, turned his defender and finished low into the corner to make it 1-1.

PHOENIX, Arizona (Saturday, April 20) – Phoenix Rising FC fell to 2-4-1 on the season after a 3-1 loss to Pittsburgh Riverhounds tonight in front of 6,759 fans at Phoenix Rising Stadium.

Similar to last match, Gabi Torres and Dariusz Formella worked the ball down Phoenix’s left flank in the opening five minutes tonight. Torres came free and curled a pass onto the foot of Fede Varela, but Rising’s No. 10 was unable to keep his volley under the crossbar and the match remained tied, 0-0.

Torres sent in a second dangerous cross in the 17^th minute. This one floated to the back post where Pape Mar Boye leapt above the pack to direct a header on goal, but former Rising goalkeeper Eric Dick was there to make the save in the center of the goal.

Varela got the ball to Remi Cabral in a dangerous area and the forward nearly picked out the far side netting in the 20^th minute, but once again Dick was in position and made a diving save to his right side.

Six minutes later, Pittsburgh took a 1-0 lead when Edward Kizza set up Kazaiah Sterling with backheel pass. Sterling arrived a second earlier then Phoenix defender John Stenberg and hit a hard shot that managed to avoid a slide tackle from the Rising captain. The line drive shot from close range gave goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo no time to react and the visitors were on the board first.

But not last. Rising took offense to the goal by Pittsburgh and scored two minutes later when a pass from Pape Mar Boye gutted the Pittsburgh defense. Cabral latched onto the pass, turned his defender and finished low into the corner to make it 1-1.

Phoenix gave up a penalty kick to start the second half after Mar Boye was whistled for a handball in the box, but Rios Novo forced Sterling to sail the attempt high and wide.

Rising peppered the Pittsburgh goal for the next 15 minutes, getting shots from Laurence Wyke, Jose Andres Hernandez and Erickson Gallardo by the 56^th minute. Hernandez’s was the best of the three as it forced a deflection from Dick but the ball just wouldn’t cross the line, hitting the post to the goalkeeper’s left side.

Then, the Riverhounds took a 2-1 lead in the 62^nd minute when Junior Etou set up Edward Kizza. The forward took his chance scoring from very close range to give Pittsburgh its second lead of the evening.

Rising earned a corner kick in the 78^th minute and Mar Boye was once again the target, outjumping his marker at the back post and drilling a textbook header down into the ground. Unfortunately for Phoenix the ball ricocheted back up and bounced over the crossbar.

Babacar Diene tacked on an insurance goal for Pittsburgh in the 90^th minute to make it a 3-1 final.


Scoring:
PITT – Kazaiah Sterling 26
PHX – Remi Cabral (Pape Mar Boye) 28
PITT – Edward Kizza (Junior Etou) 62
PITT – Babacar Diene 90

Discipline:
PITT – Illal Osumonu (caution) 15
PHX – John Stenberg (caution) 24
PHX – Erickson Gallardo (caution) 42
PHX – Pape Mar Boye (caution) 47

Lineups:

Phoenix Rising FC – Rocco Rios Novo, Laurence Wyke, John Stenberg, Pape Mar Boye, Gabi Torres (Edguardo Rito 67), Erickson Gallardo (JC Azocar 67), Fede Varela (Panos Armenakas 67), Jose Andres Hernandez, Renzo Zambrano (Gulio Doratiotto 85), Remi Cabral, Dariusz Formella (Emil Cuello 76).

Substitutes Not Used: Patrick Rakovsky, Mo Traore, Smuck, Grote.

Pittsburgh Riverhounds – Eric Dick, Danny Griffin, Pat Hogan, Sean Suber (Langston Blackstock 74), Junior Etou, Luke Biasi, Robbie Mertz (Kenardo Forbes 74), Bradley Sample (Aidan O’Toole 89), Edward Kizza (Dani Rovira 89), Illal Osumonu, Kazaiah Sterling (Babacar Diene 74).

Substitutes Not Used: Emmanuel Johnson, Gabriel Perrortta.

PHOENIX, Arizona (Saturday, April 13) – Phoenix Rising FC (2-3-1) picked up a 1-0 win vs. Colorado Springs tonight in front of 6,277 fans at Phoenix Rising Stadium.

Rising is back in action at home again next week vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds (0-3-2) at 7:30 p.m.

Tonight, Mo Traore came free on Phoenix’s left side in the eighth minute of the match and played a perfect cross into the center of the box for Fede Varela to redirect on goal with a first touch volley. Fortunately for Colorado, goalkeeper Christian Herrera was in perfect position to make the save and keep the math tied, 0-0.

Varela popped free in the box a second time in the 34^th minute after Dariusz Formella found him with an entry pass from the left side. The ball hopped up on Varela but the Argentine volleyed a shot on target. Seconds later, Gabi Torres found Remi Cabral with a headed pass, but the forward’s first-touch attempt skipped wide of the post to Herrera’s left side.

Cabral took a pass from Formella at midfield and sped away from his marker in the 42^nd minute. Cutting across the center of the field, Cabral tried to pick out the top corner of the goal, but the pass ricocheted off the outside of the post.

Laurence Wyke set up Formella at the back post in the 57^th minute. Dribbling on Phoenix’s right flank, Wyke cut back and delivered a cross that Formella chested down and hit on target but once again Herrera was in position to make the save.

Herrera made his sixth save of the match on a hard shot by Formella in the 64^th minute. Renzo Zambrano set up the chance.

Stenberg broke through for Rising in the 71^st minute after a corner kick was hammered back into the box by Zambrano. The loose ball fell to Stenberg and the Captain hammered a shot into the top corner of the goal from close range to give Phoenix the 1-0 win.

Scoring:
PHX – John Stenberg 71

Discipline:
PHX – Gio Doratiotto (caution) 5
PHX – Mo Traore (caution) 21
PHX – Gabi Torres (caution) 55
COS – Alex Andreson (caution) 88
PHX – Jose Andres Hernandez (caution) 90+2

Lineups:

Phoenix Rising FC – Rocco Rios Novo, Laurence Wyke, John Stenberg, Pape Mar Boye, Mo Traore, Gabi Torres (Erickson Gallardo 69), Fede Varela (Panos Armenakas 69), Gio Doratiotto (Jose Andres Hernandez 46), Renzo Zambrano, Remi Cabral (Edguardo Rito 90+5), Dariusz Formella (Alejandro Fuenmayor 87).

Substitutes Not Used: Patrick Rakovsky, JC Azocar, Odle, Veloria.

Colorado Switchbacks FC – Christian Herrera, Duke Lacroix, Matt Mahoney, Speedy Williams, Juan Tejada (Alex Andreson 81), Tyreek Magee (Ronaldo Damus 61), Zach Zandi (Aidan Rocha 81), Wahab Ackwei, Koa Santos, Quenzi Huerman (Jairo Henriquez 61), Yosuke Hanya (Steve Echeverria 88).

Substitutes Not Used: Delentz Pierre, Joe Rice.

A Man Down for 30 Minutes, Phoenix Rising Earns a Point on the Road

TULSA, Oklahoma (Friday, April 5) – Phoenix Rising FC’s offense sprang to life tonight, producing three goals in a 3-3 draw at ONEOK Field.

Remi Cabral scored two of the three goals while Dariusz Formella came off the bench to score the third. Emil Cuello picked up an assist on Cabral’s second goal but was also shown a straight red card for a tackle in the 61^st minute. The ejection forced Rising to come from behind a man down in a gritty and entertaining six-goal game.

For fans that were unable to tune into tonight’s stream on ESPN+, the match will be replayed tomorrow morning on CBS 5 in Arizona at 9 a.m. Rising (1-3-1) returns to Phoenix next Saturday, April 13 to face Colorado Springs Switchbacks (0-3-0). Tickets for that match are available at www.phxrisingfc.com.  

Tonight, Tulsa took a 1-0 lead in the first minute of the match when Alexander Dalou grabbed control of the ball after a corner kick and ran across the top of the area. Near the center of the field, Dalou played a through ball to Stefan Stojanovic, who was in-behind Rising’s defense. Just a few yards from goal, Stojanovic cracked a right-footed shot high over the shoulder of Phoenix goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo to give the home side the early lead.

Novo made a point blank save on a header from inside the six-yard box, then dove high to his left side to punch away an attempt by Edwin Laszo in the 30^th minute to steady Phoenix.

Then, in the 37^th minute Cuello, who was making his first start of the season, set up Rising to level the score when he tapped a perfectly weighted through ball with the outside of his left foot. Cabral caught up to the curling pass and tapped it past the goalkeeper before being brought down by Jacob Roggeveen in the box. Referee Matthew Corrigan pointed straight to the penalty spot and Cabral volunteered to take the kick. The forward opened his scoring account with Rising by beating the goalkeeper low to his right side to make it 1-1 in the 39^th minute.

Renzo Zambrano set up the second goal for Rising in a span of three minutes. The Venezuelan midfielder brought down a ball chipped behind Tulsa’s defense, knocking a short pass to his left for Cabral. With his first touch, the forward smacked a hard shot off the ground and back up into the far side netting to make it 2-1 Phoenix heading into halftime.

Five minutes into the second half, FC Tulsa equalized on a corner kick when Justin Portillo curled a ball into the area. There, Edwin Laszo rose above his marker to drive a header into the corner of the goal to make it 2-2.

Tulsa made it 3-2 on another corner in the 57^th minute. Once again Portillo drove the ball in, this time to Alexis Souahy, who beat his man to the ball and flicked a header into the far side netting.

Things went from bad to worse in the 61^st minute when Cuello was shown a straight red for a slide tackle at midfield.

Playing down a man for the final 29 minutes of the match, Phoenix earned another penalty kick in the 71^st minute when Jose Andres Hernandez sent a ball into the box and a defender pulled Cabral to the ground. Substitute Darius Formella stepped up to take the kick, chipping a shot down the center of the goal to avoid Roggeveen, who dove to his left side, making it 3-3 final.



Scoring:
TUL – Stefan Stojanovic (Alexander Dalou) 1
PHX – Remi Cabral (PK) 39
PHX – Remi Cabral (Renzo Zambrano) 42
TUL – Edwin Laszo (Justin Portillo) 50
TUL – Alexis Souahy (Justin Portillo) 57
PHX – Dariusz Formella (PK) 73

Discipline:
TUL – Diallo (caution) 8
PHX – Emil Cuello (ejection) 61
TUL – Bourgeois  (caution) 71
TUL – Milo Yosef (caution) 74

Lineups:

Phoenix Rising FC – Rocco Rios Novo, Laurence Wyke, John Stenberg, Pape Mar Boye, Edguardo Rito (Gabi Torres 66), JC Azocar (Mo Traore 82), Gio Doratiotto (Jose Andres Hernandez 66), Renzo Zambrano, Emil Cuello, Remi Cabral (Erickson Gallardo 90), Panos Armenakas (Dariusz Formella 66).

Substitutes Not Used: Patrick Rakovsky, Fede Varela.

FC Tulsa – Roggeveen, Rogers, Seagrist, Laszo, Souahy, Diallo (Yosef 62), Dalou (Worth 88), Portillo, Bourgeois, Ferri (Ponce 77), Stojanovic (Pacheco 77).

Substitutes Not Used:  Creek, Jean Filho, St. Clair, Kacinari.

PHOENIX, Arizona (Saturday, March 30) – Phoenix Rising FC fell to 1-3-0 on the season with a 1-0 loss to New Mexico United in front of 7,172 fans tonight at Phoenix Rising Stadium.

The team heads to Tulsa next Friday, April 5 for a 5:30 p.m. kickoff on ESPN+. Rising is back in Phoenix on Saturday, April 13 at 7:30 p.m. vs. Colorado Switchbacks SC.

Tonight, Erickson Gallardo got Rising off on the right foot in the eighth minute of the match. The Venezuelan stepped inside and ripped a right-footed shot on goal from 25-yards out. The line drive looked like it would tuck in under the crossbar but Alex Tambakis dove high to his left side to punch away the attempt.

Against the run of play, New Mexico took a 1-0 lead in the 16^th minute when Dayonn Harris tapped in a six-yard shot on the back post after Mukwelle Akale dribbled on the right side and sent a slow and low cross to a pair of unmarked attackers.

Rocco Rios Novo made a trio of saves between the 24^th and 37^th minutes to keep his team in the match. It nearly paid off in the 41^st minute when Panos Armenakas sent the ball out wide to Juan Carlos Azocar. The winger cut inside a hit a dipping shot that sailed just inches over the crossbar.

The second half didn’t begin any better for Rising. Pape Mar Boye was whistled for a handball in the box in the 57^th minute and former Phoenix forward Greg Hurst stepped up to take the attempt. Novo read him like a book, feinting to his left before diving far to the post on his right side to push the ball outside of the post.

Rising head coach Danny Stone made four changes in the 61^st minute, one of which was the Rising debut of former Juventus Academy player Gio Doratiotto, but the influx of fresh legs didn’t ignite the offense. The team finished with six shots on goal to New Mexico’s 14.

Novo, who had little to do last weekend in Phoenix’s 1-0 win against Oakland, finished the match with eight saves.


Scoring:
NM – Dayonn Harris (Mukwelle Akale) 16


Discipline:
PHX – Dariusz Formella (caution) 13
NM – Mukwelle Akale (caution) 19
NM – Zico Bailey (caution) 36
NM – Micaletto (caution) 45+5
PHX – Pape Mar Boye (caution) 57
PHX – Jose Hernandez (caution) 64
PHX – Gio Doratiotto (caution) 65
PHX –Rocco Rios Novo (caution) 90+12

Lineups:

Phoenix Rising FC – Rocco Rios Novo, Laurence Wyke, Pape Mar Boye, Mo Traore (Gabi Torres 84), Edguardo Rito, JC Azocar, Jose Andres Hernandez (Emil Cuello 61), Renzo Zambrano, Panos Armenakas (Gio Doratiotto 61), Erickson Gallardo (Fede Varela 61), Dariusz Formella (Remi Cabral 61).

Substitutes Not Used: Patrick Rakovsky, John Stenberg, Emil Cuello, Grote, Isaiah Kaakoush.

New Mexico United – Alex Tambakis, Arturo Astorga, Chris Gloster, Talen Maples, Anthony Herbert, Micaletto, Mukwelle Akale (Harry Swartz 73), Zico Bailey, Nicky Hernandez (Will Seymore 90+12), Dayonn Harris, Greg Hurst (Daniel Bruce 90+6).

Substitutes Not Used: Kris Shakes, Jackson DuBois, Nanan Houssou, Jacobo Reyes.