USL Sacramento Republic FC

Know Your Opponent: Phoenix Rising FC

Published on October 9, 2020 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Sacramento Republic FC News Release


Take a closer look at the Indomitable Club's Western Conference Quarterfinal opponent before Saturday night's kickoff in Arizona

Republic FC cruised to a 4-0 win over Portland Timbers 2 to close out the 2020 USL Championship regular season and now, all sights are set on the club's seventh consecutive trip to the postseason with a colossal clash against Phoenix Rising FC this Saturday.

Kickoff for this Saturday's matchis set for 7:30 p.m. PT. and the Western Conference Quarterfinal fixture will be broadcast locally on KQCA My58 and Estrella TV Sacramento, as well as streamed on ESPN+.

Rising FC were a seemingly unstoppable force in 2019, shattering most regular season league records en route to the best record in the league before falling to the eventual champions - Real Monarchs. This season, Phoenix is no different as Rising FC racked up 11 wins - tied for the most victories in the league during the regular season.

Before the boys in Old Glory Red take the pitch against the squad from Arizona, it's time to take a closer look at Sacramento's Western Conference Quarterfinals opponent.

The Hosts on Offense

Phoenix has no shortage of goalscoring threats with a stacked lineup headlined by the 2020 USL Golden Boot winner Junior Flemmings and his league-leading 14 goals who will be suspended for the entirety of the playoffs but replaced with Santi Moar - another accomplished player in the league with the second-most assists on the team in 2020 with five.

But Rising FC are a collective offensive powerhouse that have racked up the most shots in the league this season with 273. The offense that's loaded with firepower has seven different players that have created 15 or more scoring chances over the course of the 2020 campaign.

Striker Rufat Dadashov has found the back of the net 11 times - good enough tied for the third-most in the league this season. The Azerbaijani playmaker also has four assists this season, tied for the third most on PHX alongside Jon Bakero. Bakero's 31 scoring chances created this season is second most behind Solomon Asante.

Dadashov netted double digit goals in his first season in the USL Championship with Phoenix Rising FC.

Asante has been one of the league's most prolific goal scoring threats for some time now and his ability to both create opportunities and score when provided them is invaluable to the team's success. Flemmings may have netted the most goals in 2020 but of the squad's 43 total this season - tied with Reno 1868 FC for the most in the league - Asante was likely the most involved. His six goals were tied for 11thmost in the conference but he led the entire league with nine assists and 42 scoring chances created. His 94 crosses were the fourth most in the Championship and he contributed the sixth-most shots in the league with 40.

The Hosts on Defense

Phoenix is a force at home where Rising FC was 8-1-0 this season.

Goalkeeper Zac Lubin was in net for all four shutouts and his 32 saves this season was tied for the seventh-most in the Western Conference. His side conceded a total of 17 goals on the year which is tied for the fifth-fewest in the conference allowed alongside Republic FC and New Mexico United.

Asante collected the most assists in the league in 2020, one year after he bagged the most goals and assists in the USL following the 2019 campaign.

Defender Corey Whelan makes an impact on both ends of the pitch as the 22-year-old's 769 passes are the 11thmost in the conference and he leads the team in blocked shots with 12 and has the second-most interceptions on Rising FC with 17.

Phoenix only conceded 177 fouls all season which is the second fewest committed in the conference in 2020.

Previously Against PHX

Republic FC claimed victory three times in six trips to Rising FC including a 3-1 win in 2018. Last season despite being dealt a 2-1 loss, Sacramento took an early lead in the second minute by way of Cameron Iwasa and earlier in the campaign when Republic FC hosted Rising FC, the Indomitable Club was one of the few teams to hold the Arizonan club scoreless on the contest.

This Saturday's match will be the first meeting this season between the two Western Conference clubs, with SRFC claiming six wins from 14 all-time fixtures.

Check out the Sacramento Republic FC Statistics

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from October 9, 2020


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