Match Preview: Phoenix Rising vs FC Tulsa
USL Phoenix Rising FC

Match Preview: Phoenix Rising vs FC Tulsa

Published on April 15, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Phoenix Rising FC News Release


Phoenix Rising kicks off its 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup campaign against FC Tulsa at 5:00 p.m. (PT) Wednesday, April 16, at Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium

Phoenix Rising begins its 11th run in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in the Third Round, hitting the road to face FC Tulsa for a second time in 2025. The match will kick off at 5:00 p.m. (PT) on Wednesday, April 16, at Hurricane Soccer and Track Stadium on the campus of the University of Tulsa. It will air on Paramount+ with radio coverage provided by Rising Radio and streamed on club social channels.

This week marks the first time Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah deals with true schedule congestion since arriving at the club last Fall. Rising kicked off the three-match week against Detroit City FC on April 12 and concludes it with a mid-day showdown against Sacramento Republic FC at 1:00 p.m. (PT) on April 19 at Phoenix Rising Stadium.

"These are great challenges that we want to have," Kah said. "It's going to continue to develop the players, make them better. That's why they're professionals."

GAMEDAY INFORMATION

WHAT: Phoenix Rising FC at FC Tulsa

WHEN: Wednesday, April 16 (5:00 p.m. PT)

WHERE: Hurricane Soccer & Track Stadium (Tulsa, Oklahoma)

HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN: Paramount+, Rising Radio (team socials)

BACK IN THE OPEN CUP

Rising has played 18 matches in the U.S. Open Cup in club history (8W, 10L), making its first appearance in 2012 as Arizona United SC. Notably, the club made its deepest-ever run in the competition last season, defeating North Carolina FC 2-1 on May 8 in Cary, North Carolina, before bowing out in the Round of 16 in a 2-1 loss to Seattle Sounders on May 22 at Starfire Sports Stadium.

Now in its 110th season, the U.S. Open Cup offers the winner $600,000 and a spot in the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Additionally, Rising can win $50,000 should it advance the furthest out of all USL Championship clubs in the competition.

Notably, no USL Championship side has ever won the competition since the league was founded ahead of the 2011 season. Sacramento Republic FC came the closest, falling in the championship game against Orlando City SC in 2022.

"Our team goal is to win this Open Cup," midfielder Emil Cuello said. "We're going (to Tulsa) with the mentality that we want to win, that we want to raise the level and bounce back after the weekend."

EMBRACING A MIDWEEK OPPORTUNITY

For 85 minutes, Rising appeared on course for consecutive victories and its first home win of the 2025 season. Instead, a late offensive onslaught by Detroit City FC saw the match take a dramatic shift as Rising left the match without a single point. With intensity dialed up and an increased level of intensity evident on the training field early in the week, Kah's squad couldn't have asked for a better time for its first three-match week of the campaign.

"The best way for you to redeem yourself is to get an opportunity," Kah said. "If you ask us, we would have wanted to play that game (against Detroit) again on Sunday. Now we have a game on Wednesday against a team that came to our place and took three points. It's going to be a great game, and I think the response from the boys will be great."

Added Cuello: "(Having a game Wednesday) does help us get over what happened on the weekend, because it's such a quick turnaround. It will be good for us to get back on the field and get that win so we can move on."

AN EARLY-SEASON REMATCH

Wednesday marks the second meeting of 2025 between Rising and FC Tulsa. Head Coach Luke Spencer's team got the better of Kah's men in the first regular season meeting, a 1-0 win at Phoenix Rising Stadium.

"Tulsa is a team, tactically, that plays a 5-2-3," Kah said in Spanish. "It's a team that plays tough and has a lot of confidence because they have already won three matches. They're very confident with the ball and very confident in their strengths."

With nine points (3-2-0), FC Tulsa currently sits 4th in the Western Conference. It's coming off just its second defeat of the USL Championship season, a 2-1 loss to Oakland Roots SC on April 12 at ONEOK Field.

Tulsa arrives in the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup following a 3-1 road win over Forward Madison on April 2 at Breese Stevens Field. Owen Damm, Kalil EdMedkhar and Taylor Calheira scored the goals in the road victory, with Boubacar Diallo being sent off in the 88th minute with a red card.

Rising holds a 6-5-3 in all competitions against FC Tulsa, with just one defeat in the last nine meetings dating back to 2017. Wednesday marks the first-ever meeting between the two sides in Open Cup play.

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