Match Preview: Phoenix Rising vs Monterey Bay FC

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USL Phoenix Rising FC

Match Preview: Phoenix Rising vs Monterey Bay FC

May 14, 2025 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Phoenix Rising FC News Release


Phoenix Rising goes for consecutive wins for the first time this season when it faces Monterey Bay FC at 7:00 p.m. (PT) Saturday, May 17, at Phoenix Rising Stadium

Fresh off a 2-1 road victory over rivals New Mexico United, Phoenix Rising returns home to face Monterey Bay FC in search of its first winning streak under Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. (PT) at Phoenix Rising Stadium.

With last Saturday's win, Rising leapt into a tie for 7th place in the Western Conference. Another victory would see Kah's squad climb even higher up the table.

"You're coming off a win, which is great for confidence," Kah said. "The players match (Monterey Bay) up and I'm excited to see how we take this game to them."

Saturday marks Rising's second and final match against Monterey Bay FC this season. Rising fell 3-1 in the last meeting on March 29 in Seaside, California. Notably, that was the only time Kah's side came away from a road match without a point. This weekend, Rising look to make up for that earlier defeat and pick up its first home win in the process.

GAMEDAY INFORMATION

WHAT: Phoenix Rising FC vs Monterey Bay FC

WHEN: Saturday, May 17 (7:00 p.m. PT)

WHERE: Phoenix Rising Stadium (Phoenix, Ariz.)

HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN: 3TV, AZFS, CBS Sports Golazo Network, KDUS 1060 AM (English), La Onda 99.5 FM (Spanish)

SPURRING THE ATTACK

Out of Rising's 16 goals scored in regular season play, nine have been scored by the same trio of players: Midfielder Hope Avayevu, forward Rémi Cabral and forward Jearl Margaritha, each of whom have three goals to their name.

With a goal and assist in Rising's last game, Avayevu jumped into the team lead for goal contributions with six (3G, 3A). Asked to play everywhere from deep-lying midfielder to the attacking winger, Avayevu has effectively served as the all-around engine of Rising's attack. The stats back it up too, with the Ghanaian playing a direct role in 37.5% of the team's goals this season.

"(Avayevu) is one of our main creators in the game," Kah said. "He connects the game well. There's still more of him that I think he's still starting to show, but I'm excited to see how much more comes from him."

Additionally, Margaritha and Cabral have both proven they know how to find the back of the net. For Cabral, that has often meant positioning himself in the right space in the box at the right time, while Margaritha is comfortable picking the ball up from deeper in midfield and going directly at opposing defenders.

However, Rising's offense has been much more than a three-man attack. Nine separate players have scored at least one goal for the team so far this season. Forward Ihsan Sacko leads the squad with four assists, while forward Darius Johnson now has a goal and an assist in spot minutes off the bench. Forward Damián Rivera has scored his fair share of impressive goals, too.

"If you're me, you know you have (Rivera) or (Margaritha), you have (Dariusz Formella), behind you," Johnson said. "You have a whole starting eleven, of people who are worthy of playing in a starting eleven behind you, so you have to be on your 'A-game.'"

With a goal in every regular season match but one, Rising has figured out how to put the ball in the back of the net. With multiple players in on the action, Kah has found the perfect recipe to get the most out of his attackers.

AN EARLY-SEASON GANTLET

Rising's unforgiving slate of opponents doesn't let up anytime soon. A week after playing against the reigning USL Championship title holders (Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC), an MLS side (Houston Dynamo) and one of the hottest teams in the conference (third place New Mexico United), Rising have a date with second-place Monterey Bay.

This weekend marks the second time the two sides face off. The squad from Seaside, California, entered the first meeting on a two-match winning run and got the better of Rising by a score of 3-1 on March 29. Monterey Bay has lost just once in the six regular season matches since (1-1-4).

Six of Rising's first 12 matches in all competitions have come against the top four teams in the Western Conference (SA, 2x; TUL 2x; MB 1x; NM 1x) and an MLS squad (HOU). All but two matches have come against teams currently occupying playoff spots.

"(They were) three tough games," Kah said. "Two games you played in altitude. You play an MLS team and hold until the 100th minute. Then you go back on the road and win a game. It just shows the strength of the group, the quality they possess, but also how fit and hard-working they are."

While certainly a challenge for Kah's squad, the difficult schedule has provided Rising the opportunity to put together marquee results. Last weekend, Rising became the first team to win in Albuquerque, New Mexico, when it dispatched New Mexico United 2-1 at RGCU Field at Isotopes Park. A month earlier, Rising picked up its first win in even more impressive fashion: a nationally televised 2-1 victory over previously undefeated San Antonio FC on April 6.

This weekend, Rising will look to take home another marquee win and pick up its ninth point against a playoff team so far this season. Currently tied for 7th in the West, a win could have Rising as high as fourth place by the end of the weekend.

A REMATCH AGAINST MONTEREY BAY

Rising will square off against Monterey Bay FC for the second time this season on Saturday. Kah's side went down to nine men in the second half in what turned into a 3-1 victory for the hosts on April 29. This time, the squads meet in the Valley, where Rising has lost just once to the Northern California team.

Currently tied for first place in the Western Conference, Monterey Bay has lost just twice in the regular season. Its last defeat came against New Mexico United on April 23, with two draws in the weeks since.

"If you look at the last time we played (Monterey Bay), I feel like we should have won," Johnson said. "We should have came away with more, so we have to go (into Saturday) with the thought of revenge and to get what we initially came for the first time."

Four Monterey Bay players have multiple goals so far this season, led by Paul Gindiri who has four. Anton Sojberg, who scored in the last meeting, pulls the strings from midfield. With two assists and a team-high 11 chances created, much of the team's most dangerous opportunities pass through the Dane. Behind Gindiri and Sojberg stands Nico Campuzano between the posts. The goalkeeper has had a stellar start to the season and leads the USL Championship with 34 saves.

This weekend, Rising will look for its first victory in the series since notching a 2-0 away win on July 29, 2023, and it's first home win against Monterey Bay since the first-ever meeting on March 12, 2022. Currently, Rising holds a 2-3-2 record in the regular-season series.

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