Match Preview: Phoenix Rising vs Rhode Island FC

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USL Phoenix Rising FC

Match Preview: Phoenix Rising vs Rhode Island FC

March 20, 2025 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Phoenix Rising FC News Release


Phoenix Rising returns home to host 2024 USL Championship Eastern Conference winners Rhode Island FC at 7:00 p.m. this Saturday at Phoenix Rising Stadium

Phoenix Rising will host a new opponent at Phoenix Rising Stadium this weekend. For the first time in club history, Rhode Island FC visits the Valley, with kickoff slated for 7:00 p.m. (PT). The match will stream on AZFS and ESPN+, with radio broadcasts available on KDUS 1060 AM and 1190 AM La Onda.

One week after mounting a three-goal, second-half comeback to draw El Paso Locomotive FC 4-4 in West Texas, Rising looks to pick up its first win of the 2025 regular season. Up against last season's USL Championship Eastern Conference winners, Saturday presents a challenge for Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah and his squad just three matches into the campaign.

"We have to play like we did in the second half of the home opener and how we showed in this past game," defender Mohamed Traore said. "We conceded goals we just gave away, so we just need to clean that up more and be more decisive to score more goals."

GAMEDAY INFORMATION

WHAT: Phoenix Rising FC vs Rhode Island FC

WHEN: 7:00 p.m. (PT)

WHERE: Phoenix Rising Stadium (Phoenix, Arizona)

HOW TO WATCH/LISTEN: AZFS (TV), ESPN+ (stream), KDUS 1060 AM, La Onda 1190 AM

PURSUING THREE POINTS

With a draw and defeat through the first two matchdays, Rising enters Week 3 searching for its first victory of the 2025 season. Despite the first two results, Kah remains optimistic about his team's performances, especially in extended stretches of play.

"If you look at the first game, we didn't give away much, but we had one crucial mistake, and goals change games," Kah said. "In the second game we didn't give away much, but we gave away set plays. Finding the balance will be what can we do better in those areas."

Rising's resilient performance against El Paso showcased its ability to rally from a 4-1 deficit, but defensive lapses created the early hole in the first place. Still, there are plenty of positives as the team chases its first three-point night of the season. Midfielder Emil Cuello made his return from injury, playing 23 minutes in the second half, while defender JP Scearce made his regular-season debut. As the team builds chemistry under Kah and players regain full fitness, the expectation is that results will follow.

"We're not going to change who we are," Kah said. "We are still going to be an attacking, dominant team that wants to be on the front foot. It's a process. It's just the second game. For us it's keep trusting the process, keep building and once it clicks, you'll see an entirely different team."

BUILDING CHEMISTRY

When Traore's long-range strike hit the back of the net against El Paso on March 15, the defender sprinted toward the sidelines, arms outstretched, before leaping into Kah's embrace. Teammates from the field and the bench quickly followed, joining in celebration for a goal that went viral-but for Rising, it was more than just a highlight.

"(Kah) has a good relationship with the whole squad," Traore said during his media availability Wednesday. "You see the way we celebrated. It showed the togetherness we have between ourselves, so it was a special moment."

Traore added: "He's easy to talk to and very accessible if you have questions about the game. He's going to tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear, which is what a player wants."

Kah, reflecting on the moment, emphasized the importance of strong player relationships in his coaching philosophy-one that has fueled his rapid rise and early success as a head coach.

"For me, it's not just being a coach but it's being a mentor," Kah said. "Being a father figure, an uncle, whatever (the players) need me to be... that was a moment of togetherness."

Not even a month into the season, that growing chemistry is something Rising hopes to build on as summer approaches and the grind of a 34-match campaign takes its toll.

SATURDAY NIGHT SHOWDOWN

This weekend tests Rising against Rhode Island FC, last year's USL Championship runner-up which finished the 2024 season on a nine-match unbeaten run that ended one win shy of a league title in the club's first season.

Rhode Island finished fifth in the Eastern Conference a season ago finishing with a record of 12-7-15 (51 points) and leading the league in draws. Head Coach Khano Smith's side is 0-1-0 to begin its second season, coming off a 2-0 defeat away to Charleston Battery on March 15.

"I know (Smith)," Kah said. "He's a great guy who has played this game, understands this game and is very knowledgeable. They were in the final last year. Obviously, it will be a great matchup and I'm looking forward to it."

On the field, Rhode Island enters its second season with a slew of defensive reinforcements, adding Dani Rovira and Aldair Sanchez at wingback and Hugo Bacharach at center back. To bolster its attack, the Eastern Conference side added Maxi Rodriguez, a box-to-box midfielder coming off a 10-goal season for Detroit City FC in which he was named a 2024 USL Championship All-League First Team selection.

Notably, Saturday marks the first matchup between the two cross-conference foes in Phoenix. Rising is 1-0-0 all time against Rhode Island FC, winning 3-1 on April 26, 2024, at The Stadium at Tidewater Landing.

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