Sports stats

USL Phoenix Rising FC

Phoenix Rising Draws, 1-1, in Stoppage-Time to Remain Unbeaten at Wild Horse Pass

August 15, 2021 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Phoenix Rising FC News Release


PHOENIX, Arizona (Saturday, August 14) - Phoenix Rising FC (11-2-4) remains unbeaten at Wild Horse Pass after Ryan Flood and Prince Saydee combined to score another stoppage-time goal and pull level, 1-1, vs. Orange County SC just before the final whistle tonight.

The match was the first of a three-game home set to close out the month of August. Rising hosts Sacramento Republic next Saturday, August 21, at Wild Horse Pass (7:30 p.m.).

Tonight, Rising goalkeeper Andre Rawls was called upon in the seventh minute when Orange County SC pressed the ball forward quickly on a counterattack. Brian Iloski got the ball in the center of the area and pushed it out to the right side of the box for Brent Richards. Richards tried to slip a line-drive pass back into the goalmouth, but Rawls was there to slap away the pass.

Phoenix struck back two-minutes later when Aodhan Quinn was the first to arrive on a ball played over the top of Orange County's back line. Quinn used his first touch to try and chip a shot over goalkeeper Patrick Rakousky but the goalkeeper stepped back and pushed the attempt over the bar for a corner kick.

Orange County took a 1-0 lead in the 32nd minute when Mikko Kuningas accepted a pass at the top of the area and have enough time and space to pick up his head and fire a hard, left-footed to the left side of Rawls. Once again it was Iloski that set up the chance and despite outshooting OCSC 11-6 in the first 45 minutes, it was the visitors that took a one-goal lead into halftime.

Orange County nearly went up, 2-0, in the 58th minute on a second counterattack. This time Rawls stood his ground against Orange County's Ronaldo Damus and forced the forward to push his attempt wide of the post to the goalkeeper's left side.

Joey Calistri came off the bench in the 60th minute and nearly tied the score, 1-1, in the 74th minute when a ball popped out to the top of the box. Calistri struck the ball well, curling a shot to the 'keeper's left side, but Rakousky saw the ball through a screen and dove to punch away the chance.

Rising head coach Rick Schantz made two changes in the 82nd minute, bringing on two fresh outside backs in Noah Billingsley and Ryan Flood.

Flood made the difference in the sixth minute of stoppage time. After receiving the ball wide on the left flank, Flood whipped in a cross that eluded the head of Joe Farrell but sat up perfectly for Saydee. The winger snuck in at the back post and roofed a left-footed shot to keep Rising unbeaten at Wild Horse Pass.

Scoring:

OCSC - Mikko Kuningas 32

PHX - Prince Saydee (Ryan Flood) 90+6

Discipline:

OCSC - Kevin Alston (caution) 52

PHX - James Musa (caution) 76

OCSC - Brent Richards (caution) 76

OCSC - Dillon Powers (caution) 79

OCSC - Mikko Kuningas (caution) 85

Lineups:

Phoenix Rising FC - Andre Rawls, Tate Schmitt (Ryan Flood 81), James Musa, Joey Farrell, Darnell King (Noah Billingsley 81), Kevon Lambert, Aodhan Quinn, Arturo Rodriguez (Joey Calistri 60), Santi Moar, Solomon Asante, David Egbo (Prince Saydee).

Substitutes Not Used: Ben Lundt, Ivan Gutierrez, Manuel Madrid.

Orange County SC - Patrick Rakousky, Kevin Alston (Kobi Henry 82), Rob Kiernan, Michael Orozco, Brent Richards, Ronaldo Damus, Eric Castillo, Tommy McCabe (Darwin Jones 76), Mikko Kuningas, Brian Iloski, Sean Okoli (Dillon Powers 61).

Substitutes Not Used: Abraham Romero, Raymond Drai, Aidan Apodaca.

Rising head coach Rick Schantz

General thoughts on the match...

The guys felt like the goal was just going to come but Orange County is really good. They're very organized. They have some big guys in the middle. They make it difficult. I told the guys at halftime, it's not about tactics or personnel, it was just about how badly either team wanted to win the game. I was pleased with our second half because we really went after it.

Possession means nothing. You must score goals in the game. There were way too many times when we broke their lines and then played negative. That's not Phoenix Rising football. We have to be far more aggressive. I would have liked to have seen double the number of shots we had.

On his substitutions...

The big difference for me was when Noah Billingsley and Ryan Flood came into the game. I told them, 'I don't care if you defend at all. Just go, go, go.' I put Solomon [Asante] in as a No. 10. We needed to get someone in between their midfielders and just occupy that space so we could go wide.

Forward Prince Saydee

On his goal...

It was my first goal... and it came at home. For it to be my first of the season, I'm very happy. Super-excited because it saved a point for my team. It was amazing. Ryan [Flood] always tells me to go to the back post when he's sending in those crosses. I was expecting it. Rick [Schantz] told me when I was coming into the game that I should bring something different to the match. I like was running in-behind the defense there at the end.

Check out the Phoenix Rising FC Statistics



United Soccer League Championship Stories from August 15, 2021


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Phoenix Rising FC Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central