Phoenix Rising Falls to Tampa Bay Rowdies, 3-0
USL Phoenix Rising FC

Phoenix Rising Falls to Tampa Bay Rowdies, 3-0

Published on May 23, 2026 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Phoenix Rising FC News Release


Phoenix Rising suffered defeat in league play for the first time in over a month, conceding three first half goals in a 3-0 defeat to Tampa Bay Rowdies on May 23 at Al Lang Stadium.

"We didn't bring the intensity that is required in this type of match, especially on the road against a team that's having success," Acting Head Coach Vikram Virk said. "That (start) hurt us, so we need to learn from it, grow and carry on to next week."

The only undefeated team remaining after the first 10 match weeks of the 2026 USL Championship season, the Rowdies put its fine form on display at home with a goal in the opening two minutes and two more five minutes apart, all before the 35th minute.

"We started out slow, and typically when you start slow against a good team, they punish you," defender Collin Smith said. "For us conceding that early, that's what ended up happening. That gave (Tampa Bay) all the momentum they needed, and they continued to punish us."

LOOKING TO BOUNCE BACK

For the first time since early April, Rising will be tasked with bouncing back from defeat in regular season play. The last time the club suffered defeat in league play came back in a 2-0 loss to Sacramento Republic on April 4. Since that multi-goal defeat, Rising went on to rattle off four straight results in league play (3W, 1D).

On May 30, Rising has a chance to bounce-back against that same Sacramento Republic side. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. (PT) at Phoenix Rising Stadium.

"Every week in training is going to be a fight, this week especially after this result," Smith said. "We have to go out and realize what happened, but not dwell on it too much. Use it as motivation to go out (against Sacramento Republic FC) and get three points, because that's what we're good at and what we need to get back to."

HALFWAY THROUGH THE CROSS-CONFERENCE SLATE

Saturday marked the halfway point of Rising's six-match, cross-conference slate. The first three matches came on the road, with Rising finishing 2-1-0 with matches against Miami FC (3-0, 4/18), Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (1-0, 5/2) and Tampa Bay Rowdies.

"It's never easy going across the country," Virk said. "Last year we had to wait until our last game of the season to make our last trip, and this season we got all three done (by summer). We got two (wins), but it's not a team you see every week. There are different challenges for sure."

Rising's final three matches against Eastern Conference opposition will take place at Phoenix Rising Stadium, beginning with a showdown against Louisville City FC on June 10. The club will then face Hartford Athletic (7/25) and Indy Eleven (8/29).

GOAL-SCORING PLAYS

TBR - Pedro Dolabella (MD Myers), 2nd minute: Off a throw-in, MD Myers played a short path in the box into the path of Pedro Dolabella, who used his right foot to send the ball into the roof of the net from close range.

TBR - MD Myers (Charlie Ostrem), 28th minute: In transition, Charlie Ostrem found the run of MD Myers who dribbled centrally into the box before using his right foot to slot the ball into the bottom-left corner of the net.

TBR - Pedro Dolabella (MD Myers), 33rd minute: After winning the ball in the attacking half, Myers played the ball to Dolabella in the right half-space, who used his left foot to lash the ball off the top post and into the net.

NOTES

-Saturday marked the sixth all-time meeting between the two sides.

-It was Rising's final trip to the Eastern Time Zone in 2026.

-Rising finished 2-1-0 in its three cross-conference road matches this season.

-The defeat snapped a four-match unbeaten run for Rising in league play (3-1-1).

Phoenix Rising (3-3-4, 13 pts) at Tampa Bay Rowdies (7-0-3, 24 pts)

May 23, 2026 - Al Lang Stadium (St. Petersburg, Fla.)

‚¬â€¹Goals by Half 1 2 FT

Phoenix Rising 0 0 0

Tampa Bay Rowdies 3 0 3

‚¬â€¹Scoring Summary:

TBR: Dolabella (Myers), 2

TBR: Myers (Ostrem), 28

TBR: Perez (Micaletto), 33

Misconduct Summary:

None

Lineups:

PHX: GK Rakovsky, D Ramirez (D. Rivera, 67), D Biasi (Flores, 75), D Pelayo (Ping, 17), D Boye, D Smith, M G. Rivera (Vukovic, 75), M Moursou (Studenhofft, 67), M Scearce, M Avayevu, F Sacko

Substitutes Not Used: GK Odunze, D Gaydon, D Cross

TOTAL SHOTS: 8 (Sacko, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Sacko, 2); FOULS: 15 (Smith, 3); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 3

‚¬â€¹TBR: GK Pack, D Ostrem, D Dossantos, D Schaefer (Wyke, 45), D Cruz (Rodriguez, 81), M Conway, M Hilton, M Dolabella (Schneider, 45), M Micaletto, M Perez (LeFlore, 67), F Myers (Vivi, 45)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Waite, D Tita, F Henderlong

TOTAL SHOTS: 13 (Multiple players, 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Myers, 2); FOULS: 20 (Schneider, 3); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 4

‚¬â€¹Referee: Elton Garcia

Assistant Referees: Joshua Belk, Marcus Moss

Fourth Official: Erick Lezama Pavon

Attendance: 5,776

‚¬â€¹All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.

Check out the Phoenix Rising FC Statistics

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from May 23, 2026


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