Phoenix Rising FC Returns Home Looking to Extend Record Winning Streak
September 6, 2019 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Phoenix Rising FC News Release
Phoenix Rising has a chance to clinch a home playoff match for the first round of the playoffs as the club returns to Casino Arizona Field for a matchup with conference rival San Antonio FC. The match is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. and will air on Your PHX CW (channel 6 on cable and 61.1 on satellite & over-the-air) as well as ArizonaSports.com.
Rising FC is back home following a one-week, two-match road trip that resulted in two wins (4-2 over Tacoma Defiance and 3-0 over Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC) extending the club's winning streak to 17 matches. The two wins also capped a 6-0-0 August for Phoenix Rising, who outscored its opponents 18-8 during the month.
August was also a good month for captain Solomon Asante. The USL Championship's goal and assist leader tallied six goals and three assists in his six August starts. Asante also broke the club's single-season record for goals in a season (20) and became the club's all-time goals leader this past month. In combination with his teammates Adam Jahn and Junior Flemmings, the trio also set the USL Championship record for most goals in a single season by a trio of teammates (45).
San Antonio FC comes into the weekend struggling to find consistency. The team has gone seven consecutive matches without the same result twice (D-W-L-W-D-W-L), compiling a 3-2-1 record during that stretch. In its last match, San Antonio fell to Tacoma Defiance on the road, 5-1.
This will be the final match of the season series for both clubs. They last met back on March 9th, the season opener for both teams. Phoenix Rising forward Jason Johnson scored an equalizer three minutes into stoppage time to help Phoenix Rising salvage a draw.
The first 1,500 fans who arrive will receive $5 Dutch Bros. Coffee gift cards that can be used at any Valley-area Dutch Bros. location (Fans cannot use them in the stadium). Gates open at 6 p.m. Fans can purchase tickets at PHXRisingFC.com.
PHXvSA Series
This will be the 8th all-time meeting between the two clubs with PHX's all-time record being 2-4-2.
PHX's 4-0 win on August 22nd is the only match in the series that has been decided by more than a goal.
A Little Bit About San Antonio FC
The club's leading scorer is Frank López with 11 goals in 22 appearances. Christian Parano and Jack Barmby are tied for second in goals with 7 apiece.
Walter Restrepo leads the team with 5 assists.
San Antonio is 2-8-2 on the road this season.
A Little Bit About Phoenix Rising
Per Opta, the team's 7.1 team rating is tops in USL Championship.
PHX has outscored opponents 56-14 during its 17-match winning streak.
PHX has scored three or more goals in 16 of its last 26 matches.
PHX's 71 goals scored is tops in USL Championship.
Solomon Asante leads all of USL Championship in goals (20) and assists (14).
Zac Lubin leads the league in clean sheets (11).
Per Opta, Asante has the best average player rating at 8.3. He's the only player currently above 8. PHX has three of the top six rated players in the league (Asante, Jahn, and Flemmings).
Per Opta, Asante leads the league in shots on target per match (2) and is tied for second in chances created (15).
Spreading The Wealth
During Phoenix Rising's 17-match winning streak, 12 different players have scored goals: Solomon Asante, José Aguinaga, Jon Bakero, Joey Calistri, Amadou Dia, Mustapha Dumbuya, Joey Farrell, Junior Flemmings, Adam Jahn, Kevon Lambert, James Musa, and Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu. On the season, 14 different players have scored a goal. The club record for most players to score in a season is 17, set in 2017.
Protecting the House
Phoenix Rising is unbeaten at home this year with 10 wins and three draws. They are one of three teams in USL Championship still unbeaten at home, joining Indy Eleven and Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC.
Difference Makers
Not only is Phoenix Rising leading USL championship in goals (71), but the club's goal differential is also the best in the league by a wide margin. The club currently has a +46 goal differential, 13 goals better than the next highest total.
Win, Win, Win, No Matter What...
Phoenix Rising collected its 19th win of the season on August 31st, matching a club record for wins in the regular season. With eight matches remaining on the schedule, the club is also within striking distance of the USL Championship record for wins in a season (23), set by FC Cincinnati last season.
Goal-Scoring Pace
Phoenix Rising spent most of the season well ahead of its 2018 record-breaking goal-scoring pace. On August 23rd, the team finally broke its single-season record for most goals in a season with its 64th goal of the year. Now with 71 goals, the club has an opportunity to break the USL Championship record for team goals in a season (75), set by Reno 1868 FC in 2017.
Tracking Ahead of Pace
Through the first 26 matches of the season, PHX has 62 points. With a win on Saturday, PHX will break the club record for points in a season (63, set in 2018).
Iron Man Watch
Defender Amadou Dia remains the club's minutes leader with 2,160 minutes played. He's followed by Solomon Asante (2,119), Zac Lubin (2,070), Adam Jahn (2,067), and Mustapha Dumbuya (1,783) to round out the top five. 13 players total have logged 1,000 or more minutes this season.
Playoffs Clinched
Phoenix Rising clinched a playoff spot on August 30th, becoming the first club in USL Championship history to do so with nine games left in the season.
Man on Fire
Solomon Asante now has 34 combined goals and assists on the season, breaking a USL Championship record (32) set last year by FC Cincinnati's Emmanuel Ledesma, who recorded 16 goals and 16 assists in the regular season. Asante's 20 goals are five off the league's regular-season record of 25, set in 2018 by Louisville City FC's Cameron Lancaster. His 14 assists are two off the league's regular-season record of 16, set in 2018 by Ledesma.
Dynamic Duo
Solomon Asante and Adam Jahn have 34 combined goals on the season. They are three goals away from breaking the league's regular-season record for most goals scored by two teammates, which is currently 36, set in 2018 by Louisville City FC's Cameron Lancaster (25 goals) and Ilija Ilic (11 goals).
Three's a Party
With goals from Solomon Asante and Adam Jahn against Colorado Springs, Asante, Jahn, and Junior Flemmings now have 45 combined goals on the season, breaking the league's regular-season record for most goals scored by three teammates (44), set in 2018 by Lousiville City FC's Cameron Lancaster (25 goals), Ilija Ilic (11 goals), and George Davis IV (8 goals).
Clean Sheet King
Zac Lubin has 12 clean sheets on the season. He leads USL Championship in clean sheets and has now tied the club record set by Carl Woszczynski last season.
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