Sports stats



USL Phoenix Rising FC

Phoenix Rising Looks for Points at Home

September 26, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Phoenix Rising FC News Release


Phoenix Rising (9-9-10) returns home to host Las Vegas Lights (11-10-8) this Saturday night, following a midweek stop in Irvine, California. The match kicks off at 7:30 p.m., and tickets are available now at phxrisingfc.com/tickets. Fans can also watch the game live on 3TV or the CBS Sports GOLAZO channel.

Things didn't go as planned for Phoenix Rising on Wednesday night. Despite nearly matching Orange County in shots, dominating possession, creating more entries into the final third, making more touches in the opposition box, delivering more crosses, and completing more successful dribbles, Rising couldn't convert those advantages into points. Based on the stats, a win for Phoenix seemed likely, but Orange County was lethal with the few chances it had, securing a 2-0 victory over the visiting Rising side.

The match had significant implications for the Western Conference standings, with Orange County moving within one point of Phoenix Rising, occupying eighth and seventh positions, respectively. The gap for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference is now just four points, with Rising holding a five-point lead over FC Tulsa and San Antonio FC.

With just two days to prepare, Phoenix Rising hosts fifth-place Las Vegas Lights FC this Saturday. This year's Las Vegas team, under new ownership and renewed ambition, has shown significant improvement. The club has scored in all but four matches this season and remains unbeaten in its last five games. With 40 goals scored and 39 conceded, Las Vegas thrives in end-to-end play and has demonstrated resilience, earning 15 points from losing positions this season.

This was evident in their most recent match, where they conceded to Sacramento Republic in the 9th minute but responded with two goals to secure all three points at home. Khori Bennett and Christian Pinzon found the net for Las Vegas, with Bennett scoring his 12th goal of the season.

Phoenix Rising and Las Vegas Lights met earlier this season, playing to a 0-0 draw in Las Vegas. Phoenix Rising goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo made ten saves that night, earning him an honorable mention in the USL Championship Team of the Week. His 10-save performance was the second-most in a single game in Rising history, surpassing Andre Rawls' nine-save effort against Sacramento Republic FC in the 2021 season.

Tickets for this Saturday's match are available today starting at just $15. Secure your seat or tune in to 3TV or the CBS Sports GOLAZO channel.

Check out the Phoenix Rising FC Statistics

• Discuss this story on the United Soccer League Championship message board...

United Soccer League Championship Stories from September 26, 2024


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.

OurSports Central