Phoenix Rising Opens 2020 Regular Season against Portland Timbers 2
Published on March 6, 2020 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Phoenix Rising FC News Release
Phoenix Rising FC opens the 2020 season at Casino Arizona Field against Portland Timbers 2 this Saturday, March 7th. The match is scheduled to kickoff at 7:30 p.m. and gates open at 6:00 p.m. The first 3,500 fans who arrive will receive a regular season schedule magnet courtesy of Equality Health.
The club comes into the regular season following a successful preseason run that included three wins (out of four matches) against Major League Soccer sides. Phoenix Rising went 4-3-1 overall in its eight preseason matches and were led by Junior Flemmings and his four goals.
Last season, Phoenix Rising won the 2019 USL regular season title after setting league records for most wins (24), points (78), and goals (89) in a season. The club also set the league and North American professional outdoor soccer record for most consecutive wins (20). The streak is also the longest in Phoenix professional sports history.
Fans can purchase tickets for the home opener by going to PHXRisingFC.com
PHX vs. POR Series
PHX is 5-5-1 against POR all time
PHX has won four of its last five regular season matches against POR
PHX has scored four or more goals four times in its five wins against POR
PHX swept the season series in 2019 with a 4-2 win at home and a 5-3 win on the road.
POR's last win in Phoenix came on September 13, 2016, when PHX was known as Arizona United SC
A little bit about Portland Timbers 2
Fifth in the league last season for most goals per game
Finished eight points out of playoff position last season.
Oregon native, Carlos Anguiano, was named 2019 USL 20 Under 20 last season
A little bit about Phoenix Rising
Solomon Asante is the defending USL league MVP after leading the league in goals (22) and assists (17).
Asante was also a first-team All-League selection.
Defender A.J. Cochran and goalkeeper Zac Lubin were second-team All-League selections.
The club signed ten new players ahead of the 2020 season.
Let's just get this over with
The very start of the season has not been kind to the club. Since 2015, the club is 1-2-2 all time in home and season openers. This will also be just the second time in club history that the season begins at home. The other time was the grand opener of Casino Arizona Field in 2017. PHX lost that match to Toronto FC II, 1-0.
Hello! My name is...
PHX enters the home opener with ten players who could make their Phoenix Rising debuts: Jack Barmby, Landon Carter, Rufat Dadashov, Eric Dick, Darnell King, Owusu-Ansah Kontoh, Lagos Kunga, Santi Moar, Jordan Schweitzer, and Sam Stanton
Lost firepower? We should be good
Returning players accounted for 55 of PHX's 89 goals last season: a 34-goal deficit. But, the six new additions to the club scored a total of 30 goals combined in their most recent seasons.
A full house (almost) always wins
PHX enters the match having had 22 straight sellouts dating back to the 2018 playoffs. In those 22 matches, the club has lost just three times to two different teams. Defending USL champions Real Monarchs won twice at Casino Arizona Field in 2019. The only other club to win in Arizona during the sellout streak: Portland Timbers 2.
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