Rising Advances with 1-0 Win Over El Paso
USL Phoenix Rising FC

Rising Advances with 1-0 Win Over El Paso

Published on November 2, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Phoenix Rising FC News Release


Phoenix Rising's Ryan Flood and Rafael Czichos and El Paso Locomotive FC's Amando Moreno on the field
Phoenix Rising's Ryan Flood and Rafael Czichos and El Paso Locomotive FC's Amando Moreno on the field
(Phoenix Rising FC)

Phoenix Rising kicked off its 2025 playoff campaign with a 1-0 win over El Paso Locomotive FC in the USL Championship Western Conference Quarterfinals on November 1 at Southwest University Park. Rising's defense held a fourth straight clean sheet, while midfielder Charlie Dennis scored the game-winning goal in the 86th minute to send the club to the Western Conference Semifinals for the first time since its 2023 title-winning campaign.

"I'm just happy to win, to be honest," Dennis said. "That's the most important thing. The performance was pretty good as well, so we can be pleased with that, to keep a clean sheet. We have a lot we can take into the next round."

Saturday's match marked the fourth meeting between Rising and El Paso across all competitions in 2025, but the first time either team walked away with a win in regulation. The main difference? Rising's defense, which hasn't conceded a goal in open play in over 428 minutes. Notably, it became the first side to hold El Paso without a shot in the first 30 minutes of a match. While the first three matches finished 4-4, 2-2 and 3-3, Saturday's match only produced one goal, which for Rising was enough to advance to the Conference Semifinals.

"I'm super proud of the boys," Rising Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah said after his first USL Championship Playoff victory. "Like I said at the beginning of the season, we have a process, we trust the process and we keep going. It's not done yet, but we keep going."

RISING TO THE OCCASION

Saturday marked Rising's 11th result in 12 matches dating back to August 2. Additionally, the club has more shutouts in the past month (4) than it had in the first seven months of the regular season (3).

"When the time comes to rise to the occasion, (the players) did," Kah said. "That's the most important thing you can have, because when you're going to the destination it's about the journey. The journey is going to have ups and downs, but you need to stay even keeled, staying who you are. We saw that today."

Rising now looks to take its recent form to Tulsa, Oklahoma, where it will take on No. 1 FC Tulsa. It will be the club's third trip the Sooner State, where it has played to a pair of 1-1 draws in 2025. Already having knocked FC Tulsa out of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup back in April, Rising will try to replicate the feat in its biggest match of the season.

"You're going to play tough teams in the playoffs," Dennis said. "(FC Tulsa) won the Western Conference, so we know what they're capable of, but we're in a good run of form right now and we also play well away from home. We're confident going there."

DE VISITANTE O DE LOCAL

Rising didn't make the trip to El Paso alone on Saturday. Dozens of supporters took to the road to support the club in its first playoff match of 2025, with a large number leaving from Phoenix Rising Stadium early Saturday morning by bus to make it to Southwest University Park in time for kickoff.

"It's a six, seven-hour trip to get (to El Paso)," midfielder JP Scearce said. "To have their support... They have been behind us all season long and we're very grateful."

Rising awarded the supporters in attendance for their effort, building off their energy during the match to maintain a clean sheet and find the back of the net in the waning moments. Following the match, the players and coaches headed to the traveling supporters in the corner to celebrate a successful start to the club's 2025 postseason campaign.

"It's massive," Dennis said. "We're playing for the city. Phoenix is a massive club. For those who aren't here, watching on TV, we appreciate that support. We're going to need it again next week."

GOAL-SCORING PLAYS

PHX - Charlie Dennis (penalty kick), 86th minute: From the penalty spot, midfielder Charlie Dennis used his left foot to slot the ball into the bottom-right corner of the net.

NOTES

-Saturday marked the start of Rising's eighth-ever playoff campaign.

-Rising is now 8-2-6 all-time in postseason play.

-Notably the club has missed the postseason just once since 2017.

-The win in El Paso marked Rising's first postseason win since it took down Sacramento Republic FC 2-1 in the 2023 Western Conference Finals (Nov. 11, 2023).

-Rising went on to win the USL Championship title that season.

-Additionally, Rising and El Paso met for the fourth time across all competitions in 2025.

-Rising picked up the series' lone win, with the other three matches resulting in high-scoring draws (1-0-3).

-Goalkeeper Patrick Rakovsky and Rising's defense held a fourth straight shutout on Saturday, it's longest streak of the season.

-It has been 428 minutes since Rising last allowed a goal in open play (22' v. OAK, 9/27).

-On Saturday, Rising became the first team to hold El Paso without a shot in the first 30 minutes of a match.

-With his goal from the penalty spot, midfielder Charlie Dennis scored his 11th goal of 2025 in all competitions.

-The goal is his second after the 85th minute.

-Dennis has played a part in six of Rising's last eight goals since September 20.

-Saturday marked Rising's 11th result in its last 12 matches dating back to August 2.

NEXT GAME

No. 5 Rising continues its 2025 postseason on the road against No. 1 FC Tulsa at ONEOK Field. Rising is currently 0-1-2 against the Western Conference winners across all competitions in 2025, with a pair of 1-1 results.

No. 4 Phoenix Rising (9-8-13, 40pts) at No. 5 El Paso Locomotive FC (10-9-11, 41pts)

November 1, 2025 - Southwest University Park (El Paso, Tex.)

Goals by Half 1 2 FT

Phoenix Rising 0 1 1

El Paso Locomotive FC 0 0 0

Scoring Summary:

PHX: Dennis (penalty), 86

Misconduct Summary:

ELP: Daroma (ejection), 73

PHX: Scearce (caution), 74

PHX: Dennis (caution), 87

PHX: Sacko (caution), 90

PHX: Cabral (caution), 90+1

Lineups:

PHX: GK Rakovsky, D Essengue, D Czichos, D Boye ©, D Flood, M Scearce, M Moursou, M Sainté, F Johnson (Sacko, 87), F Avayevu (Cabral, 63), F Dennis (Okello, 90+3)

Substitutes Not Used: GK Henry, D Rizzo, M Emmers, M Ping, F Formella

TOTAL SHOTS: 12 (Multiple players, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 3 (Dennis, 2); FOULS: 16 (Multiple players, 3); OFFSIDES: 6; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 2

ELP: GK Mora-Mora, D Ruiz, D Alfaro, D Twumasi, D Quezada (Diaz, 89; Rodriguez, 90+6), M Torres (Avila, 71), M Coronado (Lopez, 89), M Daroma, F Moreno, F Calvillo ©, F Cabrera Jr.

Substitutes Not Used: GK Waite, D Romero, D Villagomez, D Hoban, D Ackwei

TOTAL SHOTS: 4 (Multiple players, 1) SHOTS ON GOAL: 2 (Multiple players, 1); FOULS: 13 (Moreno, 5) OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 6; SAVES: 3

Referee: Jeremy Scheer

Assistant Referees: Joe Suchoski, Ben Rigel

Fourth Official: Rodrigo Albuquerque

Attendance: 3,469

All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.

Check out the Phoenix Rising FC Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Images from this story

Phoenix Rising's Ryan Flood and Rafael Czichos and El Paso Locomotive FC's Amando Moreno on the field
Phoenix Rising's Ryan Flood and Rafael Czichos and El Paso Locomotive FC's Amando Moreno on the field
   



United Soccer League Championship Stories from November 2, 2025


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