Rising Completes Rally in 2-2 Draw vs. Roots
USL Phoenix Rising FC

Rising Completes Rally in 2-2 Draw vs. Roots

Published on March 21, 2026 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Phoenix Rising FC News Release


Oakland Roots SC's perfect start to the 2026 USL Championship season came to an end in Phoenix on Saturday night. Forward Gunnar Studenhofft's header deep into second-half stoppage time capped a two-goal second half comeback, powering Phoenix Rising to a 2-2 result against the Roots on March 21 at Phoenix Rising Stadium.

"I think the first 20 minutes we started well, but then after that, we didn't control the game," Rising Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah said. "After taking the pitch in the second half, we played how we should play and fought back to equalize."

The draw extends Rising's unbeaten run to three matches, with a victory and pair of draws to cap off a three-match homestand. Notably, Rising is the first team to take a point off the Roots in 2026, doing so in a way reminiscent to its 3-3 home result against the Bay Area side a season ago: with a late-game goal.

Rising is now 5-2-5 all-time against the Roots, and are unbeaten in the last seven meetings.

"We're doing well coming back, which is that shows the mentality," Kah said. "But that shouldn't be necessary. We should be taking points at home."

COMING ALIVE LATE

Down 2-0 entering the 85th minute, midfielder Diego Gómez ignited Rising's comeback with a well-struck goal that found side-netting.

"I'm happy, I got my first goal with this shirt, with this club," Gómez said in Spanish. "That gave the confidence that we can get the result, because it was a big moment for the whole team. I think the second half was ours, and I felt that we could equalize."

10 minutes later, Rising did precisely that. It was Studenhofft, a second-half substitution, who netted his first goal in Rising red with a perfectly placed header.

"I stayed calm, and I waited for my chance to come again," Studenhofft said. "I missed my first chance, and when I was able to get the second one, I just focused on getting it on target"

Saturday's late rally marks a second consecutive match Rising has scored multiple goals after the 85th minute, after it netted in the 90th and 90+4th minute of its U.S. Open Cup win over San Ramon FC midweek. Now Rising will look to put itself on the front foot earlier in the match as it hopes to turn thrilling draws into crucial victories.

HITTING THE ROAD

Following a week of three matches at home, Rising returns to the road for its next three matches. It kicks off the road stretch against FC Tulsa on March 28 before heading to Irvine, California, for an Open Cup match against Orange County FC and closing against Sacramento Republic FC in California's capital.

Kah's squad will return home on April 11 for a match against rivals New Mexico United at Phoenix Rising Stadium.

GOAL-SCORING PLAYS

OAK - Wolfgang Prentice (Bobosi Byaruhanga), 42nd minute: After using a move to reach the endline, Bobosi Byaruhanga squared the ball into the box which found the right foot of Wolfgang Prentice, who tapped the ball into the back of the net.

OAK - Julian Bravo (Prentice), 45+2nd minute: Prentice's lofted cross from the left side of the box found the head of Julian Bravo, who leaped up to power a powerful header into the top right corner of the net.

PHX - Diego Gómez (Ihsan Sacko), 85th minute: After taking the ball down the middle of the field, forward Ihsan Sacko found Diego Gómez on the left. The midfielder used his right foot to put the ball into the far-right side of the net.

PHX - Gunnar Studenhofft (Charlie Dennis), 90+6th minute: Attacking the box from the left half-space, Charlie Dennis chipped a ball into the box the Gunnar Studenhofft leaped up and headed into the back of the net at the far post.

NOTES

-Saturday marked the conclusion of Rising's three match homestand.

-The club finished the stretch with three results (1-0-2)

-Rising is now 5-2-5 against Oakland and is unbeaten in its last seven matches against the Bay Area side.

-Diego Gómez scored his first goal with Rising with his strike in the 85th minute.

-The midfielder now has two goal contributions in his first three regular season matches with Rising (1G, 1A).

-With his assist on Gómez's goal, Ihsan Sacko has a goal contribution in each of Rising's last three matches in all competitions (1G, 2A).

-Gunnar Studenhofft netted his first Rising goal with his header in the 90+6 minute.

-The assist was the first goal contribution of the season for Charlie Dennis.

Phoenix Rising (0-1-2, 2pts) vs Oakland Roots SC (2-0-1, 7pts)

March 21, 2026 - Phoenix Rising Stadium (Phoenix, Ariz.)

Goals by Half 1 2 FT

Phoenix Rising 0 2 2

Oakland Roots SC 2 0 2

Scoring Summary:

OAK: Prentice (Byaruhanga), 42

OAK: Bravo (Prentice), 45+2

PHX: Gómez (Sacko), 85

PHX: Studenhofft (Dennis), 90+6

Misconduct Summary:

PHX: Pelayo (caution), 45+3

OAK: Fisher (caution), 52

PHX: Avayevu (caution), 58

PHX: Moursou (caution), 82

OAK: Garcia (caution), 85

OAK: Wilson (caution), 90+2

PHX: Studenhofft (caution), 90+6

Lineups:

PHX: GK Odunze, D Biasi (Capetillo, 83), D Pelayo (Vukovic, 75), D Scearce, D Smith, M Moursou, M Gomez, M Avayevu (Studenhofft, 63), F Johnson, F Sacko, F Dennis ©

Substitutes Not Used: GK Rakovsky, D Ramirez, D Czichos, D Rizzo, M Ping, M Gaydon

TOTAL SHOTS: 11 (Multiple Players, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 6 (Multiple Players, 2); FOULS: 15 (Studenhofft, 5); OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 2

OAK: GK Spiegel, D Byaruhanga, D Garcia, D Edwards, M Bravo, M Bettache (de Vicente, 78), M McCabe ©, M Fisher (Gibson, 65), F Prentice (Kiil, 66), F Wilson, F Trejo (Hackshaw, 65)

Substitutes Not Used: GK McIntosh, D Hackshaw, M Elmasnaouy, F Roberson

TOTAL SHOTS: 16 (Multiple Players, 3) SHOTS ON GOAL: 5 (Multiple Players, 1); FOULS: 14 (Wilson, 5) OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 4

Referee: Matt Thompson

Assistant Referees: Bennett Savage, Mark Novosel

Fourth Official: Killian Richardson

Attendance: 4,310

All 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 March 21, 2026


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