LAS VEGAS, Nevada (Friday, June 24) – Phoenix Rising FC (7-9-0) fell, 3-2, on the road at Cashman Field in Las Vegas tonight.
Aodhan Quinn scored his third goal in two games and Santi Moar got his first goal of the campaign, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a goal-and-assist performance from Cal Jennings.
Rising is back in action at Wild Horse Pass next Saturday, July 2. Kick off the Fourth of July weekend with the biggest fireworks celebration in the valley, following the match against Orange County SC, beginning at 7:30 p.m.
Tonight, Rising looked to have taken a lead in the fourth minute when a corner kick taken by Aodhan Quinn was won in the middle of the six-yard box by Richmond Antwi. The header smacked the bottom of the bar and landed on the goalline, but referee Malik Badawi did not rule that the whole ball crossed the line.
Las Vegas took a 1-0 lead in the 31st minute when Alvaro Quezada got the ball at the top right corner of the area and used an inside-out move to free up his right foot. Unlike Phoenix, luck was on Quezada’s side and his shot ricocheted off the crossbar and post before settling into the back of the net.
Lights FC went ahead 2-0 after a turnover in midfield opened the door for Crisotomo to set the table for Jennings. The forward took a touch before firing a left-footed shot, low into the corner behind goalkeeper Ben Lundt to make it a two-goal game heading into halftime.
Rising fought back and made it 2-1 in the 55th minute after Marcus Epps crossed a ball to the back post for Santi Moar. Last season’s leading scorer, Moar finished off his first of the season with a well-struck, first touch finish to the goalkeeper’s left side.
Las Vegas made it 3-1 in the 76th minute when Jennings came free on the left side and played a perfect cross in to the had of Daniel Trejo. The forward made no mistake, smashing a header past Lundt to renew the two-goal lead with 14 minutes left to play.
Phoenix immediately returned fire when Epps skipped around two defenders and centered a pass for Quinn. The midfielder stepped up and knocked another first-touch finish past Lights FC goalkeeper Abaraham Romero to make it a 3-2 final.
Scoring:
LV – Alvaro Quezada (Daniel Crisotomo) 31
LV – Cal Jennings (Daniel Crisotomo) 41
PHX – Santi Moar (Marcus Epps) 55
LV – Daniel Trejo (Cal Jennings) 76
PHX – Aodhan Quinn (Marcus Epps) 79
Discipline:
LV – Frank Daroma (caution) 12
PHX – Santi Moar (caution) 39
PHX – Joey Calistri (caution) 43
PHX –Kevon Lambert (caution) 84
PHX – James Musa (caution) 88
PHX – Joe Farrell (caution) 91
Lineups:
Phoenix Rising FC – Ben Lundt, James Musa, Manuel Madrid, Darnell King (Baboucarr Njie 46), Kevon Lambert, Aodhan Quinn, Koze Donasiyano (Greg Hurst 46), Santi Moar, Richmond Antwi (Joe Farrell 78), Claudio Repetto, Marcus Epps.
Substitutes Not Used: Lalo Delgado, Sivert Haugli, Channing Chasten, Joe Farrell.
Las Vegas Lights FC – Abaraham Romero, Alvaro Quezada, Mohamed Traore, Morten Bjorshol, Alejandro Lara, Frank Daroma (Jorge Almaguer 83), Daron Iskenderian (Nathan Ordaz 75), Daniel Crisotomo, Christopher Jamie, Roberto Molina (Daniel Trejo 46), Cal Jennings (Chase Bromstedt 83).
Substitutes not used: Donovan Palomares, Dekel Keinan, Nathan Sepulveda.
