Phoenix Rising enters the match needing just a win to book its place in the USL Championship postseason
Phoenix Rising FC Match Preview Presented by Mayo Clinic
Phoenix Rising (11-9-12) hosts Memphis 901 (12-9-11) this Saturday with kickoff at 7:30 p.m. Find tickets today at phxrisingfc.com/tickets. Catch the action live on 3TV or stream it online on ESPN+.
Heading into Week 32 of the USL Championship season, things looked desperate for Phoenix Rising. The team had dropped three consecutive games against opponents close to them in the standings. Yet, Rising still controlled its own destiny. At the start of the week, the club needed 11 points from four matches to guarantee a postseason spot. By the end of the week, it needed just one win.
Here’s the situation: Phoenix Rising can secure a postseason spot with a win against Memphis 901 on Saturday. Even with a draw or a loss, the club could still qualify this weekend. If Phoenix draws and San Antonio also draws, Phoenix is through. If both Phoenix and San Antonio lose, Phoenix is still through.
“First, we need to get into the playoffs, we are not there yet. We need to win Saturday and focus on that,” said Interim Head Coach Diego Gomez. “Then, it’s always good to win on the road, to prove when you have games against those opponents that you have done it before, and you play with that confidence. We want to finish as high as possible, number one. Get into the playoffs number two. Let’s finish as high as possible and get in a good spot for the playoffs.”
Rising’s playoff hopes surged after two crucial wins last week. After conceding an early penalty against New Mexico, Phoenix rallied with goals from Tomas Angel, who converted a penalty, and Charlie Dennis, who netted the go-ahead goal. This win put Rising within reach of clinching a playoff spot. They followed it up with a shutout victory over Western Conference rivals, the Oakland Roots. Emil Cuello assisted Angel’s second goal in as many games, securing all three points. The win moved Rising four points above the playoff line and into sixth place with two matches left.
“All is good; we have players returning from international break and the team is together with confidence, but again, last week doesn’t matter anymore, what matters is this next game Saturday,” said Gomez. “We cannot be comfortable, and that was the mentality last week, we need to keep pushing because Saturday is an important game.”
Memphis 901 secured a postseason spot with a scoreless draw against Sacramento Republic last weekend. The Beale Street Boys sit three points ahead of Phoenix Rising in the standings and still has much to play for, needing just one more point to secure a home playoff match. However, Memphis will need to finish strong on the road, with games against Phoenix Rising and New Mexico United remaining. The club hasn’t won since September 14, when they scored three goals against North Carolina FC.
“Memphis is a very dangerous team in transition, we know that, we experienced that earlier in the season and it’s something that we need to take care of,” said Gomez. “The team is aware of that and we want to prove that that was just a bad game — sometimes those situations happen in soccer and it’s going to help us to be more focused on the moments when we are dangerous and hopefully make sure that those situations don’t happen again — that we control the game and that the game doesn’t get too transitional because Memphis is dangerous in those moments.
The history between Phoenix Rising and Memphis 901 has been tumultuous. Memphis suffered a heavy defeat last July, conceding six goals in a 6-0 loss to Phoenix Rising, which was one of the club’s largest wins. However, Memphis returned the favor in late June of this season, defeating Phoenix Rising 5-1, a result that ended Head Coach Danny Stone’s tenure with the club. With 48 goals this season, Memphis leads the Western Conference in scoring for 2024. Bruno Lapa is the top scorer for Memphis with 11 goals, followed by Marlon with 9 and Samuel Careaga with 7.
“We all remember the result of that last game. To be honest, I think we just need to continue what we’re doing — especially after last week,” said Phoenix Rising midfielder Emil Cuello. “We need to continue to work hard, everyone needs to prepare as best they can for this weekend, and I’m excited to get out there and compete against a strong side like Memphis — definitely looking forward to that rematch.”
This Saturday marks the last home match of the season for Phoenix Rising, and the club is eager to harness the support of its home crowd for extra motivation to secure all three points. A win would bring Rising level with Memphis 901 in the standings and keep the possibility of hosting a playoff game alive.
“For us, we would love to see the stadium full [on Saturday]. We enjoy playing for our fans,” said Gomez. “I have said always that we feel the support of the fans, that we have fans traveling on the road, and here at home they are part of the team, they push us forward and we hope to have a big fan base at the game. We hope to give them the result that they want and to finish the regular season with a good taste at home. We want to get back on the field and win this one for them, one more time.”
The fans mean everything to us, and I’m hoping that they fill out the stadium for this last home game,” said Cuello. “We’re stronger when we have them behind us and supporting us, and they’ve been great. They’ve been great from the start of the season. All I ask is that they continue to stand with us and support us. And hopefully we can give them a good result in an entertaining match to watch on Saturday.”
It’s also the club’s Fan Appreciation match! Enjoy 40% off merchandise, food and beverage deals, and unique activations throughout the concourse. Tickets are available now, starting at just $15. Visit phxrisingfc.com/tickets for more information.
