It may not have been Jason Johnson's most memorable goal in 2018, but the "Wonder Goal" as the team called it, was a sentimental moment in the 2018 season.
So, why was it so key?
Coming into that June 13th match against Las Vegas Lights FC, Phoenix Rising had just lost its head coach Patrice Carteron, who left on good terms for Egyptian powerhouse Al Ahly FC. Rick Schantz was named the club's interim head coach for a second consecutive season. But unlike 2017, club ownership announced Schantz would remain the interim coach for the rest of the season.
And he had less than three days to prepare the team for his first match at the helm.
At that moment anything, good or bad, was possible.
Enter Johnson, who picked up the ball near midfield just after the 30-minute mark and laid waste to the defenders around him before slotting a shot inside the right post for the match's first goal.
But even more important than the goal itself was Johnson's gesture following the goal: gathering his teammates and rushing to Schantz to give him a hug.
"It was a moment that I'll never forget and it says a lot about who Jason Johnson is as a person," Schantz said. "He really showed a lot of class in that moment and made me feel real special about this team and I think it helped to bring us together and led us on to something pretty spectacular in 2018."
Phoenix Rising went on to win the match 4-0 and would go unbeaten the next three matches to help Schantz earn the USL Coach of the Month award for the month of June.
Despite the chaos of losing a coach in the middle of the season, Johnson's goal and subsequent celebration with Schantz signaled everything was going to be alright
It may not have been Jason Johnson’s most memorable goal in 2018, but the “Wonder Goal” as the team called it, was a sentimental moment in the 2018 season.
So, why was it so key?
Coming into that June 13th match against Las Vegas Lights FC, Phoenix Rising had just lost its head coach Patrice Carteron, who left on good terms for Egyptian powerhouse Al Ahly FC. Rick Schantz was named the club’s interim head coach for a second consecutive season. But unlike 2017, club ownership announced Schantz would remain the interim coach for the rest of the season.
And he had less than three days to prepare the team for his first match at the helm.
At that moment anything, good or bad, was possible.
Enter Johnson, who picked up the ball near midfield just after the 30-minute mark and laid waste to the defenders around him before slotting a shot inside the right post for the match’s first goal.
But even more important than the goal itself was Johnson’s gesture following the goal: gathering his teammates and rushing to Schantz to give him a hug.
“It was a moment that I’ll never forget and it says a lot about who Jason Johnson is as a person,” Schantz said. “He really showed a lot of class in that moment and made me feel real special about this team and I think it helped to bring us together and led us on to something pretty spectacular in 2018.”
Phoenix Rising went on to win the match 4-0 and would go unbeaten the next three matches to help Schantz earn the USL Coach of the Month award for the month of June.
Despite the chaos of losing a coach in the middle of the season, Johnson’s goal and subsequent celebration with Schantz signaled everything was going to be alright
