Jearl Margaritha, Damián Rivera score curling efforts as Rising come back from two goals down
For a second time this season, Phoenix Rising overturned a two-goal deficit to earn a result. Forwards Jearl Margaritha and Damián Rivera each scored curling efforts, while forward Rémi Cabral notched his first-ever multi-assist match as Rising drew Sacramento Republic FC 2-2 on Saturday afternoon at Phoenix Rising Stadium.
Margaritha now has a goal contribution in four consecutive matches in all competitions dating back to Rising’s 2-1 win over San Antonio FC on April 6. His goal marked his second of the regular season and third in all competitions. Rivera also netted his second goal of the season, both of which have been at home.
“It was a difficult game, especially with having the Wednesday U.S. Open Cup game,” Cabral said. “We played 120 minutes and came back on Saturday to play at 1 in the afternoon. It wasn’t easy, but I think the team had a good reaction to show the character we have.”
ANOTHER COMEBACK RESULT
For a second time this season, Rising rallied from two goals down to earn a result. Down 2-0 in the 34th minute, Margaritha brought his team back into the match in the 37th minute with a curling strike that found the left side of the net. Rivera completed the comeback in the 78th minute, closing a rapid-fire Rising attack with a spectacular finish of his own, a perfectly placed strike with his right foot that found the upper corner of the net.
“We started off slow,” Rivera said. “We had to build ourselves into the game and kept improving as the game went on. We took advantage of a couple of our chances and were unlucky not to get the three points.”
Saturday marked the club’s second multi-goal comeback and first since rallying to draw El Paso Locomotive FC 4-4 on March 15, the second matchweek of the season.
WRAPPING UP A BUSY WEEK
Saturday also concluded the first three-match week of the season for Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah’s squad. The team picked up two results, winning in penalties to advance to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 against FC Tulsa on April 16 and Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Sacramento Republic FC.
“Nobody’s going to feel sorry for you,” Kah said. “We know what we signed up for and this is part of the game. We talk about being mentally strong, about being resilient, showing character. I think we have been showing it all through this year. You always want three points at home, but this point will go a long way after the long week we had.”
Rising only has one match on its agenda next week, a USL Jägermeister Cup showdown against San Antonio FC on April 26. Its next three-match week comes in early May at Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (5/3) and New Mexico United (5/10), with a Wednesday home match against MLS side Houston Dynamo (5/7).
GOAL-SCORING PLAYS
SAC – Sebastián Herrera (Russell Cicerone), 18th minute: After receiving the ball at the top of the box, Russell Cicerone slid a low pass centrally that Sebastián Herrera redirected into the bottom-right side of the net with his right foot.
SAC – Dominik Wanner (Jack Gurr), 34th minute: From the right side of the box, Jack Gurr lifted a floated cross to the back post that Dominik Wanner volleyed into the back of the net from close range with his right foot.
PHX – Jearl Margaritha (Rémi Cabral), 37th minute: Charging down the middle, forward Rémi Cabral found forward Jearl Margaritha in the right channel. The Curaçao international cut back in the box before using his left foot to curl the ball into the far-left side of the net.
PHX – Damián Rivera (Rémi Cabral), 78th minute: After receiving the ball in the left half-space, Cabral drove toward the endline before sending a low pass to forward Damián Rivera in the middle of the box. Rivera then took a touch to set up his right-footed strike that found the upper-right corner of the net.
NOTES
-Saturday marked the 25th regular season matchup between Phoenix Rising and Sacramento Republic FC.
-With the draw, Rising now holds a 7-8-10 regular-season record in the series, which dates to the 2014 season.
-Additionally, Saturday marked the second time this season Rising has come from at least two goals behind to earn a result (@ELP, 3/15).
-With his goal in the 37th minute, forward Jearl Margaritha notched a goal contribution in four straight matches in all competitions (3G, 1A).
-The goal marked his second in regular season play in 2025.
-Additionally, it marks a second straight match forward Rémi Cabral assisted Margaritha in all competitions (USOC 4/16 at TUL).
-Notably, the assist is Cabral’s second-ever in USL Championship play.
-Forward Damian Rivera notched his second goal of the season in the 78th minute.
-Two assists for Cabral marks his most-ever in a single game.
-Rising finished its first three-match week of the 2025 season with two results (1-1 @TUL, 4/16).
-Rising has now scored a league-high 13 goals in regular season play so far this season.
NEXT GAME
Rising next hosts San Antonio FC to kick off Jägermeister Cup play. The match is slated to kick off at 7:00 p.m. (PT) on Saturday, April 26, at Phoenix Rising Stadium with broadcast coverage available on 3TV, AZFS and ESPN+. Radio coverage will be provided on KDUS 1060 AM (English) and La Onda 99.5 FM (Spanish).
Phoenix Rising (1-3-3, 6pts) vs Sacramento Republic FC (1-2-3, 6pts)
April 19, 2025 – Phoenix Rising Stadium (Phoenix, Ariz.)
Goals by Half 1 2 FT
Phoenix Rising 1 1 2
Sacramento Republic FC 2 0 2
Scoring Summary:
SAC: Herrera (Cicerone), 18
SAC: Wanner (Gurr), 34
PHX: Margaritha (Cabral), 37
PHX: Rivera (Cabral), 78
Misconduct Summary:
SAC: Kleeman (caution), 5
PHX: Sacko (caution), 36
SAC: Herrera (caution), 42
SAC: Wanner (caution), 58
SAC: Djedje (caution), 71
SAC: Lopez (caution), 77
PHX: Cabral (caution), 85
Lineups:
PHX: GK Rakovsky, D Montgomery, D Walls (Sainté, 74), D Mar Boye ©, D Neville (Smith, 45), M Scearce, M Okello (Ping, 69), M Avayevu (Johnson, 84), F Margaritha, F Cabral, F Sacko (Rivera, 45)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Henry, D Araneda, F Kowall, F Formella
TOTAL SHOTS: 7 (Avayevu, 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Multiple players, 4); FOULS: 24 (Sacko, 7); OFFSIDES: 4; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 2
SAC: GK Vitiello ©, D Benitez, D Kleemann, D Timmer, M Ukaegbu (Djedje, 64), M Wanner (Spaulding, 64), M Willey, M Gurr (Edwards, 45), F Cicerone, F Herrera (Jamieson, 75), F Parano (Lopez, 74)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Mazzola, M Ferandes, M Spaulding, F Amann
TOTAL SHOTS: 15 (Parano, 7) SHOTS ON GOAL: 4 (Parano, 2); FOULS: 19 (Herrera, 5) OFFSIDES: 2; CORNER KICKS: 1; SAVES: 2
Referee: Nabil Bensalah
Assistant Referees: Cameron Siler, Emmanuel Padilla
Fourth Official: Oziel Mendez
Attendance: 5,021
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.