Match 16 Recap: Jason Johnson Happened, and Some Other Stuff Too
Phoenix Rising FC Secure Six Point Week with 2-0 Win over Tulsa Roughnecks FC
On Wednesday, Phoenix Rising FC started out slower than most fans would expect, only to find their groove and secure an easy victory.
The first 25 minutes of Saturday’s match against the Tulsa Roughnecks had the same feel and thankfully the same result as Chris Cortez, Jason Johnson, tallied goals three minutes apart late in the first half while and Kevaughn Frater put a cherry on top in the 89th minute to secure a 3-0 victory over the win-less Tulsa Roughnecks FC.
Rick Schantz decided to use the exact line-up from Wednesday’s match against the team that the Rising defeated soundly 5-1 a month ago but Tulsa started the match much more aggressive, making some hard tackles and frustrating the Rising. The Firebirds found their groove however and it paid off in the 39th minute when Solomon Asante drove towards the end line on the right side of the box and delivered a ball that only Chris Cortez was going to get to, and he properly placed it in the back of the net.
What happened three minutes later though, would send a shockwave through the sellout crowd. Asante was able to find Amadou Dia streaking down the left side. Dia reached the end line before delivering a cross across goal that found Johnson near the penalty spot. Instead of taking a touch, Johnson twisted his body in the air and struck the ball in a way no goalkeeper was going to stop. The goal, #2 on Sportscenter’s Top 10 Plays, was Johnson’s third of the week, each one prettier than the one before it.
To add salt on the wound, Tulsa’s Jhon Pirez picked up his second yellow of the night right before half, leaving Tulsa with 10 men and 2 goal deficit. Phoenix was able to dominate the second half with the man advantage and even added a third when Kevaughn Frater tapped in a cross from fellow sub Alessandro Riggi. It was Frater’s first goal with the club since coming over from Colorado Springs in the off-season. The full-time whistle came soon after and the Rising were able to celebrate their third straight clean sheet.
Phoenix is now the sole owner of second place in the Western Conference standings, only three behind first place Real Monarchs. They return to the field next Saturday, June 23rd, at H-E-B Park in Rio Grande, Texas to faceoff with the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros for the first time this season.
Quotes:
“To be honest I have been practicing in training and the guys laugh at me in training, they’re not laughing now, I’mma tag Didi(Didier Drogba) on that one and see if he approves.”- Jason Johnson on his scissor kick
I can’t keep up. It’s this man @reggae_j11 🔥🔥🔥 you too much bro 😱😱😱 https://t.co/GTsGowMTW9
— Didier Drogba (@didierdrogba) June 17, 2018
“Iceland did me a huge favor this morning because it was easy to motivate the guys. Our pre-game speech was, “ Anything can happen in this game”, that’s why we love football. In this league it’s so challenging, had Tulsa scored in that first 30 minutes this would have been a battle all the way throughout.”- Rick Schantz on not looking past Tulsa
Phoenix Rising Lineup: Woszczynski, Wakasa, Farrell, Da Fonte, Dia, Musa(Waldrep 65), Lambert(Riggi 85), Awako, Asante, Cortez(Frater 80), Johnson
Tulsa Roughnecks Lineup: Cerda, Jusino, Munoz, Morton, Ugarte(Tavares 69), Mirkovic(Servania 52), Levin, Gee, Bakero(Theirjung 67), Rivas, Pirez
Goals
39’ -Cortez (PHX)
42’- Johnson (PHX)
89′- Frater (PHX)
Three Thoughts
- Uh, that goal. You know the one I am talking about. #2 on SportsCenter’s Top 10 and it caps off what should be a worthy Player-of-the-week award for Jason Johnson.
- Even with the same lineup as Wednesday, there didn’t seem to be much worry about fatigue. It took awhile for the Rising’s legs to settle in but once they did Tulsa stood no chance
- The third straight clean sheet for the defense might not have stood out tonight but the backline of Dia-Farrell-Da Fonte-Wakasa shut it down again with both of the outside also getting into the attack.
