MATCH DETAILS

Phoenix Rising FC (12-5-5, 41 pts., 3rd in West) vs. Orange County SC (12-6-5, 41 pts., 2nd in West)

7:30 p.m. Saturday, Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex, Scottsdale

TV: Cox 4 (SD) and 1004 (HD) in Phoenix, Cox 7 (SD) and 1007 (HD) in Tucson

Live Stream: ESPN+ (subscription required)

Radio: Fox Sports 910 AM (English), El Patron 97.3 FM (Spanish)

MatchCenter: PHXvOC

Phoenix Rising FC host divisional rivals Orange County Soccer Club in their third and final meeting of the 2018 regular season.  The stakes are high, as the winner will have the right to hold second position in the conference in earnest.  The match will feature the highest scoring teams in the western conference (Goals: PHX 40 OCSC 42) as well as the most staunch defenses (Clean Sheets: PHX 9 OCSC 10).  The heated rivalry has only netted a winning result one time in the past six meetings, when Rising FC broke the string of draws stretching to 2016 with a 1-0 victory in Orange County on June 29, 2018.

PHOENIX RISING LAST MATCH: Phoenix Rising FC defeated Portland Timbers 2 4-1 last Sunday afternoon. Chris Cortez opened the scoring in the 8th minute off an Alessandro Riggi corner. Phoenix extended their lead to two goals in the second half on Colin Fernandez’s first goal of the year. Portland pulled a goal back off a deflected Carl Woszczynski penalty save before Phoenix broke the match open with a second goal from Cortez and a late header from Solomon Asante. Portland was awarded another penalty in stoppage time but Woszczynski came up big again and stooped the shot on the last kick of the match.

TEAM NEWS: Chris Cortez was named to the USL Team of the Week after his 2 goal, 1 assist performance in the Rose City. This is his second appearance on the USL team this season following his Week 2 performance against OKC Energy FC. Gladson Awako is set to serve the second game of his three-game suspension Saturday night. He will be eligible to return on August 22 vs. San Antonio FC. James Musa is also suspended for Saturday’s night match after picking up his 5th yellow card of the season against Portland. Mike Da Fonte and Doueuegi Mala are both sitting on 4 yellow cards and will be suspended when they pick up their next yellow card.

Forward Chris Cortez is closing in on the club’s single-season scoring record.  His 11 goals are good enough to be tied for third in the race for the Golden Boot, and puts him just three short of the club record.

Former Rising FC center-back and English Premier League alumni Peter Ramage rejoins his former squad as an assistant coach working under head coach Rick Schantz.

ORANGE COUNTY REPORT: Orange County is 4-2-1 since the last time these two teams met, including wins against Swope Park Rangers(2) and San Antonio FC. These results have launched them into second place in front of Phoenix due to their superior goal differential, though they have played one more match than Phoenix to this point. Forward Thomas Enevoldsen continues to lead the team in goals with 12, which puts him tied for the lead in the Golden Boot race with Ataullah Guerra of Pittsburgh. Meanwhile at the back, Andre Rawls continues to lead a defense that has given up the least amount of goals in the Western Conference and third least in the league overall.  

LAST MEETING: The clubs last met on June 29th, resulting in a 1-0 home win for Phoenix Rising FC. Chris Cortez scored in the 13th minute. Phoenix played the last 55 minutes down a man after Kody Wakasa was sent off. Carl Woszczynski preserved the clean with two big saves in the 66th and 92nd minutes. The win broke a streak of five straight draws vs. OC dating back to 2016. Phoenix Rising FC is now 7-4-5 against Orange County.

TALE OF THE TAPE:

Attack

Defense

PREVIOUS FORM (Last five league matches played):

Phoenix Rising FC: W-L-W-L-W

Orange County SC: W-W-D-D-W

POSSIBLE STARTING XI (4-3-3): GK- Carl Woszczynski; D- Amadou Dia (L), Mike da Fonte (C), Joe Farrell (C), Kody Wakasa (R); MF- Kevon Lambert (C), Colin Fernandez (R),  Devin Vega(R); F- Alessandro Riggi (L), Chris Cortez (C), Solomon Asante (R).

POSSIBLE SUBSTITUTES: GK- Zac Lubin; D- Doueuegi Mala, Devonte Dubose; MF- Billy Forbes, Evan Waldrep, Jason Johnson; F- Kevaughn Frater