Phoenix Rising FC traveled to Sacramento to take on upper-table rivals Sacramento Republic. The home side took no time in challenging the back line of Phoenix Rising as Drew Skundrich found space on the right side in the second minute to send a ball through the legs of AJ Cochran in front of goal but Mustapha Dembuya was up to the task clearing the ball from the feet of midfielder Sam Werner.

Team Ironman Amadeu Dia and center-back Doueugi Mala joined Dembuya and Cochran along the back line. Mala has not started a match nor seen action since the season opener. Announcers Devon Kerr and Tyler Terens relayed comments from head coach Rick Schantz about Mala’s progression this season, calling him the most improved player on the squad.

The seventh minute found seemingly innocuous challenge against Jason Johnson, serving as the target striker for the match. Sacramento captain Dekel Keinan ran through the back of Johnson, requiring Rick Schantz to make an early change, bringing on Adam Jahn in substitution. The injury was later announced as a left ankle injury.

Phoenix had its first chance to score in the 12th minute, as Solomon Asante found the head of a crashing Jose Aguinaga, who sent the ball high and to the front post. Former Rising keeper Josh Cohen was able to push the ball over the post and clear. The ensuing corner kick found another chance, with the ball coming out to Kevon Lambert who wasn’t able to get a solid touch on the ball, sending it back to the feet of Cohen.

Another opposing player with Arizona ties, Tyler Blackwood, placed an easy rebound in the back of the net in the 17th minute, but was a considerable distance offside, and the goal called back much to the relief of Phoenix fans at watch parties taking place at Tim Finnigens in Glendale and Venezia’s Pizza in Tempe. Blackwood missed another chance later in the 23rd minute, with an opportunity from a high back-post corner that found Lubin out of position.

While Phoenix owned the first fifteen minutes, Sacramento had all the pressure for the next twenty. Sacramento missed a solid chance in the 26th minute, as Ray Saari played a ball from mid-field to the back post which found a marked Sam Werner. The header was placed past Kevon Lambert to the far post, where it fell fallow.

Phoenix found life in the 41st minute a the foot of Junior Flemings, who tried to replicate a goal from the same angle as his goal in the prior game against Tacoma. The shot was deflected and found the outstretched arm of Josh Cohen to fly over the crossbar. Outstanding possession play followed, with midfield maestro Aguinaga putting on a show of technical footwork as Phoenix finally found a groove heading into halftime.

The teams walked into the locker room in a near statistical dead heat. Rising FC had a slight advantage in possession (53%) and shots-on-target (2) while Sacramento had one more total shot (9) and conceded one more foul (8).

Phoenix came out of halftime looking like a team who wanted to win its first-ever match at Papa Murphy’s park, but Sacramento made its first real move bringing the team’s primary source of scoring, Cameron Iwasa (5 goals) in the 55th minute, changing the tone and timber of the game.

Phoenix’s thin back line was tested in the 65th minute, as Mala went down for the second time in the match, the first coming from cramps. Austin Ledbetter, the first ever League 1 player to be called up, was called into action. Ledbetter has history at the USL Championship level, playing two years with St. Louis. Ledbetter, typically an outside back, performed admirably in the ad-hoc role.

Tense moments in the 7th minute as consecutive scoring chances for Sacramento were sure to stop the hearts of Phoenix supporters. The first came in a streaking through-ball and resulting cross which was cleared by a well positioned trailing Aguinaga. The subsequent corner was sent to the far side, but was headed into a risky zone but cleared by Adam Jahn.

The match continued to be a frustrating one for the Phoenix front line. The offense has often been successful scoring off of the strong passing from AJ Cochran through the midfield, as well as long switches from the right to the left sides. Sacramento showed strong physical play on the wings and used fouls very tactically to slow the speedy Phoenix Rising squad. The possession-style play instituted by Schantz saw less than 300 passes in the first 80 minutes – far less than the coach would expect.

The match ended after five minutes of stoppage time, and several ticky-tac (and a few not-so) fouls which interrupted the pace of the two teams, both desperate for a break through.

Phoenix next faces Orange County at Championship Stadium in Irvine, California on May 5, 2019.

Lineup

Discipline: Fernandez ’10 (caution), Gomez ’53 (caution), Aleman ’81 (caution)