Phoenix Rising remains perfect on dollar beer night with rout of Tulsa
A three-goal first-half outburst led to an all-out assault by Phoenix Rising FC, as it defeated Tulsa Roughnecks FC 5-0 in front of 6,708 Friday night at Casino Arizona Field in Scottsdale.
Phoenix Rising had the better of the chances early. Junior Flemmings had a shot in the fifth minute that just missed on the left, followed by a shot from Joey Farrell that was saved by Tulsa keeper Sean Lewis. Solomon Asante had an attempt five minutes later in the 10th minute, but his shot went just wide.
Phoenix Rising struck first in the 13th minute, when Doueuegi Mala launched a ball 40 yards to a waiting Adam Jahn, who hit a half-volley over the head of Lewis and in the back of the net for the early 1-0 lead.
Flemmings almost doubled the lead in the 21st minute, but his shot from just inside the left corner of the 18-yard box curled toward the upper 90, but Lewis got his hands on it to save it.
Flemmings finaly doubled the lead in the 25th minute when after a Tulsa turnover, Jahn carried the ball to the six yard box then sent the ball across to Flemmings, who tapped it past Lewis for the 2-0 lead.
Jon Bakero almost added to the lead in the 27th minute after a breakout from the back. Asante got the ball to a streaking Bakero on the right, and his shot was tipped away by Lewis.
Phoenix Rising made it 3-0 in the 41st minute when Junior Flemmings got a ball from deep and forced a Tulsa defender to foul Flemmings in the box. Solomon Asante stepped up and hit the ensuing penalty kick into the upper half of the net for the third goal of the night.
Flemmings added his second of the night in the 65th minute when he got the ball on a great cross from Asante. Flemmings drove to the net and drove it past Lewis to give Phoenix an insurmountable 4-0 lead.
Substitute Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu found the back of the net for his first Phoenix Rising goal in the 72nd minute when he got a ball from Asante and turned with a first touch and drilled it past Lewis. This was the FC Tucson call-up’s first goal at the USL level after spending 2018 with ATL2.
Zac Lubin, who didn’t have much work to do all might, came up big in the 90th minute to preserve the shutout when D.J, Dean ripped a shot from the left that Lubin had to make a diving save. Just a minute later, Iddrisu Abdallah hit the crossbar with a header but it went out for a goal kick and Phoenix Rising FC preserved the clean sheet.
Player Ratings
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Scoring summary:
PHX- 13′ Adam Jahn (assist James Musa)
PHX- 25′ Junior Flemmings (assist Adam Jahn)
PHX- 41′ Solomon Asante PK
PHX- 65′ Junior Flemmings (assist Solomon Asante)
PHX- 72′ Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu (assist Solomon Asante)
Phoenix Rising Starting XI: Lubin, Dia, Farrell, Musa, Dumbuya, Musa, Aguinaga ( Wheeler-Omiunu 69′), Flemmings (Calistri 74′), Bakero, Asante, Jahn (Spencer 84′).
Subs not used: Woszczynski, Bjornethun, Ledbetter, Fernandez.
Tulsa Roughnecks Starting XI: Lewis, Lobo (Abdallah 85′), Makinde, Roberts, Hedrick, Manny Gonzalez, Mompremier (Rogers 54′), Addai, Altamirano, Silva, Rodrigo da Costa (Dean 84′).
Up next: Phoenix Rising hosts Orange County SC on Saturday, June 15, at Casino Arizona Field with kickoff at 7:30 p.m.
