Rising hosted Rhode Island on Saturday night in a season that has seen some thrilling games.
Phoenix was coming off an incredible 4-4 draw against El Paso Locomotive and Rhode Island had played one game, a 2-0 loss to Charleston Battery.
Rising head coach, Pa-Modou Kah was looking for a first win of the season, but it wouldn’t be easy.
Rhode Island were the defending champions of the east in the USL, having made the final, where they would lose to the Colorado Spring Switchbacks.
The game began, and things quickly looked bad for Phoenix, as under six minutes in, Rhode Island nabbed a goal via a Jerome Williams header.
“We got smacked in the face, we didn’t react,” Kah said. “Took us five, ten minutes later to react. I think the second half was far much better, but we have to make sure we are ready to go.”
However, Rising, who had started slowly, would put up relentless pressure and build up, doing their best to force errors against Rhode Island.
Cabral had a great first half, with three chances, but all were either timed a little too early, or saved by Rhode Island goalie Koke Vegas.
Rhode Island created a chance near the 20th minute, but Rising keeper Peter Rakovsky kept it out, preventing a two-goal lead.
Rising would suffer a setback, when during a routine freekick, defender Emil Cuello went down with an injury and was subbed off for Harvey Neville.
“He’s getting checked by the doctors right now,” Kah said.
In the end, the pressure paid off, and in the 40th minute, Noble Okello crossed the ball, where forward Damian Rivera would take an incredible touch with the ball midair, turning his body, and smashing the ball into the back of the net to make it 1-1.
“That’s what you want from your wingers,” Rising head coach Kah said. “To score goals and assist and we are very pleased with Damian scoring the goal. He’s been dangerous, he could’ve had two, and in those positions, yeah, you expect him to score because he shows it in training, but we are happy for him.”
Unfortunately for Rising, two minutes later, Rhode Island struck again, and while Rakovsky made a great first save, the rebound landed right in front of a Rhode Island player and Pape Boye, and the ball would soon be in the back of the net.
This would technically count as an own goal for Pape Boye, but more importantly, Rhode Island had taken the lead back, this time 2-1.
Entering the half, Rising made a change, as they subbed Jearl Margaritha.
“Honestly, I think in the future we will play a lot together,” said Rising midfielder Ihsan Sacko regarding Margaritha. “I enjoy playing with him because I love him, and he can make a difference.
Rising would keep up the pressure, knowing it had worked before—they were desperate not just to equalize, but to win.
In the end, the build-up play worked again, as a cross was swung into the box, and while it was initially saved by Vegas, Rising midfielder Hope Avayevu met it with power, and leveled the game for Phoenix.
“It feels good,” Avayevu said. “Obviously, we wanted to win but, we didn’t, but we take the point and it’s nice to score a goal in front of the fans here.”
Rising continued fighting to win—it was clear they didn’t want to equalize.
In the 72nd minute, they got their chance, as Rivera was one-on-one with Vegas, but in the end, Vegas would make the save preventing Phoenix from taking the lead.
Nearing the end of the game neither team wanted to concede but Rising and Rhode Island drew level, with a final score of 2-2.
“This is football,” Kah said. “Some people got to stand up and somebody will stand up so for me it’s a process. Rome was never built in one day, so anything you do in life you have to trust the process and at the end of the day, November 25th is where we want to stand.”
