Phoenix Rising welcomed the Oakland Roots on Saturday.

Entering the game, Rising sat in seventh, but with the right results and a win, things could go their way.

Oakland, meanwhile, sat in tenth place with a game in hand, but a loss could see their playoff hopes out of reach.

With only five games left for Phoenix and six for Oakland, every point mattered.

Rising had four straight games in a row with a draw, while Oakland had two back-to-back draws.

New player, Jean Eric Moursou, who was loaned in from Valenciennes, would appear on the Phoenix bench.

The game was delayed due to weather issues, but eventually kicked on—not one minute in, Oakland found the opener.

A bad pass by Rising goalkeeper Peter Rakovsky saw Oakland take advantage, as a quick pass was delivered to forward Daniel Trejo, who found the back of the net to open the scoring.

Oakland made another attempt in the seventh minute, but Rakovsky kept it from being a two-goal game.

Two minutes later however, Oakland made it 2-0.

A run in behind the defense saw Oakland forward Peter Wilson slot it past Rakovsky.

Rising began creating chances, but the morale wasn’t there, and in minute twenty-two Oakland made them pay.

Trejo got the ball on the wing before running into the box and squaring it to Wilson for an easy goal.

It was 3-0 to Oakland.

Rising were being outmatched and outplayed.

“Disappointed, to start like that,” Midfielder Charlie Dennis said.

“Kind of been a common theme throughout the season. We need to be way better defensively because we conceded way too many goals this year and they’ve also been sloppy goals from ourselves. When you keep repeating the same mistakes it’s kind of worrying and frustrating at the same time, so we need to really draw a line and address it this week.”

Poor and slow starts have been common for Phoenix this season, and Saturday was no different.

“Very, very, very, very poor first half,” Rising head coach Pa-Modou Kah said.

“I was missing hunger and desire. Some players are full. When you play this game of football, it starts with respecting the game, understanding that you are part of the game you’ve been given to do something with your time.”

It’s starts like these that determine whether Phoenix will make the playoffs or not.

After the third goal, Rising players huddled up to seemingly talk about what to do.

“It was basically- ‘What are we doing?’” Dennis said. “‘What are we doing? Figure this out because we can still come back. It’s not the end but let’s start completing out passes.’ because that was what was leading to the goals, was missed passes.”

Oakland dictated the tempo of the game, and they held it with an iron fist.

Right before stoppage time however, Rising got their first goal.

After a shot was taken by Rising, Oakland goalie Raphael Spiegel deflected it right into the space of Dennis who found the back of the net.

“I think you saw the energy that the first goal gave us before halftime,” Dennis said. “That was pretty massive, because it gave a bit more spirit in the locker room. Just to score right before halftime was massive, gave the crowd some energy as well tonight.”

Entering the half, it was 3-1 to Oakland, and even though Rising had some momentum, there was still a lot of work to do.

Rising made substitutions, bringing on Xian Emmers and Pape Mar Boye for Noble Okello and Carl-Fred Sainte.
“Emmers came with a hunger and desire,” Kah said. “He was pissed off from last week. You could tell that he fought, he worked from his mentality. That is always something that you admire and I wish he could’ve had a goal.”

Rising and Oakland made their fair share of chances, but both defenses buckled down.

Oakland was eating away at the clock, trying to give Rising less time to mount a comeback.

Entering the final twenty-five minutes, Oakland had gotten close to scoring a fourth, and it seemed like the nail in the coffin was coming for Phoenix.

In minute sixty-six though, Rising almost made it two, as after a free kick, the ball was pinged into the box and nearly crossed the line for a goal.

However, Oakland reacted in the nick of time, clearing it away for a corner.

Rising began putting pressure, looking for the second, making multiple chances, subbed on Remi Cabral for Collin Smith in hopes of getting a goal, while Moursou was also brought on, marking his first appearance for Phoenix Rising.

“I think he came in good,” Kah said. “I think he came in very good, in a tough situation. His energy, his desire is infectious. It’s a guy that is going to adapt to the team. I’m looking forward to him starting games.”

Rising received a free kick in the eighty-fifth minute, desperately needing a goal.

Dennis took it from distance, sending it past the wall and into the bottom left corner of the net to give Phoenix a lifeline.

“I put a lot of time on the training ground practicing free kicks,” Dennis said.

“When you put the time in, that builds confidence and when I stand over the ball, I have way more confidence that I know I’ve practiced 50 times on the training ground. Good to see the hard work pay off when it matters most.”

“He’s very simple,” Kah said regarding Dennis’ performance. “He’s either you want it, or you don’t want it, and he wants it. Charlie wants it. This means a lot to Charlie, today he worked on that pitch, and he showcased that. Every time we call his number, he’s there.”

It was 3-2, and the game was within reach.

Rising didn’t hesitate, chasing the third goal with everything they had.

In the ninety-fourth minute, Rising went in for an equalizer, but forward Ihsan Sacko went down in the box.

Penalty for Rising, but it didn’t end there, as Oakland defender Gagi Margvelashvili was sent off.

A scuffle broke out over the decision, with multiple jabs being thrown alongside back and forth arguments.

Rising defender Daniel Flores, who was already on a yellow, was also shown a red after he went into the huddle and exchanged words.

Regardless, it would be Cabral who would take the penalty.

“Remi was never shy of it,” Kah said. “He’s never shy of these situations.”

This penalty could tie the game and possibly be the most important goal in Phoenix’s entire season considering what was at stake.

Cabral shot to the right, and Spiegel went left.

“He wanted it,” Dennis said. “I’m not going to be a player who’s going to sit there and fight for the ball even though I was on a hat trick. I haven’t missed a penalty yet and neither has he. He got his moment and I’m buzzing for him.”

3-3, another completed comeback by Phoenix at the death.

Shortly thereafter, the whistle blew for full time.

Another rollercoaster for Phoenix, and Kah wasn’t happy.

“As soon as the whistle blew, either you’re ready or you’re not,” Kah said regarding his team. “Many of them are ready, but some of them aren’t ready. They don’t know what it’s like to be a professional football coach. If you don’t have hunger, it’s difficult. They pretend to be footballers.”

Rising will welcome rivals New Mexico United on Saturday.

“You’re not playing for yourself,” Kah said regarding next week’s match. “You’re playing for the fans. That’s what derby day is. You have to take it. I don’t want to play football anymore, but I wish I could play derby days.”