PHOENIX (April 23, 2017) — Phoenix Rising FC (2-2-0) handed Swope Park Rangers their first loss of the season, 4-3, in front of a record-breaking crowd of 7,162 fans at the Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex. It’s the third straight sell out crowd for the club and the second straight win at home. The Rangers fall to 3-1-0.

“I think I explained after the first couple games, we weren’t ready to play to be honest,” said Phonix Rising FC Head Coach Frank Yallop. A lot of our guys were in different wave lengths, and I hadn’t figured out the system. The system we play now is excellent.”

Phoenix Rising FC jumped out to a 3-0 lead to head into halftime. Midfielder Alessandro Riggi opened the scoring in the 22nd-minute, curling a shot around Swope Park goalkeeper David Greczek from the edge of the box to make it 1-0.

Rising soon doubled its lead after midfielder Luke Rooney scored off a penalty kick, his third overall goal of the season. Forward Chris Cortez found the back of the net just two minutes later directing a low shot around Greczek and into the bottom left corner of the net.

The scoring continued in the second half for Phoenix Rising FC when defender Peter Ramage got his head on the end of a Rooney corner kick to make it 4-0 in the 47th minute.

But Swope Park Rangers managed a furious comeback in the match’s last 25 minutes. In the 79th minute, Kevin Oliveira converted a penalty to make it 4-1. Oliveira tallied his second goal of the night in the 90th minute, beating goalkeeper Josh Cohen with a shot from inside of the box to make it 4-2. Then Swope Park’s Christian Duke converted an unassisted goal to make it 4-3 and end their attempted comeback.

“They scored three very, very good goals,” Yallop said. “You know we could have scored more. We had a couple on the break where we should have done better. … Anyway (it’s) stuff we can look at and work on, but at the end of the day it’s about three points and we got them.”

Phoenix Rising FC has a week off before coming back to the Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex on Saturday, May 6, against Reno 1868 FC. The match will kickoff at 7:30 p.m. and tickets can be purchased by going to www.PHXRisingFC.com.

Match: Phoenix Rising FC vs. Swope Park Rangers

Date: April 23, 2017

Location: Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex | Scottsdale, AZ

PHOENIX RISING FC 4-3 SWOPE PARK RANGERS

Scoring Summary:

PHX: 22’, 17-Alessandro Riggi

PHX: 25’, 10-Luke Rooney (PK)

PHX: 27’, 11-Chris Cortez (3-Kody Wakasa)

PHX: 47’, 5-Peter Ramage (10-Luke Rooney)

SPR: 79’, 88-Kevin Oliveira (PK)

SPR: 90’, 88-Kevin Oliveira (23-Colton Storm)

SPR: 90+3’, 32-Christian Duke

Disciplinary Summary:

PHX: 78’, 3-Kody Wakasa (Red)



PRFC Starting XI: 18-Josh Cohen; 25-Victor Vasquez, 33-Jordan Stewart, 5-Peter Ramage, 3-Kody Wakasa; 8-Matt Watson, 17-Alessandro Riggi (73’, 23-Matthew Hurlow-Paonessa), 10-Luke Rooney (73’, 4-Blair Gavin), 29-Shaun Wright-Phillips; 11-Chris Cortez, 9-Omar Bravo (82’, 24-A.J. Gray).

Substitutions Not Used: 1-Carl Woszczynski, 12-Mike Seth, 14-Jason Johnson, 34-J.J. Greer Jr.