SAN DIEGO — Phoenix Rising FC applied plenty of pressure in 90 minutes, creating several opportunities over the course of the match. But the team couldn’t find the back of the net enough times in a 3-1 loss to Albion SC Pros. It was the club’s first match of the 2017 preseason.

“We had three guys who are signed that started the game and we had 14 or 15 that are signed who didn’t even dress,” said Phoenix Rising FC head coach Frank Yallop “If we had played a proper team, it’s a different game, but it wasn’t for that. It was for us to look at some players that I wanted to look at closely.”

Rising FC’s lone goal came in the second half after a re-kick due to the goalkeeper coming off his line too early. Forward Matt Hurlow was denied by the offending goalkeeper, then G. Pikitis replaced Hurlow and buried the re-kick into the left corner of the net.

Albion’s David Luquen scored a brace to give his club a 2-0 lead at the half. His first goal came in the 4th minute, off a penalty kick. His second goal was a free kick stunner in stoppage time of the first half. Albion’s final goal was the result of a 59th-minute penalty kick from Kuba Waligorski.

Phoenix Rising FC is back on the pitch on Saturday, March 4, against Grand Canyon University Soccer. The match will kick off at 8 p.m. at GCU Soccer Stadium and is free and open to the public.

Scoring Summary

ASC: 4’, 11-David Luquen (PK)

ASC: 45+’, 11-David Luquen

ASC: 56’, 4-Kuba Waligorski

PHX: 59’, G. Pikitis

PHX: P. Hapley; C. Dexhart (36’, A. Gray), B. Granger (62’, G. Gergich), M. Gunderson, D. Murbles; M. Langman (62’, D. Meagle), G. Pikitis, R. Nygard, R. Dunn, V. Vasquez; M. Hurlow (62’, A. Dwyer)

ASC: 1-Jean Antoine; 2-Frankie Sanfilippo, 3-Luke Staats, 4-Kuba Waligorski, 21-Sergio Enriquez; 6-Luis Cardona, 23-Felipe Luborio, 5-Sergio Ortiz; 11-David Luquen, 14-Cameron Roget (80’, 17-Austin Rovazzini), 9-Amani Walker (65’, 20-Tre Hayes)

Cautions

PHX: ’43, M. Langman

Ejections

ASC: 9’, 3-Luke Staats