Mad energy last night

Shout out La Banda

Somos Bandidos

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We’re back to league play finally! Is it gonna rain on Dollar Beer Night? Temps should be pleasant for a change - can we get get a win and start the second half of the season strong? Let’s get three points! Vamos Rising!

Houston Dynamo fan coming here to ask how has Gilberto Rivera been here it’s been hard with the world cup to see how he’s been playing sofascore says his ratings aren’t very good but obviously that doesn’t tell the full story so thoughts on Gilberto?

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The boys head to California against a League One side for the final cup in their Prinx Tires Cup group. Both of these teams are eliminated from moving on so expect a lot of Academy and bench players to get some playing time. Can we get a win after over a month of losing points? Vamos Rising!

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The boys are back in action after a week off. Can the Rising get back into the win column after a few weeks slide? Can the offense provide some fireworks before sunset on the 4th? Happy Independence Day everyone! Vamos Rising!

Not sure why there is a Player of the Year award at midseason, but good to see Sacko get the recognition from fans. Here’s hoping he locks up the full season honors at the end of the year.

Also of note: former Rising coach Danny Stone wins the midseason Coach of the Year award 😳

I think I just saw blue, he looks glorious!

Give um hell Margaritha!

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The boys salvaged a point last week - can we get back to our winning ways at home against Oakland Roots? Happy Pride Night everyone - let’s get three points! Vamos Rising!

I’ve got four spots in the Supporters section - send me a DM if you can go. I’ll edit this post when they’re spoken for.

Watching Margaritha step onto the field for Curaçao in the FIFA World Cup today made me stop and think about how unpredictable life can be.

Just last season, many of us were watching him play for Phoenix Rising here in Arizona. Today, he was wearing the Curaçao jersey on the biggest stage in world football, representing his country in front of millions of people around the globe.

Life has a funny way of taking us places we never fully imagine. One day you’re playing in Phoenix, working hard, chasing opportunities, and the next you’re standing on a World Cup field. Most people only see the destination, but they don’t see the years of sacrifice, setbacks, long flights, missed family moments, injuries, doubts, and hard work that made that moment possible.

That’s what I love about sports. They remind us that our current chapter is not our final chapter.

No matter where you are today, you never know where dedication, perseverance, and a little faith can take you tomorrow.

Congratulations to Margaritha on representing Curaçao in their historic World Cup debut. As a Phoenix Rising supporter, it was truly special to see a familiar face on football’s biggest stage.

From Phoenix, Arizona to the FIFA World Cup.

What a journey. ❤️🖤⚽

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Let’s make room for some USL action in the middle of the World Cup. The Rising have had a rough few games - can we get back on track on the road against El Paso? Will Cristo Fernandez make an appearance? Let’s get three points! Vamos Rising!

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Back to league play after a horrible showing in the Prinx Cup. Can the boys get back on track? Louisville hasn’t won a game in a while - let’s make sure they don’t get one tonight either! Vamos Rising!

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Greetings from Phoenix Fan Fusion! Stop by booth 1882 to watch the match with me if you’re here! Let’s get a Prinx Tires Cup win against the hated United. Vamos Rising! 🎵Fuck New Mexicoooooo🎵

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It’s International Night! Rising look to get back to their winning ways following a massive letdown in Tampa Bay. The Western Conference is tight - a win could put us back in the top 4. Let’s get three points! Vamos Rising!

As the title says, I’m gonna go to my first game this weekend vs Sacramento since the 2021 season and I just want to know what to expect. When I last went to a game the stadium was out by the casinos and had that nice lawn behind the scoreboard.

I know the stadium “concourse” space is much smaller now but what are some other things I should be mindful of? I have ga tickets but wanted to know if those are good for the supporters section as well since I used to be in that section when I had my season tickets.

Thanks!

Hey rising fans, im gonna be attending the May 30th game against Sacremento, and im wondering if im allowed to bring my Cannon 80D camera in

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Happy Memorial Day weekend! I’m looking for a bar in Mission Beach to turn into a Rising watch party for the evening. Can the boys hand TB their first loss? Let’s get back to our winning ways. Vamos Rising!

Interviewer: So, P, what’s your take then on the first goal? Who got it? Jean or Charlie?
Pa-Modou Kah: I can’t say how he scored it, but he had something there that touched it. That’s the way he described himself. But you see the honesty from Jean. Jean said, “I shot, but Charlie finished.”
Interviewer: Is it good that maybe that’s the argument you’re having right now rather than anything else?
Pa-Modou Kah: It’s a great argument, isn’t it?
No, no, no. Listen, this is football, right? It’s about the belief and the confidence, as much as also just trusting the process and the work that you put in. You keep doing it and you’re bound to get good results.
And you know, you cannot cheat the game because it’s like you cheat life. So you can’t cheat the game, and the game will find you out every time.
When you keep doing your work and you keep working and you keep trusting the process and you go together as a team and as a club, you’re always bound to get the results that you deserve. And that’s just football, what I believe in.
So the work doesn’t stop just because now we’re all having it. It’s the work that we’ve been putting in since the beginning of the year, right? And then the group is jelling, the group understands one another, the group finds their groove. And that’s what, especially in North America, where it’s a long season.

Interviewer: Ihsan missed last week’s game in the Cup. It was his first time missing a game since joining Rising. Was that just a precaution given the minutes?
Pa-Modou Kah: No, he was sick. He was a little bit sick, so he had to miss, which is fine. We definitely missed him.
He’s always been a consistent player for us and a consistent-minutes guy. Last year, he had three preseasons, two in Europe, one with us, and played the whole year.
So he’s been flying this year in terms of his consistency, and for him to miss one game is well deserved.

Interviewer: How big is that, given how consistent he’s been in the lineup, and given that some of these other guys have dealt with their own injuries?
Pa-Modou Kah: No, he’s been terrific. He’s a very experienced guy. He’s a guy who loves the game and wants to play every game that he can.
I know it was hard for him not to be able to play and help the team, but that break was what he needed because he was sick. For him, recovering sometimes is needed.
But having him back, we’re very happy, and we know what he’s going to give us on the field in terms of his vocal leadership and his own field leadership. He allows other guys also to play well around him.

Interviewer: Now that it’s official, overall thoughts on the Darius Johnson transfer.
Pa-Modou Kah: I’m very happy. You know, “DJ” is like a son to me.
But also seeing how he grew and what it means for us as a club and what this club is about.
If you’ve seen the history of this club, it’s always when people come here and do well, you’re always going to get what you deserve. DJ came here to revive his career and then move on, and I think he’s shown that.
For me, it serves as a light on the club and the work that we are doing, where people can see and feel that when you come here and do what you need to do on the field and off the field, good things happen to you.
So that is just a testament to what this club is about and what I’ve always been about. For us, it’s sad losing a player that means a lot to us, but again, it’s a great opportunity for the club and the things that we do.

Interviewer: Given that the team is still kind of going through a bit of an injury crisis, what kind of impact does losing DJ have on you in the short term?
Pa-Modou Kah: Yeah. Well, listen, that’s why you have a scouting department, and that’s why you work as a group—our coaching staff, the front office, Bobby, myself, and the scouts that I hire.
We’re all working in unison because we knew things could happen, and that’s part of football.
We have some targets in mind, and we’re going to look at that in the short term. Because of the injuries, you have some other options within the squad to solve the problem.
We get Tico Rivera back. It’s not that we’re waiting for him to be the messiah and savior. He’s just getting back to playing after missing a couple of months, which we’re happy with.
Right now, we’re using the players that we have, and we know they can play multiple positions. So for the short term, we will be good, but we will definitely be ready when it’s time to pick the right player to help us.

Interviewer: So you are looking to reinvest the transfer?
Pa-Modou Kah: No, 100% we will. But it’s also about the alignment that we have and the understanding of who is the right player for us.
We don’t need to think that we have to rush a signing. That’s why I said we’re working in unison with the front office ourselves to find the right player that is going to elevate this.

Interviewer: When DJ was last here, he broke out into tears saying goodbye to the fans in the South End. How important and how powerful is it that players are forging that connection with fans here?
Pa-Modou Kah: Well, like they say, it’s important. It’s the environment.
As a coaching staff and as a club, we want players to come here and do very well so that they also carry the Phoenix Rising name everywhere they go.
They come here because this is an ambition. This is a very ambitious club. This is a club that has won one title and is looking to add more titles and be a club that is the standard-bearer of the USL.
So we’re not going to shy away from that. Having these transfers and having people that trust in us, coming in here, doing the work, and then reaping the benefits afterwards—that is very clear.
If you look at the history of this club, anybody that have been part of in this organization has either moved on to bigger and better things, and that’s what we want to continue to do.
That is also a testament to the players who trust us enough to come here and showcase their ability.
And this is football, right? That’s the beauty of the game. Sometimes it takes one game, but sometimes it takes years of forging through the hard work that should not be feared.
DJ has put his time in. When you put your time in, it’s not always going to be your timing, but in this instance, it’s God’s timing for you—right place, right time, right moment.

Interviewer: You briefly mentioned Tico returning. What did you see from him in his quick little run out there, and what can we expect from him over the next few weeks?
Pa-Modou Kah: Gradually building more. That’s the most important part.
The more that you build players up, the more they can withstand the grind that is about to happen because we’re going to give him the time that he needs.
But from the cameos that he’s showing us, and we’ve seen it, we’re happy to have our boogeyman back.

Interviewer: And then also, Gilberto Rivera in the midfield made his first start for the club. What did you see from him in his first start, and how has he meshed so far with the squad?
Pa-Modou Kah: I saw a player that wanted the ball, a player that was looking to play football from both sides of the game, and he’s a very intelligent player.
I think he’s going to serve us well. You can already see him forging a little connection together with Jean and JP, especially in this game with Jean to start with and afterwards with JP.
I think he’s jelling well with the group. He’s a man of few words off the pitch, but on the pitch, he shows his quality, and we’re very happy with him.
For him, it’s about bringing the consistency and keeping going and progressing. For what we’ve seen over the 90 minutes, we’re very happy and we’re looking to see more.

Interviewer: You mentioned Jean. How important was he for you in that last game?
Pa-Modou Kah: Ah, Jean has been an iron man. We’re very happy with what he’s given us, and he’s growing.
He’s put himself in a position to now score goals, but on the defensive side of the game, I think it was a terrific game.
So I’m very happy with what Jean is showing and his growth, which is very important.
He hates to lose. He wants to win everything, and he wants to do everything he possibly can to help this team.

Interviewer: Just overall thoughts on Tampa coming up this weekend?
Pa-Modou Kah: Well, for us, we go into every game with the mindset of trying to win.
I think it’s going to be a good game because we’re facing a team that is undefeated. So this is a great opportunity for us to go there, play our game, and get the three points.

Interviewer: Tampa’s defense has been really solid so far through this early stage of the season. I think they’ve only conceded about five goals in the league. How do you look to break a team down knowing that they can shut down attacks as well as they can?
Pa-Modou Kah: We’ve been unstoppable also going forward.
So for them, it’s a worry. If I tell you now what we’re going to do, I think it will not be to my benefit.
But one thing—I’m probably going there with the mindset of doing something.

Interviewer: If you come out of there with a result, how big would that be for the momentum going forward?
Pa-Modou Kah: We’re going to come out of there with the result. That’s what we know we’re capable of.
The boys enjoy this kind of challenge. So we’re looking forward to it again. That can carry on for the next four games for us, starting Saturday.

Interviewer: It’s not quite the last major road trip you have to go in terms of mileage, but you’ve got Lexington later in the year. How does it feel to just get these games out of the way in terms of the travel?
Pa-Modou Kah: That’s fantastic.
Interviewer: You don’t like the beach of Tampa?
Pa-Modou Kah: I enjoy the beach of Tampa, but we’re not going there to go on the beach.
So in my free time, I will go enjoy the beach. Im going there to win.