July 30, 2022 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Phoenix Rising FC News Release
Phoenix Rising FC picked up its fourth clean sheet in a row, dominating Colorado Springs, 4-0, tonight at Wild Horse Pass.
Aodhan Quinn had a goal and an assist while JJ Williams found the back of the net in his debut. Defender Joe Farrell and Richmond Antwi also found the back of the net for Rising, which is back at Wild Horse Pass next Saturday, Aug. 6, against Las Vegas (7:30 p.m.).
Tonight, Rising had shouts for an early penalty kick when JJ Williams went to ground following a corner kick, but referee Kevin Broadley was having none of it. Several minutes later Joe Farrell tried to beat Colorado goalkeeper Jeff Caldwell from distance. The goalkeeper backpedaled into his own net while knocking down the shot and the ball dropped on the goal line but once again Rising was left wanting.
Santi Moar tested Caldwell in the 15th minute on a free kick earned by Quinn and Farrell headed a shot on goal from very close range. The goalkeeper was up to the task on both attempts, but Quinn finally found a way through in the 19th minute. On the fourth corner of the match, Quinn bent a high left-footed shot that caught the goalkeeper off his line. Caldwell was unable to recover and the shot, expertly aimed, caught the far side netting to put Phoenix ahead, 1-0.
Phoenix took a 2-0 lead in the 25th minute when Kevon Lambert cut inside and found the feet of striker JJ Williams, who came over in a trade with FC Tulsa on Wednesday. The 6’4″ forward turned and ripped a low shot past Caldwell into the low, far corner of the net.
Rising poured it on the minute they came out of the locker room following halftime. Quinn played a perfect corner in from the right side and Farrell clipped it over the head of Caldwell to make it 3-0 in the 49th minute.
Arturo Rodriguez made his long-awaited return from injury, coming on for Luis Seijas in the 83rd minute. In his first appearance since May 28, Rodriguez recovered the ball near midfield and quickly pushed it forward to Greg Hurst. The forward smacked a cross over the top of the six-yard box and Antwi went and got it, stretching out with his right foot to redirect a shot past Caldwell to make it a 4-0 final.
Rising goalkeeper Ben Lundt made three saves to pick up his seventh clean sheet of the season. The club has now played 365 minutes without allowing a goal.
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