March 16, 2023 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Phoenix Rising FC News Release
Rising goes coast to coast this week, coming off its 1-1 draw in Charleston, SC, last Saturday, the team trained in Phoenix before heading to San Diego. Phoenix will face Loyal SC live on 3TV, Arizona’s Family Sports & Entertainment Network and ESPN+ at 3 p.m. on Sunday, March 19.
“Last week was not perfect,” said Head Coach Juan Guerra in his weekly media session. “We want to control the game and then create. That being said, a point on the road in the East is big. We had 12 new players out there. Charleston’s high press is intense. We have injuries and personal issues we’re battling as well. After four or five matches, we’ll be more consistent.”
Despite the adversity the team has faced early this season, Guerra says the team’s spirit remains high.
“They’re positive,” he said. “The energy is high. PRFC is expected to win. We embrace that. We have the privilege of that pressure. Last week wasn’t perfect but we saw the character this team has to still earn a point despite not playing its best.”
Rising heads to San Diego looking to take the lead in the all-time series, which currently sits at 4-4-1. Loyal SC is coming off a 1-0 victory against Detroit City last weekend.
“I saw a different defensive phase from San Diego, at least in how they approached the first game of the season,” said Guerra. “They were defending deeper and were a bit more organized. They didn’t leave a lot of space in between the lines. The gaps between their players are very small. Detroit did still find some ways to create chances and cause some problems, especially in the second half, but I liked how they defended. They were more organized than last year.”
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