Rising Falls, 2-1, in Seattle to Sounders FC

May 23, 2024 – United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Phoenix Rising FC News Release

Phoenix Rising FC’s Emil Cuello on the field
(Phoenix Rising FC)

TUKWILA, Washington – Phoenix Rising FC dropped out of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup via a 2-1 loss to Seattle Sounders FC tonight at Starfire Soccer Complex.

Phoenix created the best chance of the opening 10 minutes of the match when Panos Armenakas played a through ball in for Remi Cabral. The forward caught up to the pass and hit it low to the far post with his first touch, forcing a diving save from Sounders FC goalkeeper Andrew Thomas.

Rising continued to control the match, earning five corners to Seattle’s two in the opening 25 minutes of the match.

Seattle’s first chance of the first half came in the 35th minute when the ball was dropped into the path of Sounders midfielder Danny Leyva at the top of the box. Leyva tried to beat Phoenix’s Patrick Rakovsky, low to his left side but the goalkeeper made a sturdy save and smothered the rebound.

The Sounders’ Danny Musovski had the next chance in the 43rd minute, walking in alone against Rakovsky after a through ball from midfield split Phoenix’s back line. Musovski had time to pick out a corner and options to pass, but Rakovsky closed down the angle and made a left-handed save to keep the match tied, 0-0.

Then, in the third minute of first-half stoppage time, Armenakas sprinted into the area and was brought down from behind on a slide tackle by Leyva. Cabral stepped up and took the penalty kick, sending Seattle goalkeeper Andrew Thomas to his right side before striking a hard shot, low and into the corner to give Phoenix the 1-0 lead headed into halftime.

Rising held a 57-43 edge in possession at the break, but Seattle quickly leveled the possession statistics in the opening 10 minutes of the second half. Rising countered and earned a free kick at the top corner of the box through Gabi Torres in the 55th minute, but Phoenix was quickly whistled for offsides on the ensuing set piece.

Rising captain John Stenberg was whistled for a handball in the box in the 66th minute after a shot from outside the area was deflected into the defender’s left arm. Alex Roldan stepped up to take the kick for the Sounders, striking a hard shot to Rakovsky’s right side. The goalkeeper nearly got to the shot but the attempt zipped past his right hand on its way into the side netting to make it 1-1.

Kalani Kossa-Rienzi won it for Seattle in the 89th minute, after a long…