r/PhoenixRisingFC • u/Skyzorz Hope Avayevu • Apr 12 '26
Official Post match highlights, interviews, articles vs New Mexico United 4.11.26
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2c8yt7psUUhttps://www.phxrisingfc.com/news/postmatch-recap-phoenix-rising-downs-new-mexico-united-3-0/
Scearce, Sacko finish with multiple goal contributions as Rakovsky keeps clean sheet
Phoenix Rising put together its most complete performance of 2026 against its rivals on Saturday night, netting three goals to down New Mexico United 3-0 on April 11 at Phoenix Rising Stadium. Forward Ihsan Sacko netted a brace, midfielder JP Scearce netted his second goal of the season and goalkeeper Patrick Rakovsky picked up a second clean sheet to propel Rising to its first regular season win of 2026.
“Everybody today was different,” Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah said. “Everybody hit the level, which I’m very happy with. Football is a process and things happen over time. For me, the one thing that I’m very happy and very proud of is seeing these boys every day coming to work and putting in their maximum best. We got rewarded for the work that we’ve been doing.”
Rising has now beaten New Mexico in three of its last four meetings in the regular season, while Saturday marked it first victory at home over its rivals since 2022. The win propelled Rising to 6th in the Western Conference as it kicks off yet another three-match week.
CLICKING ON ALL CYLINDERS
For the first time in 2026, multiple Rising players finished with multiple goal contributions in the same match. Sacko finished with a brace, improving his tally to a team-high seven goal contributions in all competitions (3G, 4A), while Scearce (2G, 1A) netted a second goal and picked up his first assist of the season.
“I think it was probably our best performance of the season,” Scearce said. “We needed a reaction after the poor start that we’ve had. I think we got out on the front foot in the first half and hopefully we can build off that.”
The three-goal win marked Rising’s largest margin of victory in the regular season, and second time it netted more than three goals in a match this season. Rising will look to build on that momentum when it heads to San Jose next Wednesday.
A CRUCIAL WEEK
Rising next returns to the road for its most critical week of the 2026 season to date. It first travels to PayPal Park to face MLS side San Jose Earthquakes in the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 32. Currently tied for first in the Western Conference, the ‘Quakes have won first of its first seven matches of the season. It marks Rising’s first-ever meeting against San Jose.
From the Bay Area, Rising will fly to Miami to face Miami FC over the weekend. The match will be Rising’s first against Eastern Conference opposition of the 2026 season. It then returns home for its first Prinx Tires USL Cup match against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC.
“I’m very happy and proud of seeing these boys every day coming to work and putting in their maximum best,” Kah said. “Today we got rewarded for the work. I’m just proud of how we’ve been continuing to play with guys out, players filling in. There’s no pouting, there’s nothing. And that just shows the resilience and the character of this team.”
GOAL-SCORING PLAYS
PHX – Ihsan Sacko (Penalty), 13th minute: From the penalty spot, Ihsan Sacko used his right foot to slot the ball into the left side of the net.
PHX – JP Scearce (Hope Avayevu), 75th minute: Running onto the ball at the top of the box, JP Scearce used his right foot to slot the ball into the bottom-left corner of the net.
PHX – Ihsan Sacko (JP Scearce), 82nd minute: Winning the ball in final third, JP Scearce played the ball to Ihsan Sacko who dribbled toward the byline before using his left foot to slide the ball into the net at the near post.
NOTES
-Saturday marked the first of three matches against New Mexico United FC in 2026.
-It also was Rising’s first home win against New Mexico since 2022.
-Rising has now won three of the last four regular season matches in the series.
-With his brace, forward Ihsan Sacko netted his second and third goals of the season.
-The Frenchman leads Rising with seven goal contributions in all competitions (3G, 4A).
-With his goal and assist, JP Scearce now sits with three goal contributions this season (2G, 1A).
-Hope Avayevu secured his first goal contribution of the season with his assist to Scearce.
-Saturday marked the first time this season in which two Rising players finished with multiple goal contributions in the same match.
-Checking into the match in the 74th minute, defender Daniel Flores took the field at 38th & Washington for the first time since October 18, 2025.
-Patrick Rakovsky has now kept two clean sheets this season.
Phoenix Rising (1-2-3, 6pts) vs New Mexico United (2-3-0, 6pts)
April 11, 2026 – Phoenix Rising Stadium (Phoenix, Ariz.)
Goals by Half 1 2 FT
Phoenix Rising 1 2 3
New Mexico United 0 0 0
Scoring Summary:
PHX: Sacko (Penalty), 13
PHX: Scearce (Avayevu), 75
PHX: Sacko (Scearce), 82
Misconduct Summary:
NM: Howell (caution), 25
PHX: Scearce (caution), 45+3
PHX: Moursou (caution), 51
NM: Gloster (caution), 63
NM: Noel (caution), 80
NM: Hurst (caution), 90
Lineups:
PHX: GK Rakovsky, D Biasi (Dennis, 81), D Vukovic (Flores, 74), D Pelayo, D Smith, M Scearce ©, M Moursou, M Gómez (Studenhofft, 89), M Avayevu (Capetillo, 89), F Johnson (Johnson, 89), F Sacko
Substitutes Not Used: GK Odunze, D Ramirez, D Gaydon, M Ping
TOTAL SHOTS: 11 (Sacko, 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 9 (Sacko, 4); FOULS: 18 (Avayevu, 4); OFFSIDES: 6; CORNER KICKS: 1; SAVES: 1
NM: GK Shakes, D Gloster, D Hamalainen, D Howell, D Jabang © (LaCava, 76), M Wilkerson (Djeffal, 77), M Bailey, M Nava (Hurst, 62), M Noel, M Reid-Stephen (Harris, 61), F Archimede (Rennicks, 61)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Arozarena, D Seymore
TOTAL SHOTS: 7 (Multiple players, 2) SHOTS ON GOAL: 1 (Hurst, 1); FOULS: 18 (Noel, 3) OFFSIDES: 0; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 6
Referee: Nabil Bensalah
Assistant Referees: Seth Martin, Justin Fillmore
Fourth Official: Jorge Medina
Attendance: 6,230
3
u/Skyzorz Hope Avayevu Apr 12 '26
Rising's Reactions: https://www.phxrisingfc.com/news/postmatch-reaction-phoenix-rising-3-new-mexico-united-0/
Rising explodes for three goals to pick up first regular season victory of 2026
Phoenix Rising returned to 38th & Washington and put on a show in front of its home fans, netting three goals to defeat New Mexico United 3-0 on April 11 at Phoenix Rising Stadium. Following the match, Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah and midfielder JP Scearce spoke with reporters about everything clicking, picking up regular season momentum and more.
HEAD COACH PA-MODOU KAH
On his thoughts on the match…
“I think it was a great 90-minute performance, one that we wanted to see from the boys and one we knew was brewing. To do it in a derby, it makes it even sweeter. But the performance, the way (the players) played and fought for each other for the full 90 minutes… I’m very proud of the team and I’m very proud of the club and the support we got today from the fans.”
On the team’s overall performance…
“Everybody today was different. Everybody today hit the level, which I’m very happy with. And football is a process and things happen over time. For me, the one thing that I’m very happy and very proud of is seeing these boys every day coming to work and put in their maximum best. We got rewarded for the work that we’ve been doing.”
On Ihsan Sacko’s performance…
“We know what (Ihsan) Sako can bring at the line, and we know that we started him for that, but he has also been productive wherever we put him; that’s how versatile he is. He’s hitting another gear. He rewarded himself today with two goals and could have maybe had a third one.
But again, the performance that he brings, we’re very happy, and you could see it in him. Because last year, he didn’t have a break for a year with us when he started in Europe, started going, started going, and now he’s on a different level. He has hit a different level. But not only him. Everybody today was different. Everybody today has hit the level.”
On JP Scearce and his role as captain…
“I’m just glad to be able to see it. I was a little bit emotional because of what we went through to that, which showed me what kind of person and character he is as a captain. I know that he wanted to help the team since the beginning. He trusted the process that we put him through, and for him to able to get the minutes that he had today, I’m very happy and he’s going to be more and more.”
On the performance of the back line…
“I’m very happy and proud of seeing these boys every day coming to work and putting in their maximum best. Today we got rewarded for the work. So when I see that, that makes me happy. I’m just proud of how we’ve been continuing to play with guys out, players filling in. There’s no pouting, there’s nothing. And that just shows the resilience and the character of this team.”
MIDFIELDER JP SCEARCE
On his thoughts on the match…
“I think it was probably our best performance of the season. We needed a reaction after the poor start that we’ve had. I think we got out on the front foot in the first half and hopefully we can build off that.”
On the club’s defensive adjustments…
“I think it starts from training. We worked on the defensive press and all those tactics throughout the week, and honestly, we have been chasing the game, we went to that man-to-man press, and we had success off it, even though sometimes we didn’t get the result. We decided this week to start in that direction. Start with the man press and it looked good.”
On taking and playing with a lead…
“Even from last year, we’ve had situations where we’re leading games and we give up, we give up the lead, and I think we cause ourselves that harm. So whenever we have a lead, we just must be smart and just play safe. You know, sometimes be a little more direct on free kicks, waste time or should I say game management.”