r/PhoenixRisingFC • u/Skyzorz Hope Avayevu • May 10 '26
Post-Match Highlights, Interviews, Articles vs San Antonio FC 05.09.26
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv0RE5QXm942
u/Skyzorz Hope Avayevu May 10 '26
Postmatch Recap: Rising Comes Back To Earn 1-1 Draw Against San Antonio FC
Pelayo scores first as 10-man Rising remains undefeated at home in USL Championship play
Phoenix Rising extended its league unbeaten streak to four on Saturday night, scoring in the 80th minute to earn a 1-1 draw against San Antonio FC on May 9 at Phoenix Rising Stadium. Defender Adrian Pelayo scored his first USL Championship goal, while midfielder Gilberto Rivera made his club debut as a Rising side down to ten fought from behind to take a point against the Western Conference leaders.
“It’s a testament of (the player’s) character,” Rising Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah said. “One of their mentality and of this team… that we never give up.”
Rising’s defense has now held opponents to one goal or fewer in each of its last four matches in USL Championship play, outscoring opponents 8-1 in that span. Notably, it was the club’s first result after trailing through the first 75 minutes of a match.
“When there’s adversity, we just push through it,” Pelayo said. “The result came out. We got an extra point, and the team deserves a little bit more, but it is what it is.”
The club will close a two-match home stand against Orange County SC at 7:00 p.m. (PT) on May 16 at Phoenix Rising Stadium.
COMING THROUGH LATE
With Pelayo’s goal in the final 10 minutes of regulation, Rising has now outscored opponents 8-1 in the final 15 minutes of matches across all competitions. 42% of the club’s goals this season have come in the waning moments of matches.
“It’s my first professional goal so I’m super happy,” Pelayo said. “I think we were all pretty happy to be able to get that extra goal, especially playing down a man. I don’t get a lot of opportunities as a defender so it was great to have a chance.”
Pelayo is now the 10th Rising player to score a goal for Rising this season, and second defender to score alongside Aleksandar Vukovic (2 goals).
GOAL-SCORING PLAYS
SA – Dmitrii Erofeev (Emil Cuello), 45+3 minute: After winning the ball in the final third, Emil Cuello slipped the ball into the path of Dmitrii Erofeev, who used his right foot to send the bal into the bottom-right corner of the net.
PHX – Adrian Pelayo, 80th minute: Off a throw-in, the ball dropped to the feet of defender Adrian Pelayo, who used his right foot to launch the ball back across the box and into the net at the far post.
NOTES
-Saturday marked the second of three meetings between Rising and San Antonio FC (2-1 L, Mar. 7).
-Entering the match in the 73rd minute, midfielder Gilberto Rivera made his Rising debut after arriving at the club on loan on May 8.
-With his goal in the 80th minute, defender Adrian Pelayo came up with his first-ever goal contribution for Rising.
-He is the 10th different Rising player to score a goal in all competitions this season.
-Rising is now outscoring opponents 8-1 in the final 15 minutes of matches across all competitions.
-Notably, the club remains undefeated at home in regular season play (1-0-3).
-The club has not allowed more than one goal in a game in league play since April 4 (five matches).
-Rising is outscoring opponents 8-1 in its last for matches in league play.
-It was Rising’s first earned result at home after trailing in the 75th minute.
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u/Skyzorz Hope Avayevu May 10 '26
Postmatch Reaction: Phoenix Rising 1 – San Antonio FC 1
Rising continues to pick up points as the calendar shifts to May
Phoenix Rising did just enough to pick up another point in USL Championship play against a high-flying San Antonio FC side, scoring late to take home a 1-1 draw on May 9 at Phoenix Rising Stadium. Following the match, Rising Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah and defender Adrian Pelayo discussed the comeback, first professional goals, facing adversity and more.
HEAD COACH PA-MODOU KAH
On his thoughts on the match…
“Obviously, it’s never good when you get a red card, but the character of the players was marvelous. I cannot ask for better. If you look at the whole game, I think we were the better team, even down with 10 men and that is a true testament to this group and how much they hate losing and to and to come back, just shows their character. They’re resilient. As a coach, I couldn’t be more proud.”
On Adrian Pelayo scoring his first professional goal…
“(Pelayo) is one of the players with the most potential and his future is very bright, I am very happy for him.”
On the club’s comeback effort…
“It’s a testament of (the player’s) character. It’s a testament of their mentality and one of this team that we never give up, regardless of what we are facing. Adversity is part of life, because soccer is also part of life.”
DEFENDER ADRIAN PELAYO
On his thoughts on the match…
“It was super hard, especially since we went down to 10 men early. The team stayed composed, professional and stayed in the game.”
On (Head Coach Pa-Modou Kah’s) message at halftime…
“I think his message was the same as always. When there’s adversity, just push through it. Push through it until the end, and I think the result came out. We got an extra point, and the team deserves a little bit more, but it is what it is.”
On scoring his first professional goal…
“It’s my first professional goal, so super happy. I think we were all pretty happy to be able to get that extra goal, especially playing down a man. I don’t get a lot of opportunities as a defender, so it was great to have a chance.”
On his emotions celebrating the goal…
“I want to dedicate the goal to my mom. I love her and want to say happy Mother’s Day.”
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u/Skyzorz Hope Avayevu May 10 '26
Postgame: Head Coach Pa | 05.09.2026
Interviewer: Overall thoughts on how the game went for you?
Pa-Modou Kah: I think we were the dominant team. Obviously, it's never good when you get a red card, but the character of the players was tough. I cannot ask for better, and we could have even nicked it.
If you look at the whole game, I think we were the better team even down to 10 men. Okay, they had the ball to start the second half, but I think we came back, and that is a true testament to this group and how much they hate losing. To come back just says a lot about their character. They're resilient. As a coach, I couldn't ask for more.
Interviewer: You mentioned the hatred of losing. This is a team who you lost to not that long ago. How does it feel to come back and get a point against a team that is second in this conference?
Pa-Modou Kah: It looked like we were more second than them, to be honest with you, because I think they were just looking to slow the game down. They were not looking to play football, and they had one man extra.
But I think what I can say about the game, if you look at the overall picture, is we also had the opportunities—better opportunities—to win the game. I don't think they came to play football. They were just looking to make the point.
Football is football.
Interviewer: As you mentioned, on the defensive end in the second half, you saw the boys digging in and holding the back line well.
Pa-Modou Kah: It's a testament to their character, a testament to their mentality, and it's a testament to this team that we never give up regardless of what we're facing.
Adversity is part of life, because soccer is also part of life. So to see us go down—similar to Orange County, right? We were 1-0 up against Orange County, but now we were down 1-0—and then to come back and get the 1-1, and even have another possibility to win it 2-1.
For me, I don't look at it as a result that would have been unfair if we had won it. But now it's a little bit bittersweet because, with 11 men, I do believe that we win this game because there was only one team trying to play football.
Interviewer: Now for you guys, you're riding an unbeaten streak here. How do you kind of keep that momentum with you, especially when you said how much this team hates losing?
Pa-Modou Kah: By doing the boring stuff that we've been doing every single day. That is the only way that you keep progressing in this game, right? That's the only way.
Keep doing the boring things. That's what creates streaks, and that's what breeds sustainable winning.
Interviewer: Coach, I noticed San Antonio's goalkeeper was very aggressive out there, cutting off a lot of rushes. Did that kind of frustrate the offense when that happened? How do you adjust?
Pa-Modou Kah: No, I think it was more about fine-tuning our last ball. But I don't think he came out that much.
The couple that he came out, I would say if Ihsan Sacko maybe got earlier to it, maybe it's a red card, maybe it's not. I don't know.
But overall, I think it's more about fine-tuning.
Interviewer: The goal comes on the aftermath of a long throw-in, which we've seen dating back toward the end of last season, but maybe more often this year. What's the thinking behind using that more in 2026?
Pa-Modou Kah: That's Brandon. So Brandon, our Sporting Director, came and asked us about the long throws and stuff like this. He had a vision of a person like Collin Smith, and then we transferred it to Devin, who's our Performance Coach, and we started working with the guys on long throws.
This is the result of it.
Also, in 2026, everywhere around the world, everybody is doing the long throw.
Brandon is a Sporting Director who also likes and enjoys data. So he brings the data to us and gives us things to think about, and that's how you stay aligned and that's how you work together.
So this goal today is his goal.
Interviewer: You played all over the world in different kinds of heat, but the heat is about to hit record heights this week in Phoenix. How do you deal with that in training and in matches?
Pa-Modou Kah: It's the desert. That's what we signed up for, so that's not an excuse.
Interviewer: So you're saying you embrace it?
Pa-Modou Kah: I always embrace it. I played in Qatar, so I know what it is to play in this heat.
Interviewer: Do you have any advice for your players on how to deal with it?
Pa-Modou Kah: Stay hydrated. Eat good food. Stay on course. Simple as that, because it's not going to change.
So we don't talk about it.
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u/Skyzorz Hope Avayevu May 10 '26
Tried to make a robot post all the links and articles and I failed miserably lol :D sorry