Phoenix Rising prepares to take the next step in US Open Cup matchup

Phoenix Rising manager Rick Schantz maintains large aspirations for the future of professional soccer in Arizona.

“One day I dreamed of maybe an MLS team in Phoenix, a USL team in Tucson, a League One team in Yuma and Flagstaff,” Schantz said. “You go over to England and every small town has a pro club. I think that this state is capable of that kind of soccer participation and I think people are really starting to buy into the sport.”

So far. MLS, the country’s highest-level professional league, has passed on expanding into Phoenix.

Still, the Rising may soon have the chance to play an MLS team in a game that actually counts for something as part of US Open Cup competition.

The Rising plays Wednesday night at Wild Horse Pass Stadium against Valley United FC — a National Independent Soccer Association club based in Mesa — in the second round of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. With a win, the Rising could host an MLS squadat Wild Horse Pass in the tournament’s next round.

The US Open Cup is the oldest soccer competition in the United States, and features teams from MLS, the USL Championship (the Rising’s league), USL League One and NISA. The tournament runs through September with games in between the Rising’s regular season games. It wasn’t held in 2020 and ’21 because of the pandemic. No lower division team has won the cup since 1999.

“A player who grew up here in Arizona, the opportunity to possibly host an MLS team here in an Open Cup game in a big stadium like we have here at Rising, that’s kind of always been a dream of mine,” Schantz said. “

The Tucson native and Salpointe Catholic High School graduate recalled talking with his players about a key goal ahead of Wednesday’s match: “winning trophies here.” Since a loss to Valley Elite will eliminate Rising from the first US Open Cup in three seasons, urgency is high to keep the USL squad’s goal alive.

After a 3-2 defeat to San Diego Loyal SC, Rising added a “competitive scoring system” to every training and placed the scores in the locker room after practice. Schantz said the training was perfect because it helped show players that they needed to attack every day with maximum effort.

Phoenix Rising FC head coach Rick Schantz thanks the fans after their season ending game which they lost on penalties to RGV Toros FC on Saturday, Nov. 6, 2021, at Wild Horse Pass Stadium, in Chandler.

Additionally, no player has been named an official starter since the start of the season, something the manager credits to the creation of a healthy team environment.

“I told them, ‘I don’t care if you make $150,000 or if you make $20,000 a year,'” Schantz said. “The best players of the week are going to play and it’s wide open. It’s a competition and I think that the boys have enjoyed that and knowing that they’re going to be rewarded for their efforts in the week.”

Schantz is also optimistic Rising will be able to transfer the lessons it learned in a 2-0 win over San Antonio FC on Saturday to the pitch.

The team still ran a 4-3-3, but gave its wingers more opportunities to stay out wide and midfielders Arturo Rodriguez and Luis Seijas more space in the front three. More importantly, its intensity and focus enabled two goals after halftime to break Rising’s first two-game losing streak since 2018.

Mar 12, 2022;  Chandler, AZ, USA;  Phoenix Rising's Arturo Rodriguez shoots against Monterey Bay's Hugh Roberts (2) at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium.

“(I’m) very, very pleased with their concentration levels,” Schantz said. “(I’m) very, very pleased with their willingness to fight for every ball. I told them that… if you don’t match the opponent’s intensity and you don’t fight for the ball, then nothing else really matters . You have to, at the bare minimum, compete and be intense. Once you do that, then the talent can come out.”

Since US Open rules only allow five international players on the roster, opportunities for more playing time will become available Wednesday night. Schantz mentioned defender Ryan Flood and midfielder Carlos Anguiano as two players to look out for.

Two other players will be likely out Wednesday, as left back Baboucarr Njie is healing from a groin strain and center back James Musa suffered a setback in his recovery from an injury that “could be something with his hip,” according to Schantz.

Even though Valley United is on the third level of American soccer, Rising is not underestimating their in-state opponent, which is led by players including MLS veteran Luis Gil. The squad currently is first in the West Division with a 1-1-0 record, a similar mark to Rising’s 2-0-2 mark, who are No. 7 in the USL’s Western Conference.

The Rising’s next USL game is Saturday at Wild Horse Pass against LA Galaxy II.

o better prepare his team for Valley United, Schantz sent a Rising scout to one of their games to gather film for a report ahead of Wednesday’s match. Schantz believes his team is well prepared for the second round contest and knows they will have to start the game with tenacious play, one of the qualities that led to last weekend’s win in San Antonio.

“I think it’s been great for me, as well as the staff and all the players that we got pegged back a little bit,” Schantz said. “We got reminded that we can lose and we can lose at home. I never want to lose, but the fact that we’ve lost early and we’ve had to struggle a bit early I think will get us a little bit more focused .”

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