Rising earns point on the road in Hartford

July 26, 2024 – United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Phoenix Rising FC Press Release

Michee Ngalina of Hartford Athletic vs. Emil Cuello of Phoenix Rising FC
(Phoenix Rising FC)

HARTFORD, CT – Phoenix Rising FC (6-7-7) picked up a point tonight at Trinity Health Stadium, recording its seventh shutout of the season.

Just like in the previous match, Emil Cuello created a free kick for Rising in the first half, giving Phoenix the best scoring chance of the first half. The chance came late in the first 45 minutes after both teams started the match cautiously, but Cuello did well to bring the ball down with his chest and his back to goal, 25 yards out.

The Argentine turned his defender and ran towards the top of the penalty area when he was brought down by a Hartford defender. Cuello opted to take the free-kick himself, attempting to curl a shot over the wall and back under the bar, but the effort flew high over.

Increasingly controlled possession for the first 10 minutes of the second half before Renzo Zambrano found Juan Azocar with a ball over the top. Azocar collected the bouncing ball and fired home with his first touch, but Hartford goalkeeper Renan Riberio saved at the near post.

Phoenix kept Hartford’s counter-attacking style in check until the 80th minute, but Michee Ngalina picked up the ball near midfield and sprinted toward goal. He fired a hard shot toward the top of the penalty area, but goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo was in the perfect position to pluck the ball out of the air and maintain his clean sheet.

That was all it took to leave Rios Novo and earn the team’s seventh shutout of the season, a milestone Rising didn’t begin until September 16 of last season.

Scoring:

Discipline:

PHX – Laurence Wyke (cautious) 9

PHX – Gabi Torres (cautious) 45+2

PHX – Damien Barker John (cautiously) 69

HFD – Mamadou Dieng (cautiously) 74

Lineups:

Phoenix Rising FC – Rocco Rios Novo, Laurence Wyke, Pape Mar Boye, JP Scearce, JC Azocar (Edguardo Rito 63), Gabi Torres (Damien Barker John 63), Fede Varela, Renzo Zambrano (Jose Andres Hernandez 75), Charlie Dennis ( Giulio Doratiotto 84), Emil Cuello (Alejandro Fuenmayor 74), Dariusz Formella.

Unused substitutes: Patrick Rakovsky, Jamison Ping, Jose Andres Hernandez.

Hartford Athletic – Renan Ribeiro, Younes Boudadi, Emmanuel Samadia, Joey Akpunonu, Jordan Scarlett, Thomas Vancaeyezeele (Marlon Hairston 86), Michee Ngalina, Beverly Makangila, Anderson Asiedu (Danny Barrera 62), Marcus Epps (Deshane Beckford 62), Mamadou Dieng (Kyle Edwards 80).

Unused substitutes: Justin DiCarlo, Greg Monroe, Joey Farrell, Triston Hodge.

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