One week into USL’s return, Rising looks like contender
The USL Championship restart experiment is now just over a week in, and for the most part has gone about as well as hoped.
As the league has revved up its engines again from March’s COVID-19-induced suspension, normalcy isn’t completely there, but it’s something.
In all, 25 matches were played across the Championship from July 11-19 — some with fans, some without. Only one game, San Antonio FC vs. Rio Grande Valley FC, failed to start at its scheduled July 17 time due to a COVID-19 infection within Rio Grande Valley’s staff (the game was rescheduled and played on Sunday).
Time will tell if USL’s momentum remains encouraging or if its plans eventually stall, but for now, there’s soccer to be played. And Phoenix Rising FC still is one of the best in the league.
After beating Portland Timbers 2 6-1 at home back on March 7 in their lone game before play was stopped, Rising FC didn’t look as if they lost their touch during the more-than four-month layoff, posting a 4-0 demolition of Los Angeles Galaxy II on July 11.
But last Thursday, Phoenix allowed Orange County SC to equalize in the second half to drop points in a 1-1 draw in Irvine, California, its first away trip of the 2020 season.
With a rematch against Orange County looming for this Saturday — again in California — Rising has a chance to avenge the tie and re-establish themselves as the heavy favorite to win Group B.
Here are some of The Arizona Republic’s takeaways from Phoenix Rising FC’s first full week in the USL Championship’s return to play.
No shortage of scoring
Only six Championship players have currently scored three or more goals thus far in the 2020 season. Rising FC employs three of them.
Attackers Solomon Asante, Junior Flemmings and Rufat Dadashov, all of whom are tied for second in the league with three goals, have been terrifying defensive back lines since March.
Flemmings has scored in all three games, Dadashov notched a hat trick during his March debut and Asante, the defending Championship MVP, is still playing at an elite level in 2020 with three goals and three assists in three matches.
The departure of Rising FC’s 2019 striker, Adam Jahn, to Major League Soccer powerhouse Atlanta United hasn’t seemed to hamper what is still the Championship’s best front three. Part of that is because Rising FC peppers opposing goalkeepers with a constant barrage of shots, as Phoenix leads the Championship in that category (63).
It’s zero surprise that coach Rick Schantz’s squad is still an offensive juggernaut, who currently leads the league in goals scored (11) even with some clubs having played a match more than Phoenix’s three. For any club to take points off of Phoenix in a match this season, it will need to at least match the frantic pace Rising FC plays at night-in and night-out.
Group B looks competitive
Expect things to get wild in Group B over the next few weeks.
The shortened, regionalized 16-game regular-season format for the 2020 season is very much like a drawn-out World Cup-style event. That shoudl make for tantalizing matchups as the season progresses and the playoff race — where two clubs from each group advance to the postseason — leading into October’s postseason heats up.
Phoenix currently leads the five-team group with seven points from three games, maintaining a superior goal difference over San Diego Loyal SC, which is level with Rising FC on points.
A 1-0 loss to Galaxy II on Sunday both gave Loyal its first loss in club history and gives Phoenix the chance to lead the group outright with a win at Orange County and a Loyal loss or draw at home against Las Vegas Lights FC.
Barring a midseason implosion on Rising FC’s part, they’re widely projected to be well-talented and experienced enough to at least advance out of the group. Who that second club will be is anyone’s guess.
San Diego’s misstep against Los Angeles stung, but a 1-0 win for the Landon Donovan-managed club over defending USL champions Real Monarchs the game prior helped. Orange County placed fifth in the Western Conference last season at hasn’t lost at home in the regular season to Phoenix since 2016, when the club was named Arizona United SC.
Even Los Angeles, aside from the 4-0 loss to Rising FC, has two solid wins on its resume against Loyal SC and a 5-1 rout of Rio Grande Valley in March.
Will fans return to Casino Arizona Field?
As of now, even with some USL clubs implementing limited fans at stadiums for matches, it’s unknown what will happen in Arizona.
Gov. Doug Ducey ordered limits on gatherings to 50 people in late June statewide through July 27 in response to an uptick in confirmed positive COVID-19 cases, prompting Rising FC to bar spectators from matches for the month of July, including for their match against Los Angeles.
However, the state hasn’t issued updated guidelines since with a week left until the order expires, which could potentially clear the way for fans to return for Phoenix’s match with El Paso Locomotive FC on Aug. 1.
Some USL clubs, most notably Louisville City FC hosting nearly 5,000 spectators for its opening match at Lynn Family Stadium last week, have pushed the envelope for attempting to safely host fans at matches in a pandemic, while others like Rising FC have avoided such a dilemma.
Currently, there is no official word on if the club will change its stance if Arizona allows such gatherings to be held. COVID-19 cases in the state have somewhat trended downward since a record daily high of 4,797 positives on June 30, but Phoenix has repeatedly stated that it will abide by the recommendations of local government and health officials.
“I go with ... what we’re hearing from the medical professionals about wearing masks and social distancing,” Rising FC coach Rick Schantz said in a virtual press conference last week. “This is hard, because there’s no experts out there. I mean, come on, no one knows exactly what’ll happen. As much as I’ve spoken, I can talk to 15 different doctors and get 15 different opinions on this. I would love to have fans, but if it’s not a smart thing to do right now, then we just have to deal with it.”