The Swope Park Rangers (3-1-1, 4th place) and Phoenix Rising FC (3-1-1, 4th place) will meet on Saturday for the first time since last year’s memorable Western Conference Quarterfinal. The postseason match, which featured a 150-minute weather delay and was ultimately played over two days, saw Didier Drogba and Amer Didic trade goals 10 minutes apart in extra time before the Rangers prevailed in a penalty shootout.
Fast forward exactly six months and the clubs now enter Saturday’s rematch with identical records in the 2018 USL season. The Rangers, led by new head coach Paulo Nagamura, opened this year’s campaign with an offensive outburst, scoring four times apiece in back-to-back victories against Reno 1868 FC and Seattle Sounders FC 2.
Since, the goal scoring has slowed down for SPR. Following a 2-1 loss at expansion side Las Vegas Lights FC on March 31, the Rangers bounced back with a 1-0 win over Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC and a 1-1 road result at San Antonio FC in a four-day span earlier this month.
The Rangers will now be up against a Phoenix Rising FC side that has allowed only three goals through five games this season and is kicking off a three-game homestand at Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex.
The hosts are led by Drogba, a club captain and co-owner at age 40 who scored the game-winning goal in the team’s 1-0 win at LA Galaxy II last match. A participant in the past three FIFA World Cups, Drogba scored 10 goals – including three against SPR -- in 14 USL appearances last season.
Alongside Drogba in the PRFC attack is the dangerous duo of 6’4” striker Chris Cortez and Ghanian international Solomon Asante. Both players have scored three goals this season to pace Phoenix, while Jason Johnson returns after leading the club with 13 goals a year ago.
Patrice Carteron’s squad also features three familiar faces in former SPR players Amadou Dia, Zac Lubin and New Zealand international James Musa, who was the Rangers’ Most Valuable Player in 2017.
The Rangers, who have played Phoenix to draws in three of the four all-time meetings, will be looking for the team’s first win against the Western Conference foe when Saturday’s match kicks off at 9 p.m. CT in Tempe, Arizona. The match will be streamed live on ESPN+ and in-game updates will be available via the USLsoccer.com Match Center.
Game 6 of 34
Date: Saturday, April 21, 2018
Kickoff: 9 p.m. CT
Location: Phoenix Rising FC Soccer Complex (Tempe, Ariz.)
Swope Park Rangers: 3-1-1 (10 points, 4th place in Western Conference)
MLS Affiliate: Sporting Kansas City
Phoenix Rising FC: 3-1-1 (10 points, 4th place in Western Conference)
MLS Affiliate: N/A
Game Notes: Click here
BROADCAST INFORMATION
Live Stream: ESPN+
Talent: Mike Watts (play-by-play) and Devon Kerr (analyst)
SOCIAL TAGS
Game-specific hashtag: #PHXvSPR
Swope Park Rangers
Twitter: @SwopeRangers
Instagram: @SwopeParkRangers
Phoenix Rising FC
Twitter: @PHXRisingFC
Instagram: @PHXRisingFC
