It was late heartbreak for Phoenix Rising in its 2026 home opener, as Ihsan Sacko‘s first half wonderstrike was cancelled out by a stoppage time equalizer.

Phoenix Rising had been reduced to ten men just before the break, but held on until Nico Benalcazar’s 94th minute strike rescued a point for Orange County.

A game of two reds

As the final whistle blew at 38th and Washington, both teams had just ten players each on the field.

Phoenix Rising received several first half yellow cards, with Juan Carvajal receiving his booking in the 44th minute for a reckless challenge. Just two minutes and 27 seconds later, referee Cristian Campo Hernandez pulled a second yellow for the forward after he blocked an opposing free kick from close range.

“The referee lost it by three yellow cards that nobody understood beside him,” Rising coach Pa-Modou Kah said. “I don’t know if this game was about the referee or about Phoenix Rising and Orange County, to be fair with you. He was very poor.”

The man advantage allowed the visitors to hold nearly 70 percent of possession after the half-time break.

“It didn’t change the mentality but you’re down a man, what do you do?” Kah said. “When you’re down a man, you have to stay narrow, compact, which we did. I think we dealt with it and we made the substitutions at the right moment.”

Orange County would themselves be reduced to ten men in the match, with substitute Garrison Tubbs picking up his second yellow card in the 85th minute for stopping a promising attack.

Odunze hangs on until late

Chituru Odunze made just his second appearance in Phoenix Rising colors, and nearly kept his first clean sheet.

The loanee goalkeeper made several critical saves, including a first half kick save and a last ditch stop just moments before the visitors found their equalizing goal.

“He did what he needed to do,” Kah said of Odunze after the match.

Late change leads to first Phoenix Rising start for Gomez

Phoenix Rising had planned just one change for the match, with Juan Carvajal replacing Tony Capetillo up top. However, circumstances forced their hand during warmups, with Rafael Czichos dropping out of the starting lineup at late notice.

“He said he felt something, and we’re not going to risk it when it’s just the second game of the season,” Kah said after the match.

Replacing Czichos’ as a starter was Diego Gomez, who made his first start for the club. Gomez would go on to record an assist, as well as a 90.6 percent passing accuracy in the match.

“He was quality,” JP Scearce said. “Obviously coming from Liga MX, coming from Necaxa, he’s played with some of the best players in the continent, and you saw tonight on display just the quality he has and how intelligent he is as a player. I think he did very well.”

Owain’s take

Phoenix Rising was in a position to take all three points, and once again, I sit here after an evening at 38th and Washington dwelling on points dropped late.

The first half was far from the prettiest for Rising. Yes, the club had the lead going into the break, but it was thanks to a long-range effort from Ihsan Sacko and with very little else being produced in the way of chances.

From there, it’s hard to really critique. Rising could have picked it up as the game went on, but reduced to just ten men, they could never be expected to. Orange County produced a few lackluster chances, but their attack seemed off the pace and never really managed to press home their man advantage. Their equalizer, when it did come, was after the visitors had also been reduced in number.

Still, even if Orange County didn’t make the most of their man advantage, it did prove a major turning point in this game.

Nothing is more frustrating than a truly preventable red card. It was Carvajal’s first match for Rising, and it was marred by what I can’t describe as anything other than a complete lack of judgment.

It’s one thing to complain that the match referee gave cards too easily in the first half, but you can’t then turn around and complain that the second one was given. By the book, it’s a second yellow card every time. Expecting that discretion would work in your favor with a referee you have already decided will issue cards at will? It just seems a little naive, and players have to adjust in those moments that can be controlled. Effectively standing over an opponent’s free kick is one of those moments.

We won’t ever know what the game would have turned into or if Phoenix Rising could have created something more had the sides remained level in number. Perhaps Rising would have gone on to press their advantage with a second or third? Perhaps a less tired back line wouldn’t have lost Nico Benalcazar late in the match? Perhaps the second half would have remained as tight as the first was?

We’ll never know which of these hypotheticals could have come true. All I can say is this: Phoenix Rising mounted a spirited defense given the circumstances faced and very nearly pulled off the win, but the team created those circumstances by themselves.

Top image: Phoenix Rising/Ashley Orellana