PHOENIX – As Phoenix Rising FC’s Omar Bravo approached teammate Luke Rooney, having been felled moments earlier for a crucial penalty kick the English midfielder was shaping up to take, Rooney wasn’t quite sure what the former Mexico international and Chivas de Guadalajara legend was going to say.

“I thought he was going to ask for it at first but he just said ‘calm’ in Spanish, chill, and he said no pressure, just put it away, obviously you know you are a good player,” Rooney said. “It showed a lot of respect from him. He’s a player that has played at a very high level, and he is highly thought of here, I think [the fans] come to see him. But he was happy for me to take it.”

Trailing by a goal to the LA Galaxy II, Rooney took the responsibility, and buried it into the left corner of the net for the first goal of Rising FC’s new era. The relieved pressure that came with recording the club’s first goal of the season paved the way for its first victory, too, as Rooney’s second goal of the night earned a 2-1 win against Los Dos in front of 6,330 fans at the Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex.

“To be honest I was just relieved I put it in the net because so much work has gone into everything here,” said Rooney. “If you look at what the people at the club have produced, and the first night [against Toronto FC II] was bitterly disappointing and hopefully tonight has gone aways to make up for that.”

RELATED: Rooney Rises to Occasion for Phoenix

Held scoreless in its first two games of the season, with only four shots on goal to show for their big offseason additions, Phoenix kicked off on Saturday like a team transformed. Bravo and Chris Cortez both had early headers saved by Galaxy II goalkeeper Jon Kempin, while Bradley Wright-Phillips’ shot from 25 yards rang off the right upright with the young goalkeeper frozen to the spot.

“I thought the first thirty minutes was really a joy to watch,” said Rising FC Head Coach Frank Yallop.
“I mean really we could have scored four or five to be honest.”

Rooney went close as well, his beautifully struck volley from the edge of the penalty area flying narrowly wide of the left post just before halftime. But then disaster struck early in the second half as a defensive error handed LA’s Adonis Amaya with a clear look, and the young striker capitalized for a 1-0 lead.

Nine minutes later, though, Phoenix was back on level terms. Bravo was fouled in the right side of the penalty area, and Rooney’s finish from the spot saw the packed stands erupt.

“What I liked about tonight, we go a goal down, we come back and deserved to be up, get a goal down and come back and win,” said Yallop. “Really proud of the guys, I thought they really stuck together well, didn’t get on each other’s backs, kept playing, and in the end got what they deserved.”

Bravo played a part in Phoenix’s winner, too, as he slipped a pass from the left side of the penalty area to a surging Rooney at the top of the box. The Englishman drove into the right side of the area and sent a low shot into the right corner of the net that proved decisive.

“I don’t get as much satisfaction in setting up goals,” said Rooney. “I tried to send Omar in a couple times in the first half, had a couple shots myself. One thing that Frank said to me last year, when I first came here, was to take more shots and I had a few tonight and managed to get a couple of goals so that’s always good.”

With the first goals, and first win, of Rising FC’s new era secured, the side now has its sights set on even greater heights.  

“Feels good,” said Yallop. “It feels good to win; I’ll tell you that.”