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USL Match Preview – #PHXvRNO

By USLSoccer.com Staff, 05/05/17, 9:17AM EDT

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Drogba could make debut as Rising FC looks for third consecutive win

PHOENIX – Chelsea and Ivory Coast legend Didier Drogba could make his debut for Phoenix Rising FC as the side plays host to Reno 1868 FC on Saturday night at the Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex, with Phoenix also looking for its third consecutive victory. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. PT.

Matchcenter: http://bit.ly/2q6J8gw | Tickets: http://bit.ly/2oKrlLD | Broadcast: YurView Arizona (PHX)

Phoenix Rising FC news and notes

  • Current record: 2-2-0, 6pts

  • Rising FC earned a 4-3 victory against the Swope Park Rangers in its last outing on April 23 as it held on late after holding a four-goal lead early in the second half.

  • Luke Rooney earned his second USL Team of the Week selection of the season after recording a goal and assist, while Alessandro Riggi, Chris Cortez and Peter Ramage also found the net.

  • The latest of Rising FC’s high-profile signings, Drogba was introduced to a club-record crowd of 7,162 fans prior to kickoff against the Rangers, and has now been officially added to the club’s roster.

  • Rising FC’s other two big offseason signings, Shaun Wright-Phillips – Drogba’s former teammate with Chelsea – and Omar Bravo, are tied for the team-lead with eight chances created apiece.

Reno 1868 FC news and notes

  • Current record: 0-3-2, 2pts

  • Reno saw its first victory in club history slip away in the dying stages of its last outing as a stoppage-time goal saw Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC earn a 2-2 draw at Greater Nevada Field.

  • Junior Burgos and Jordan Murrell had both given Reno the lead in the contest, but the Switchbacks were able to find an equalizer on both occasions.

  • Reno is the lone team yet to record a victory so far this season, but has recorded 72 shots in its first give games, an average of 14.4 per contest.

  • 1868 FC also ranks sixth in the USL with a 78 percent accuracy rate on 2,124 passes this season, an average of 425 passes attempted per game.

Series Notes

  • This is the first meeting between the teams.

Squads

  • Phoenix – GK: Carl Woszczynski, Josh Cohen; D: Peter Ramage, Jordan Stewart, Brock Granger, J.J. Greer, Uchenna Uzo, Eder Arreola, Jordan Gibbons, A.J. Grey; M: Eric Avila, Romilio Hernandez, Miguel Timm, Matt Watson, Blair Gavin; F: Chris Cortez, Omar Bravo, Jason Johnson, Didier Drogba, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Alessandro Riggi, Luke Rooney, Mike Seth, Victor Vasquez

  • Reno – GK: Russ Klaybough, Matt Bersano; D: Jordan Murrell, Thomas Janjigian, Jake Ward, Jimmy Ockford, Brenton Griffiths, Brent Richards, Kip Colvey, Matheus Silva; M: Nick von Niederhausern, Junior Burgos, Anibal Echeverria, Chris Wehan, Matt LaGrassa, Antoine Hoppenot, Cameron Vickers, Seth Casiple, Lindo Mfeka, Jackson Yueill; F: Dane Kelly, Boxi Yomba, Mackenzie Pridham, Brian Brown

Discipline

  • Phoenix – Suspended: Kody Wakasa

  • Reno – None

Officials

  • REF: JOSEPH DICKERSON

  • AR1: Jason Ulrich

  • AR2: Daniel Malm

  • 4TH: Paul Nothman

Game hashtag:

  • #PHXvRNO

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