With two Western Conference Titles to its name while also finishing on top of the conference standings in 2019 and its group in 2020, it might be easy to think that Phoenix Rising FC is once again going to run things in the USL Championship’s Pacific Division this season.

Look a little more closely, though, and the chance that the battle for both top spot and a place in the postseason could come down to the wire is maybe much more likely. After all, Phoenix was given all sorts of problems by San Diego Loyal SC in their final two meetings of the 2020 season, while both Orange County SC and Sacramento Republic FC have retooled their lineups to ensure they’re in the middle of the action as well.

Add in new arrivals Oakland Roots SC and the LA Galaxy II – who, lest we forget, joined Phoenix in last year’s playoffs – and it doesn’t seem like anything is that sure a thing as we start proceedings with Phoenix opening its new home at Wild Horse Pass as it hosts San Diego on ESPN2 on Friday, April 30.

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