PHOENIX – Tate Schmitt recorded a goal and assist while Solomon Asante and Santi Moar each recorded their seventh goals of the season as Phoenix Rising FC took a 3-0 victory against the LA Galaxy II on a rainy Saturday night at Wild Horse Pass.

After a quiet opening 10 minutes, Los Dos had the first real look at goal as a loose touch by the hosts in their own half set up a chance for Carlos Harvey, whose curling finish was saved by Rising FC goalkeeper Andre Rawls. The sides then exchanged chances soon after as Santi Moar curled a finish wide of the left post for Phoenix in the 16th minute before LA’s Josh Drack fired a low effort from the left side of the penalty area wide of the near post.

Phoenix took the lead in the 19th minute, however, as Aodhan Quinn delivered a corner kick from the right that was met by a heel-flick finish by Tate Schmitt into the left corner of the net for his second goal in as many games. Four minutes later the hosts almost doubled their lead as David Egbo set up Solomon Asante on a counterattack but the Ghanaian sent his finish off the outside of the left post and wide.

Los Dos continued to try and remain on the front foot and both Drack and Harvey forced saves from Rawls inside the opening half-hour. Rising FC midfielder Kevon Lambert also had a chance blocked wide off a corner kick eight minutes before halftime, while Egbo was denied by Galaxy II goalkeeper Justin vom Steeg on a point-blank effort soon after.

Rising FC quickly added to its lead less than a minute into the second half, however, as Schmitt delivered a cross from the left that found Asante at the back post, and after skipping past a defender the two-time Championship MVP sent a low finish past Vom Steeg and into the net. Asante went close to a second just before the hour-mark as he found Egbo inside the penalty area before Egbo played a back-heeled pass back into his path for a shot that was denied by a brilliant save from Vom Steeg.

The Galaxy II were unable to find a way back into the game, and in the 66th minute Moar added a third for Phoenix as he capitalized after an attacking chance for the visitors. After a free kick for LA was cleared by the Rising FC defense, Moar won a 50-50 challenge 20 yards inside the Phoenix half and raced away alone on a breakaway. The Spaniard composed himself as he approached Vom Steeg and then supplied a cheeky chipped finish over the goalkeeper and into the open net.

LA had a chance with 10 minutes to go to find the net by Jorge Hernandez’s shot was tame and easily saved by Rawls. Judd also had an opportunity with two minutes to go on a breakaway that saw him fire a shot to the top-left corner that was turned away well by the goalkeeper as he preserved a shutout as well as all three points for the Pacific Division’s leader.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Tate Schmitt, Phoenix Rising FC – Schmitt recorded a goal and assist for the hosts and recorded five clearances, four interceptions and nine recoveries defensively in the victory.

Scoring Summary
PHX – Tate Schmitt (Aodhan Quinn) 20’
PHX – Solomon Asante (Tate Schmitt) 46’
PHX – Santi Moar 66’

Full Box Score