PHOENIX – Luis Seijas scored a pair of first-half goals as Phoenix Rising FC took a 3-1 victory against the LA Galaxy II on Saturday night at Wild Horse Pass to earn a second consecutive victory in the league despite a spirited display from their visitors.

Both the LA Galaxy II’s Michael Salazar and Phoenix’s Arturo Rodriguez sent shots from just outside the penalty area wide narrowly off-target in the early going, while in the 11th minute Rising FC’s Claudio Repetto had a header from close range saved by the Galaxy II’s Richard Sanchez. The pace began to calm after a frenetic start, but in the 31st minute Seijas bagged his first goal of the game as his long-range strike went through Sanchez’s hands and into the net.  

Eleven minutes later, Seijas struck once more as off a corner kick from the right the ball deflected out to the top-left edge of the penalty area where the Venezuelan struck a first-time effort that flashed into the right corner of the net. Los Dos looked to turn the game around in the second half, and almost halved the deficit just three minutes after the break on a shot by Hamza Barry that went just wide of the right post before Preston Judd forced a good save by Rising FC goalkeeper Ben Lundt. Phoenix’s Greg Hurst then threatened from the left side of the penalty area only to be well denied by Sanchez, and Los Dos’ shot-stopper came through again a minute later to keep out Rodriguez.

Los Dos got back into the game in the 68th minute when Judd won a battle for possession, and after the ball came to Salazar, the Belize international laid a pass back for Remi Cabral to shoot into the left corner of the net. The chance of a comeback for the visitors was put away by Rising FC in the final minute when Sanchez couldn’t control the rebound on a low save to deny Joey Calistri to the right corner, allowing Marcus Epps to put away the second chance for his second goal in as many league games. From there, there was not way back for Los Dos as Phoenix took its second consecutive victory.

USL Championship Player of the Match

Luis Seijas, Phoenix Rising FC – Seijas recorded a pair of goals for the hosts while also completing 30 of 36 passes and recording three shots and one chance created over the contest.

Scoring Summary
PHX – Luis Seijas (Aodhan Quinn) 31’
PHX – Luis Seijas 42’
LA – Remi Cabral (Michael Salazar) 68’
PHX – Marcus Epps 90’

Full Box Score