3 Rising players earn weekly honors; MLS goalkeeper coming on loan

Three Phoenix Rising FC players received weekly honors on Tuesday.

Forward Santi Moar and midfielder Kevon Lambert were named to USL Championship’s Week 2 Team of the Week, while midfielder Jon Bakero was named as an honorable mention (bench).

Moar scored one goal and notched two assists while creating a total of eight chances in PRFC’s 4-1 win over San Diego Loyal SC on opening night.

Aodhan Quinn’s first goal for #PRFC and Santi Moar’s first assist on the 2021 campaign.

3-1 | #PHXvSD pic.twitter.com/5slTESJkXy

— Jake Anderson (@jwa1994) May 1, 2021

Lambert had a goal of his own — which was assisted by Moar — in addition to winning eight of 12 duels and making six interceptions and 11 recoveries.

Sniiiiiiiiiiiiiipe#RisingAsOne | #USLOnESPN pic.twitter.com/kI9OwMYrpd

— Phoenix Rising FC (@PHXRisingFC) May 1, 2021

Bakero scored the first goal in a USL Championship match on the new ground at Wild Horse Pass.

And although he gets no statistical credit for it, it was Bakero’s shot off a Moar pass that allowed the PRFC No. 7 to pounce on the rebound for his first goal on the 2021 campaign.

A look at Bakero’s shot which is saved but rebounded by Moar.

2-0 | #PHXvSD pic.twitter.com/3jhywJEqam

— Jake Anderson (@jwa1994) May 1, 2021

Manager Rick Schantz said during a Zoom press conference on Tuesday that goalkeeper Andre Rawls has suffered a grade-one groin strain.

Rawls is currently listed as day-to-day, but could be out for as long as two weeks, per the manager.

“Over two nights, I think the amount of treatment that he did was pretty impressive and he’s already on an elliptical and I think he might be running in a day or two,” Schantz said.

In a corresponding move, an MLS goalkeeper will be arriving in Phoenix on loan at 7 p.m. Tuesday night, but the manager could not reveal who that exactly is just yet due to paperwork still being processed.

The addition will be Rising’s fourth MLS loanee and the second goalkeeper on loan after Colorado Rapids loaned out Rawls and midfielder Jeremy Kelly to PRFC.

Speaking of paperwork and MLS loanees, defender Noah Billingsley will be available for selection on Saturday against Oakland Roots SC after “problems with his visa” kept him out of Matchday 1.

“When you loan an international player in the U.S., USL requires you to change their visa status to your team rather than the parent team (MLS’ Minnesota United FC),” Schantz said.

“So that doesn’t happen overnight over at the U.S. immigration, especially now things are a little bit different. So we got that cleared today, so Noah should be good to go on Saturday.”

Phoenix Rising hosts Oakland Roots in the club’s first-ever USLC match on Saturday at Wild Horse Pass.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. and will be audio broadcast live on ArizonaSports.com and on the Arizona Sports app.

Follow @jwa1994