Rising FC wins goal-fest in Vegas, keeps pressure on Tampa for No. 1 spot

LAS VEGAS — Phoenix Rising FC (20-5-5) earned three points in a 6-3 win over Las Vegas Lights FC at Cashman Field on Saturday afternoon.

For now, PRFC reclaims the No. 1 spot in all of USL Championship on 65 points with two matches remaining — meaning a max of 71 points possible.

However, Tampa Bay remains in control of its own destiny as the Rowdies are on 62 points with three games remaining (71 points possible) and hold the head-to-head tiebreaker over Phoenix.

David Egbo, Joey Calistri, Santi Moar, Darnell King and Luis Seijas all scored for PRFC, while Aodhan Quinn picked up three assists.

Rising’s youngest player — Niall Dunn — made his professional debut at age 16, playing the full 90 minutes at center back.

Phoenix Rising's starting XI👇🏼

G: Delgado
D: King, Dunn, Farrell (C), Flood
M: Lambert, Quinn, Loera
F: Calistri, Egbo, Moar

Center back Niall Dunn makes both his professional and #PRFC debut just two days before his 17th birthday.#LVvPHX | #RisingAsOne

— Jake Anderson (@jwa1994) October 16, 2021

Egbo scored first for Phoenix in just the fourth minute of the match in his first start since Aug. 28.

The forward made a back-post run when David Loera switched the point of attack from Rising’s right side to the left. Quinn picked up his head and found Egbo with a low pass into the area and he finished by smacking a shot off a defender that trickled into the back of the net.

A look at David Egbo’s goal and Aodhan Quinn’s assist for #PRFC.

0-1 #LVvPHX | #RisingAsOne pic.twitter.com/gW3H209Ndj

— Jake Anderson (@jwa1994) October 16, 2021

Calistri made it 2-0 in the 16th minute when Quinn played a ball in behind Las Vegas’ backline.

Playing as a right winger on the day, Calistri outran his marker and slipped a low shot past Lights goalkeeper Alex Rando.

Does Joey Calistri have the best celebrations of any Phoenix Rising player?🤔#LVvPHX | #RisingAsOne pic.twitter.com/BFm3vo0ofQ

— Jake Anderson (@jwa1994) October 16, 2021

Moar scored his first less than a minute later, beating two players on the dribble on the left flank before cutting in and finishing off the goal with another shot to Rando’s left side to make it 3-0.

Here is Santi Moar's 15th goal on the 2021 #USL Championship campaign for Phoenix Rising👇🏼

Do you think #PRFC players discussed celebrations prior to kickoff?#LVvPHX | #RisingAsOne pic.twitter.com/VOCL2bZsp7

— Jake Anderson (@jwa1994) October 16, 2021

Las Vegas took a goal back in the 18th minute when Cal Jennings got on the end of a pass from Daniel Trejo inside the six-yard box.

Jennings finished the chance from very close range with his first touch to make it 3-1.

A look at Cal Jennings' goal for Las Vegas Lights⬇️#LVvPHX | #RisingAsOne pic.twitter.com/0xr3kYeBrj

— Jake Anderson (@jwa1994) October 16, 2021

Lights made it 3-2 in the 41st minute when Bruce El Mesmari came free on Vegas’ right side.

The forward cut into the center, avoided a pair of slide tackles by Rising defenders and slipped a pass over to Jennings on the back post, who once again finished easily with his first touch to make it a one-goal game.

Looks like both Phoenix Rising center backs Joe Farrell and Niall Dunn left their feet in an effort to make a last-ditch sliding challenge, leaving Las Vegas forward Cal Jennings wide open for his 10th of the year.#LVvPHX | #RisingAsOne pic.twitter.com/9jicFbro0D

— Jake Anderson (@jwa1994) October 16, 2021

Despite a couple of halftime changes from manager Rick Schantz, it was still Quinn delivering the mail.

He came open on the left flank and sent a cross into the area that was redirected into the back of the net with a header by Darnell King to make it 4-2 in the 52nd minute.

It marks Quinn’s third assist of the match and his 11th of the year to put him atop the league’s leaderboard.

A look at Darnell King’s goal and yet another assist for #PRFC’s Aodhan Quinn, his second of the match and 11th on the 2021 #USL Championship campaign👇🏼#LVvPHX | #RisingAsOne pic.twitter.com/2uo1SUT8MI

— Jake Anderson (@jwa1994) October 16, 2021

Moar scored his second of the match in the 69th minute after Luis Seijas started a quick counterattack with a pass down the left side.

The Spaniard cut inside near the top of the box and fired a shot high towards Rando, but the goalkeeper bobbled the ball backwards into his own net to make it 5-2.

Make that dos for @SantiMoar #RisingAsOne | #AwayDays delivered by @carvana pic.twitter.com/H7kPu9Kr8j

— y-Phoenix Rising FC (@PHXRisingFC) October 16, 2021

Jennings completed his hat trick to make it 5-3 with seven minutes remaining, but Arturo Rodriguez found Luiz Seijas in the 85th minute to make it a 6-3 final.

Cal finishes the hat trick! 🎩 @AFCU pic.twitter.com/Cb2zlXwM3r

— Las Vegas Lights FC (@lvlightsfc) October 16, 2021

Seijas’ goal was his first in a PRFC kit and extends Phoenix’s league-leading scoring tally to 66 on the 2021 campaign.

EXTRA TIME

Rising captain Solomon Asante and forward Darren Mattocks were both held out for the second consecutive match due to lower-body injuries.

UP NEXT

Phoenix Rising returns home to Wild Horse Pass to host Sacramento Republic FC in the first of the final two home matches of the regular season.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. Catch the audio stream on ArizonaSports.com and the Arizona Sports app.

Phoenix Rising FC contributed to this story.

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