The Arizona Republic
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Phoenix Rising FC players rock new-look jerseys in Tempe
Phoenix Rising FC, including this year’s team captain John Stenberg, unveiled their 2024 kits in front of an enthusiastic crowd of fans at the Marquee Theatre.
Phoenix Rising FC starts a two-game Eastern road trip with Wednesday’s match against North Carolina FC in Cary, NC, a Round of 32 game in the US Open Cup, the more-than-century-old tournament for the American club championship.
The match is set for 4 pm Phoenix time at WakeMed Soccer Park. It will be streamed live on ussoccer.com, and the audio broadcast will be available on Rising FC’s ‘X’ (formerly Twitter) feed simultaneously.
Rising FC is coming off a 1-1 draw with Sacramento Republic FC at home last weekend, while North Carolina drew Rhode Island, 0-0, at home.
“If we play like we did in the second half (Saturday)… we start winning games. That was a tough team to break down. (Sacramento) is a defensively resolute team,” Phoenix head coach Danny Stone said via the club’s website.
Rising FC is allowing just a goal per game and at 3-2-4 sits in sixth place in the USL Championship Western Conference. North Carolina is 1-4-4 and is tied for last place in the East.
It’s Rising FC’s second trip to the Eastern time zone this season. The club defeated Rhode Island 3-1 last month. The last time Rising FC traveled to the Carolinas, it won the USL Championship final on November 12, 2023 in Charleston, South Carolina for its first league title.
A win Wednesday would put Phoenix in the final 16 teams playing to win the US Open Cup, which would be the farthest the team has ever advanced in the tournament if it happens. Rising will visit Detroit City FC on Saturday at 2 pm Phoenix time.
-Jose M. Romero
Mercury heads to Seattle for preseason opener
After spending most of the training camp in San Diego, the Phoenix Mercury will hit the road once again to face the Seattle Storm on Tuesday at Climate Pledge Arena at 7 pm, for the preseason opener. The game will not be televised.
It will also mark the first game against former Mercury guard Skylar Diggins-Smith since she signed with the Storm in free agency. The Mercury will begin the Nate Tibbetts era along with a revamped roster that includes just four returners from last season. The returning core of Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, and Sophie Cunningham highlights the group of eleven veterans, five in their second or third years each, and six rookies. The team also added 2021 WNBA Finals MVP Kahleah Copper from the Chicago Sky.
The Mercury will have one more preseason game on Friday at Footprint Center against the Los Angeles Sparks before starting the season on Tuesday in Las Vegas.
-Jenna Ortiz
Casa Grande’s Ramos wins on TKO in Vegas
Super welterweight Jesús Alejandro Ramos of Casa Grande improved his pro record to 21-1 with a ninth-round technical knockout of Venezuelan native Johan Gonzalez Saturday night at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
Ramos’ fight was part of the Canelo Alvarez-Jaime Munguia event. Cinco de Mayo weekend is a traditional major fight night in Las Vegas.
Gonzalez (34-3) had never lost a fight in which it was stopped before going the distance. Ramos had said he needed an impressive win to get back into the top contender ranks for a shot at a championship. He’d lost his previous fight, which was his first loss as a pro.
-Jose Romero
