When you have a team that’s learning together, occasionally you’re going to have some hiccups along the way, which serve as larger lessons down the road. And the season has already given Loudoun United some lessons good and bad. And they got one Saturday night in a 3-1 loss to Phoenix Rising, a team that was looking for their first win at home and has appeared in the playoffs multiple times. And it’s good that they get these games now! They’re going to get something out of them!
One thing I liked
They weren’t completely out of the moment.
Loudoun United’s team has only been together for about 3 months now, and it’s good that they’ve seen challenges already from teams like San Antonio and Colorado Springs, and five of their seven games so far have been against above the red line teams (I know, it’s early). And they’ll get more of them as the season goes on, they haven’t played the likes of Louisville, Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay, six-point games against coaches who are well-drilled and prepared. Phoenix is good, and kept the ball away from Loudoun for long stretches. Loudoun will come away from some of those future games with their nose bloodied, but given a presumed expectation going into Saturday’s game, Loudoun controlled tempo at points and caught Phoenix flatfooted when they did have them.
One thing I was scared by
The frustration of lapses.
This got a little bit of grief Sunday:
Check this Stat
12 – The number of passes Zach Ryan had Saturday; he had 29 in Sunday’s win over Oakland.
Highlights
Match Summary
Phoenix Rising FC 3 – Loudoun United FC 1
Scoring Summary
PHO – Jose Hernandez (Manuel Arteaga) 36′
PHO – Manuel Arteaga (Jose Hernandez) 38′
LDN – Kevon Lambert (Own Goal) 45+1
PHO – Baboucarr Njie 90+1′
Misconduct Summary
PHO – Kevon Lambert (bad foul) 44′
PHO – Jackson Conway (bad foul) 44′
PHO – Baboucarr Njie (excessive celebration) 90+2′
LDN – Tommy Williamson (persistent infringement) 90+3′
Loudoun United FC starting lineup (4-4-2):
Starting XI: Hugo Fauroux, Gaoussou Samake, Bryce Washington, Yanis Leerman, Koa Santos, Kalil ElMedkhar, Houssou Landry (J. Garay 78′), Juan Ramírez (A. Rocha 45′), Panos Armenakas (A. Zanne 78′), Wesley Leggett (T. Williamson 55′), Zach Ryan
Unused Substitutes: Dane Jacomen, Abdoul Koanda, Daniel Chica
Phoenix Rising FC starting lineup (3-5-2):
Starting XI: Rocco Ríos Novo, Mohamed Traore, Daniël Krutzen, Kevon Lambert, Federico Varela (D. Trejo 75′), Carlos Anguiano, José Hernández (A. Fuenmayor 64′), Renzo Zambrano, Henry Uzochukwu (E. Munjoma 64′), Erickson Gallardo (B. Njie 64′), Manuel Arteaga (J. Conway 81′)
Unused Substitutes: Patrick Rakovsky, Darnell King
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