The Margaritas will be flowing this Saturday evening on Margaritaville Night at Weidner Field as the Switchbacks FC host Phoenix Rising FC for the final game in Colorado Springs of the 2018 USL regular season. Fireworks will follow Saturday’s match and $3 Margaritas are available for all fans 21+. The Switchbacks will be wearing Margaritaville themed warm up jerseys pre-match that are available for auction HERE.
Phoenix Rising have won five of their last six matches in USL play as interim Head Coach Rick Schantz’s team stand in second place in the USL’s Western Conference at the time of writing. Phoenix defeated the Switchbacks 4-0 at Phoenix Rising Stadium in Scottsdale, Arizona on August 25th with all four goals coming after Jordan Burt was harshly shown a straight red card in the 64th minute for a challenge with Phoenix goalkeeper Zac Lubin.
“Phoenix are one of the top teams in the West – they’ve put together a team to win a championship,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh. “For 60 minutes there in Arizona I thought we were on par. Everything changed for us after the red card. We can debate whether it was a red or not, but we should have handled it much better. Phoenix have a balanced team – they’re athletic, they have great speed.”
“We’re excited for the challenge this weekend,” said Luke Vercollone. “Phoenix is a good team – we have to be focused on what they do well and be confident in our own game. We played well in Phoenix until giving up a soft goal and the red card. On Saturday we must keep the pressure on Phoenix and be aware of their quality – everyone here knows they’re a good team – but we’re up for it and ready.”
Last Saturday evening the Switchbacks took the lead at Weidner Field through a second world-class goal in as many matches in Colorado Springs from Jamaican winger Saeed Robinson. The Rio Grande Valley FC eventually fought back to tie the Switchbacks 1-1, but it was Robinson’s brilliant goal that once again took the headlines.
“He’s scored two good goals,” said Switchbacks assistant coach Wolde Harris when asked about his countryman Robinson. “He’s been making good contact and luckily for us they went in. Unfortunately, we couldn’t build off his goal on Saturday and get the result we wanted, but we’ll go again this weekend and give our all.”
Robinson played down his goal on Monday afternoon, wanting instead to focus on the visit of high-flying Phoenix Rising. “They’re attack is very good, but to be honest, their defense is something that not many people talk about,” said the winger from Portmore on Jamaica’s southern coast. “They are about to be the first to clinch a spot in the playoffs – that says a lot. They’ll come in here with a lot of confidence. I expect a hard game. The only way we can win is to play the whole 90 minutes. Against RGV we scored and then sat back; we can’t do that again.”
Phoenix Rising are led by the sixteen goals of striker Chris Cortez. Soloman Asante has added thirteen to Phoenix’s goal-charts, with former Switchbacks forward Kevaughn Frater having scored three times in 2018. Former University of California Golden Bear Cortez and Ghanaian winger Asante are the two most noteworthy players on a Phoenix roster that is littered with talent as the team from the Valley of the Sun look to make inroads towards a place in Major League Soccer.
“We can’t let off. Phoenix are definitely one of the top teams in our conference,” confirmed Trittschuh. “It’s been the same old story in the last few weeks…we score one and we don’t put teams away. Letting our foot off the gas after we’ve scored has been a problem for us. We had enough chances to win the game against RGV, but we have got to be more ruthless and finish teams – especially at home and especially against a team like Phoenix. [Chris] Cortez is a guy you just have to know where he is all the time. If he gets in behind, he scores. Asante should be up for league MVP. He’s special. We’ve got to contain him and we can’t let him get faced-up to us. [Billy] Forbes…[Gladson] Awako…[Kevon] Lambert…Kevaughn [Frater]…these guys are ready for MLS-level or have played in MLS. We can’t give them space to play; they’re too good for that.”
“Phoenix are quality, well balanced, and really top in this league,” said Northern Irish striker Marty Maybin. “In Arizona we did well until the red card. We know that we’re capable of beating any team in this league so we need to finish the season strong for ourselves and especially for our fans in our last game here.”
Following Saturday’s match the Switchbacks will finish the 2018 USL regular season with three road fixtures. On September 29th, they will travel to Utah to face off against their Rocky Mountain rivals, the Real Monarchs SLC. Friday, October 5th Chukchansi Park will be the venue as the Switchbacks play Fresno FC, before Steve Trittschuh’s team finish their season on Wednesday, October 10th at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Washington against the Seattle Sounders FC 2.
The Margaritas will be flowing this Saturday evening on Margaritaville Night at Weidner Field as the Switchbacks FC host Phoenix Rising FC for the final game in Colorado Springs of the 2018 USL regular season. Fireworks will follow Saturday’s match and $3 Margaritas are available for all fans 21+. The Switchbacks will be wearing Margaritaville themed warm up jerseys pre-match that are available for auction HERE.
Phoenix Rising have won five of their last six matches in USL play as interim Head Coach Rick Schantz’s team stand in second place in the USL’s Western Conference at the time of writing. Phoenix defeated the Switchbacks 4-0 at Phoenix Rising Stadium in Scottsdale, Arizona on August 25th with all four goals coming after Jordan Burt was harshly shown a straight red card in the 64th minute for a challenge with Phoenix goalkeeper Zac Lubin.
“Phoenix are one of the top teams in the West – they’ve put together a team to win a championship,” said Switchbacks Head Coach Steve Trittschuh. “For 60 minutes there in Arizona I thought we were on par. Everything changed for us after the red card. We can debate whether it was a red or not, but we should have handled it much better. Phoenix have a balanced team – they’re athletic, they have great speed.”
“We’re excited for the challenge this weekend,” said Luke Vercollone. “Phoenix is a good team – we have to be focused on what they do well and be confident in our own game. We played well in Phoenix until giving up a soft goal and the red card. On Saturday we must keep the pressure on Phoenix and be aware of their quality – everyone here knows they’re a good team – but we’re up for it and ready.”
Last Saturday evening the Switchbacks took the lead at Weidner Field through a second world-class goal in as many matches in Colorado Springs from Jamaican winger Saeed Robinson. The Rio Grande Valley FC eventually fought back to tie the Switchbacks 1-1, but it was Robinson’s brilliant goal that once again took the headlines.
“He’s scored two good goals,” said Switchbacks assistant coach Wolde Harris when asked about his countryman Robinson. “He’s been making good contact and luckily for us they went in. Unfortunately, we couldn’t build off his goal on Saturday and get the result we wanted, but we’ll go again this weekend and give our all.”
Robinson played down his goal on Monday afternoon, wanting instead to focus on the visit of high-flying Phoenix Rising. “They’re attack is very good, but to be honest, their defense is something that not many people talk about,” said the winger from Portmore on Jamaica’s southern coast. “They are about to be the first to clinch a spot in the playoffs – that says a lot. They’ll come in here with a lot of confidence. I expect a hard game. The only way we can win is to play the whole 90 minutes. Against RGV we scored and then sat back; we can’t do that again.”
Phoenix Rising are led by the sixteen goals of striker Chris Cortez. Soloman Asante has added thirteen to Phoenix’s goal-charts, with former Switchbacks forward Kevaughn Frater having scored three times in 2018. Former University of California Golden Bear Cortez and Ghanaian winger Asante are the two most noteworthy players on a Phoenix roster that is littered with talent as the team from the Valley of the Sun look to make inroads towards a place in Major League Soccer.
“We can’t let off. Phoenix are definitely one of the top teams in our conference,” confirmed Trittschuh. “It’s been the same old story in the last few weeks…we score one and we don’t put teams away. Letting our foot off the gas after we’ve scored has been a problem for us. We had enough chances to win the game against RGV, but we have got to be more ruthless and finish teams – especially at home and especially against a team like Phoenix. [Chris] Cortez is a guy you just have to know where he is all the time. If he gets in behind, he scores. Asante should be up for league MVP. He’s special. We’ve got to contain him and we can’t let him get faced-up to us. [Billy] Forbes…[Gladson] Awako…[Kevon] Lambert…Kevaughn [Frater]…these guys are ready for MLS-level or have played in MLS. We can’t give them space to play; they’re too good for that.”
“Phoenix are quality, well balanced, and really top in this league,” said Northern Irish striker Marty Maybin. “In Arizona we did well until the red card. We know that we’re capable of beating any team in this league so we need to finish the season strong for ourselves and especially for our fans in our last game here.”
Following Saturday’s match the Switchbacks will finish the 2018 USL regular season with three road fixtures. On September 29th, they will travel to Utah to face off against their Rocky Mountain rivals, the Real Monarchs SLC. Friday, October 5th Chukchansi Park will be the venue as the Switchbacks play Fresno FC, before Steve Trittschuh’s team finish their season on Wednesday, October 10th at Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Washington against the Seattle Sounders FC 2.
