Colorado Springs, CO (August 3rd, 2024) – The Colorado Springs Switchbacks extinguished Phoenix at Weidner Field with a final score of 2-0.
With Phoenix Rising winning the last match against the Switchbacks back in April, the boys knew that tonight was going to be a tough battle. They applied pressure especially in the first half with 10 shots, 21 touches in the opposition’s box, and held 59.4% possession. The Switchbacks were the first to make a mark on the scoreboard in the 34′. After a quick zig-zag pass in the box between #10 Zach Zandi and #80 Speedy Williams, Williams found an opening to #9 Ronaldo Damus. With Damus battling three Rising Defenders, he turned around, took control of the ball, and aimed it right into the bottom left side of the net.
Into the second half, Phoenix started to creep up into the Switchbacks’ defensive zone with more ball possession and shots, but that did not get through the Switchbacks’ strong defense. The boys won 19 tackles, had four interceptions, and had 17 clearances. In the 90+6′, a red card was given to Switchbacks Head Coach James Chambers, making him unable to travel with the team at the following away game against North Carolina FC.
With only a few minutes remaining in the game, #7 Tyreek Magee secured the Switchbacks win with a goal. In the 90+8′, Magee ran up the left middle side of the box and sent the ball to the left of the net.
The Switchbacks head on the road on August 10th against North Carolina FC and August 17th against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. Mark your calendars for August 24th as the Switchbacks take on New Mexico United for Cyan Night! For tickets to that match, and all others, head HERE.
Post Match Quotes:
Alan McCann
Overall Thoughts:
“Yeah I thought in the first half we were physically dominant, it was what we asked of the lads, they (Phoenix) died off with fifteen minutes to go in the first half and we were able to punish. We didn’t move the ball quick enough is what we talked about at half time. Second half, they started right off, the first fifteen minutes we had to actually ride it out for a little bit. There was a small period in the middle of the second half where we had to grind it out, they made their subs which changed the game and three of our lads physically died, so I thought the subs that came in for us really helped us – Yosuke (Hanya) was huge, even Delentz (Pierre) at the very last minute. Tejajda, again you know what he’s going to give you. I think overall we were good for the win but we weren’t as happy on the ball with our speed of play, but the idea was right.”
On Tyreek Magee’s late game impact:
“Tyreek especially you know, has been more of a project this year. He’s a highly talented footballer, and we’ve been working with him. I think he’s turned a corner with his maturity, and that’s a human thing you know, that’s an off-the-field thing, and we’ve had the patience with him and I think that patience has been paying off. I think also he has a lot more levels, he’s probably one of the best if not the best technically gifted footballers in this league, and once you add maturity to that he’ll be the most dangerous player in the league so hopefully, he’ll be able to show that more consistently, and you’ll see him on the pitch more.”
On the mentality of the team tonight and how it differed from last week:
“When we’re switched on as a unit, not four or five at a time, but the whole unit, that being the eleven starters and then what goes on on the bench – we’re very hard to beat. Every time we’ve been beaten this year it’s been our own fault. No team, even away to Louisville, away to New Mexico, no team has bossed us off the pitch. We’ve been in those games, and the problem’s been, maybe not everyone has been ninety minutes switched on as a full eleven. But when the full eleven is on, we’re on fire. When we win games, it’s because of us. When we lose games, it’s because of us.”
Tyreek Magee:
On his goal and what he saw on the field:
“To be honest it’s just the hunger that I came on with. I haven’t been playing for a while, a couple of months, and this is my second game back since I’ve been out, and yeah I think it’s just, to get a goal and have it thankfully play out. I’ve been doing a lot of shooting (in practice) and since I was a kid that’s something I’ve been able to do. I always like to hit the ball hard, and I hit one just so and it paid off and I’m grateful for it.
On his yellow card – was it worth it?
“Definitely definitely. I didn’t care what happened after the goal honestly, so yeah I’ll happily take a yellow card for that.”
Chris Herrera
On what was working for the team tonight on the field:
“I think for us this week we really committed to just going back to basics, I think the past three weeks me personally, I haven’t been really good enough for the team, but I think this week we all just took the time to reflect and say what kind of team do we want to be? Do we want to really climb the table and make ourselves a home playoff team, or just be an okay team? And I think tonight we took a step forward, so I’m very happy with tonight.”
On what he did differently (individually) this week to prepare for tonight:
“I think personally, goalkeeping is a very big mental game and I think, reaching out for some help and realizing that there’s no perfection in soccer, there’s only process and progress, and really just committing to that and trusting in it.”
