Previewing Houston Dynamo at Phoenix Rising with Joe Lowery
(image via Phoenix Rising FC)
The Houston Dynamo begin their journey in this year’s Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on the road on Wednesday night. We talked to our friend Joe Lowery, from Backheeled and a TV analyst for Phoenix Rising, to get some insight on Phoenix ahead of tomorrow’s match.
Bayou City Soccer (BCS): Dynamo assistant coach Juan Guerra was previously the head coach in Phoenix. How was Guerra’s departure received and how will fans feel about his return in this match?
Joe Lowery (JL): As the coach who helped guide Rising to their USL Championship title back in 2023, Juan Guerra is a fan favorite out here in Phoenix. His name still comes up now and then in conversations among fans. Though his stay in Phoenix was shorter than many would’ve hoped, everyone understood why he left to take a job on Ben Olsen’s staff. He’ll be cheered by the crowd at 38th and Washington on Wednesday.
BCS: Dynamo fans probably haven’t seen much of Phoenix Rising. How have they done so far in this season and how is their form coming into this USOC match?
JL: After a coaching change over the offseason and a number of key player transactions, the start of 2025 has been a transition period for Phoenix Rising. They have seven points through eight games in the regular season — and pushing past FC Tulsa in the Open Cup remains the high point of the year. There’s undeniable attacking talent in this team, but a slew of defensive injuries has made lineup continuity and game control hard to come by. Between Pape Mar Boye’s recent injury, Mo Traore’s green card appointments, Casey Walls retiring, and still other injuries, Phoenix is thin in the back. They recently added another center back — Ascel Essengue — on loan from the Galaxy.
BCS: What can you tell us about head coach Pa-Madou Kah’s early time with Rising FC and his style of play, and who are some of the key players for Phoenix to keep an eye on?
JL: Pa is an extremely charismatic, energetic manager who is clearly building towards something in Phoenix. His arrival from Dean Smith’s Charlotte FC staff prompted Rising to get younger over the offseason for a style that features spacious attacking play and plenty of defensive recovery runs.
In terms of key players, forward Ihsan Sacko is one to watch. The 27-year-old Frenchman is in his first season in the USL after having collecting 1,500 minutes in Ligue 1. En route to collecting 1 goal and 4 assists, Sacko has played up top and on the wing. He’s been tremendously effective in both roles.
Elsewhere, it’s worth keeping an eye on attacking midfielder Hope Avayevu. He’s small, changes directions quickly, and has both a strong passing range and an impressive workrate.
BCS: With Remi Cabral’s red card in the last round, how big of an impact will his suspension have on this game?
JL: It’s something to watch, that’s for sure. Just as absences have plagued Phoenix on the defensive end, they’ll be a little short in the attack on Wednesday. Remi Cabral will miss out due to that red card against Tulsa. Star winger Jearl Margaritha exited in the first half of Phoenix’s game against Colorado Springs on Saturday, too. It’s something to watch.
BCS: With all the recent news about USL and adding promotion and relegation to potentially challenge MLS in the US soccer landscape, do you feel this USOC is an important marker to put down for USL teams playing MLS clubs?
JL: I don’t think folks across the USL view their promotion and relegation push as a way to truly compete on the field with MLS. Competing for eyeballs as USL makes an expansion push over the next decade or so? Sure. But on the field, I think there is an expectation that there will still be a gap between the best USL teams and teams in MLS. And that’s fine! Still, you can bet USL players — including ones here in Phoenix — get a little extra juice out of playing MLS teams in the Open Cup.
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We want to thank Joe for his time and wish our friends in Phoenix the best of luck tomorrow.
