Phoenix Rising draws with Detroit City 1-1

DETROIT, Mich. — Phoenix Rising FC (3-4-3) earned a point on the road at hostile Keyworth Stadium on Saturday, finishing 1-1 vs. Detroit City FC (5-1-2).

Giulio Doratiotto found the back of the net for the second match in a row for Phoenix. He was assisted on the goal by Emil Cuello. 

Saturday afternoon, Detroit’s Ben Morris put the home side ahead 1-0 in the ninth minute of the match when Maxi Rodriguez got him the ball at the top of the box. Surrounded by Rising defenders, Morris hit a long looping shot that dipped under the crossbar.

Rising gained some momentum near the end of the first half, working the ball up its right flank through Laurence Wyke and Fede Varela, Erickson Gallardo found enough space to send a cross to the back post. There, Ryan Flood did well to tap a shot past goalkeeper Nate Steinwascher, but a Detroit defender recovered just in time to save the ball off the line and deny Flood his first goal of the season.  

Phoenix pulled level five minutes into the second half after Gallardo earned Rising a corner kick. Cuello curled in a hard serve to the near post and Doratiotto arrived first, redirecting a shot on goal with the sole of his boot. The shot ricocheted off at least two bodies in front of goal but found its way past Steinwascher to give Doratiotto his second goal in the last two games and make it a 1-1 match with 40 minutes remaining.

Remi Cabral, who came off the bench at halftime, held the ball up then played it into space for Gabi Torres to strike with his first touch from the left side of the box in the 64^th minute. Torres tried to pick out the far side netting, but Steinwascher made a diving save to his left to keep the match tied 1-1.

Wyke stepped forward and beat a pair of defenders at midfield in the 90^th minute, opening a lane for Cabral to make a run in-behind Detroit’s back line. Wyke curled a through ball into the box and Cabral beat Steinwascher to the pass, but the forward’s attempt to thread a shot from a difficult angle caught the outside of the near side netting and the game concluded 1-1.

Rising returns to Phoenix on Saturday, May 18 to face Miami FC at 7:30 p.m.