Phoenix Rising FC, coming off a disappointing 2022 season, started off the 2023 USL Championship campaign with a draw at Patriots Point Soccer Stadium in Charleston, S.C. on March 11.

Sunday night, the Rising returned to that pitch, edging the host Charleston Battery, 2-1, in penalty kicks to claim their first USL championship league title.

A series of miraculous plays helped the Rising become champions Sunday. That was fitting, as the last month of Rising soccer has included several miraculous runs.

The Rising were only 12-10-12 in the regular season, went winless in their final four regular-season matches and backed into the playoffs as the No. 6 seed among eight Western Conference playoff teams.

Getting hot at the right time, the Rising then won road playoff matches by one goal each, at San Diego, Orange County and Sacramento, in consecutive weeks to reach Sunday’s final in Charleston.

Midfielder Emil Cuello scored in the 116th minute to beat Orange County, then again in the second minute of stoppage time for the match-winner against his former Sacramento team.

Sunday, the biggest hero was probably defender John Stenberg, who scored in stoppage time to tie the match 1-1. The Rising had trailed since giving up a goal at the 36-minute mark.

According to the Rising’s feed on the social media platform X, Stenberg crashed in from right side and headed in Mohamed Traore’s long cross from the far side.

Heading the ball from the six-yard box, Sternberg beat the Charleston goalkeeper to the top left corner.

Stenberg, 31, from Sweden, has been one of many unlikely heroes for the Rising this year.

Neither team could convert in overtime. In penalty kicks, the Rising were down to their last chance after Charleston took a 2-0 lead.

That’s when Renzo Zambrano, Erickson Gallardo, Manuel Arteaga all converted their must-make kicks.

Rising goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo then added his own miracle: None of the final three Battery kicks got past him. He had seven total saves in the match.

When the final Charleston penalty kick bounced off the left post, Rising players swarmed Rios Novo and celebrated their first title in their 10 seasons of existence.

While USL Championship is technically not a major league, the Rising are the first team to win a national professional title while representing “Phoenix,” as opposed to Arizona. 

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