Ghananian duo, Solomon Asante and Gladson Awako featured as Phoenix defeated Orange County SC 2-1 at Championship Soccer Stadium in Irvine on Saturday in the Western Conference final to play for the league title.
Chris Cortez scored just 65 seconds into the game to give Rising a lead it would not relinquish. Didier Drogba, who won Premier League titles with Chelsea FC in England and is a member of Rising’s ownership team, supplied a second-half goal to seal Rising’s trip to the final.
Drogba has scored in all three of Rising’s games during their playoff run.
Orange County scored in the 82nd minute but was unable to complete the comeback.
Asante was substituted in the 90th minute by Shaft Brewer Jr, whilst Awako joined the action from the bench in the 62nd minute for the 1st goal scorer, Chris Cortez.
Phoenix Rising FC will face Louisville City FC at Lynn Stadium in Louisville, Ky., on Thursday at 6 p.m.
Louisville defeated New York Red Bulls II on Friday.
The moment you’ve all been waiting for. #UpRising pic.twitter.com/YtrtWXEkN8
— (x)-Phoenix Rising FC (@PHXRisingFC) November 4, 2018
