Switchbacks FC Take a Win against Phoenix Rising FC
September 4, 2022 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC News Release
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC take a victory lap in front of the fans
(Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, Credit: Isaiah Downing)
Colorado Springs, CO – The Switchbacks FC evened the proverbial score tonight, dominating the field against Phoenix Rising FC and ending the night 1-0.
COS put the pressure on almost immediately, and kept it up for the entire first half of the match. With 12 shots to Phoenix’s one, the Switchbacks dominated possession, holding the ball for 60.8% of the first half, and almost doubling Phoenix’s touches with 232 overall. #10 Hadji Barry had an incredible chance in the 17th minute, going one on one with the goalkeeper, but the trickled in ball was called offsides right before it would have crossed the goal line. Several other shots, a free kick by #6 Cam Lindley, and one by #14 Jairo Henriquez would both go wide of the net.
Right before halftime, Phoenix #2 Darnell King would earn his second yellow of the night, converting that to a red and putting Phoenix down to ten men for the rest of the match.
Jairo Henriquez would earn the first and only match of the night in the 55th minute, after a beautiful pass combo between #23 Elvis Amoh and Barry landed the ball on his right foot. Without even pausing the settle the ball, Henriquez would rocket the shot into the top right corner of the net. Phoenix would be unable to return the favor, and the match would end 1-0 Switchbacks.
The Switchbacks will return to Weidner Field Saturday September 10th as they host Detroit City FC for the first time in franchise history for their Superhero Night. Tickets to that match, and all other matches, are available HERE.
Quotes
Brendan Burke
Overall thoughts:
“I’m just really happy. I mean, their (Phoenix’s) players came up to me afterwards and said that should have been five nothing and I agree with them. But we got another clean sheet, that’s three in a row, and that’s where we were bad during the summer we were leaky and now were air tight. Three games in a row to take nine points out of your first available nine in a homestand is the type of form that you can see make a deep run in the playoffs.”
On New Mexico and Sacramento’s losses tonight and managing September:
“We’re after San Diego at this point. It’s not management anymore it’s, we have a game every week, which is what we want all year long so we have time to prepare tactically, and that came though in spades tonight. I thought we pressed them really well in the first half, we probably should have been rewarded with more goals.”
On Edwards’ return and playing right back:
“I think he could have a future there. I really do.”
On playing Detroit next week:
“Detroit are a stingy team, well coached, Trevor has done a great job with them and he’s massively experienced as a coach so they’re very well organized. But we can hurt anybody when we’re on, we just beat Tampa Bay, New Mexico, and Phoenix back to back to back, so we’re confident now too.”
Michael Edwards:
On his familiarity from last season helping tonight:
“Of course, when I got here this week the guys were all welcoming and made me feel part of the group once again. They got me going, it took me a little bit to get going in the beginning because I’m new to playing right back, but once I got going I felt good and it was a good 90 minutes.”
On transitioning from center back to right back:
“I thought it was good, I mean the guys around me helped me a lot, Michee [Ngalina] helps me defensively, and when he switched up Jairo [Henriquez] helped me, and I helped Jairo get behind a little bit, it was good all around.”
On coming back to Weidner Field and their fans:
“It felt good, the fans keep us pushing, the energy is great all the time, and we really look forward to next week and we know the energy is going to be good again. We just need to get three points again.”
Jeff Caldwell:
On three clean sheets in a row:
“Yeah the nice part is I get to start being a broken record, I’m just going to lay the same things down I said last week. It was the same approach, I personally didn’t have to do much. The back four was massive, the central and midfield was massive picking up second balls, the front four worked back really well and more than we asked them to, so they [Phoenix] couldn’t get out in the first half. They [Phoenix] couldn’t really get out in the second half either and that really changes the dynamic of the game up a man.”
On the last time we played Phoenix and motivation for this one:
“I can’t speak for everybody, and I know we touched on it last week a little bit, but I think for where we’re at, we don’t necessarily look at the opponent, we’re at a point in the season where if you’re not up for it like it’s a playoff game, then you’re not up for it.”
Jairo Henriquez
On his scoring play:
“I’m really happy with it, because it’s a play and a moment that we get ourselves into a lot, to be able to finish it off and help the team – I’m really happy with it. To be a bale to score a couple more of those chances and put the nail in the coffin so that the games don’t end so hectic, it’s great.”
On getting three points on Phoenix after the previous matchup:
“Obviously the result in Phoenix was just a bad result for us, so to be able to win today was good. We had some chances to be able to win by a bigger margin, but the important thing is every game we’re getting better and the most important thing is to go into the post season as best we can with as much rhythm as we can.”
On the support of his family and El Salvadoran fans helping his transition to Colorado Springs:
“My family and the fans motivate and inspire me, so I try to do better every match. Whether the fans come from Denver or even further, it motivates me to play better and I’m really grateful to have the support.”
Game Statistics:
Man of the Match: Jairo Henriquez
Scoring Summary// COS: Henriquez (55′) (A: Barry)
Saves// COS: Caldwell (1) | : Lundt (4)
Discipline// COS: YC: Ngalina (80′) Wheeler (89′) | PHX: YC: King (23′); Lundt (45+5′); Williams (68′); Farrell (80′) RC: King (45+3′)
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