Saturday, April 18
Miami, FL – Miami FC faced a difficult night at Pitbull Stadium, falling 3-0 to Phoenix Rising FC in a match where missed opportunities and early setbacks proved decisive.
The visitors struck early after being awarded a penalty in the 6th minute. Phoenix converted from the spot a minute later to take a 1-0 lead, putting Miami on the back foot from the start.
After a slow opening stretch, Miami FC began to grow into the match around the 25th minute. The team started to find rhythm in possession and created several chances before halftime. Back-to-back opportunities from Ndongo and Arney Rocha, along with strong combination play between Bachir, Musto, Knutson and Locadia, saw Miami pushing for the equalizer but unable to find the final touch.
Despite trailing at the break, Miami carried that momentum into the second half. Early chances continued, including a look from captain Daltyn Knutson just minutes after the restart. However, against the run of play, Phoenix doubled its lead in the 58th minute.
Miami kept pushing forward and nearly pulled one back through Diego Mello in the 70th minute. A crucial moment came in the 76th minute when Miami was awarded a penalty, but Arney Rocha was denied from the spot as the hosts pushed to get back into the match.
As Miami committed numbers forward in search of a goal, Phoenix capitalized late, adding a third in stoppage time to seal the result.
Head Coach Gaston Maddoni reflected on the performance after the match.
“We started the match very slowly, and that cost us an early goal. It took us some time to settle into the game, but once we did, we created a lot of chances that we weren’t able to convert. Then, from another mistake, we conceded again. Offensively, we have a lot to improve, being more clinical in front of goal and more precise with our passing. But we remain confident in this group, we’re staying calm, and we’ll keep working.”
Captain Daltyn Knutson also pointed to key moments that influenced the outcome.
“We started a little flat and were on the back foot early, conceding the penalty. It was a bit soft and maybe unlucky, but I thought we responded well. We created a lot of chances throughout the game, but we weren’t clinical enough to finish them. Goals change games. The second goal, after reviewing it, looked clearly offside, and that really impacted the outcome.”
Forward Jürgen Locadia echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the team’s response despite the result.
“After about 25 minutes, we began to take control and created several chances. In the second half, we continued to dominate and created even more opportunities. Unfortunately, when you don’t convert your chances and they do, the game shifts in their favor. It’s a lesson for us. We’ll learn from it and keep working.”
Miami FC will now turn its focus to a busy stretch ahead. The team will open its USL Cup campaign on April 25 against Sporting JAX in Jacksonville, before returning home for USL Championship action on May 2 to face Brooklyn FC at Pitbull Stadium.
Tickets for Miami’s upcoming home match are on sale now by going to www.MiamiFC.com or calling 844-MIAMIFC.
