It took the unlikeliest of playoff runs, but Phoenix Rising have finally won a USL title. 2023 was supposed to be a rebuilding year in the Valley, one in which manager Juan Guerra took the first steps towards reviving one of the league’s longest-standing titans. Instead, Phoenix reached the mountaintop after a late-season charge, three winning goals after the 90th minute in the postseason, and a penalty shootout victory to cap it all off.
How did Rising turn the title game around, and what does their championship mean?
