Phoenix Rising draws with Lights FC 0-0

LAS VEGAS, Nevada — Phoenix Rising FC (4-5-4) earned a point on the road in Las Vegas on Saturday night thanks to goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo, who finished the night with 10 saves in a scoreless draw with Lights FC.

Rising and Las Vegas traded chances at opposite ends of the pitch in the opening 10 minutes of the match. Rios Novo came up with a save on a chance created by Vegas’ Solomon Asante in the 10th minute, answering a save from Lights goalkeeper Nicholas Ammeter on Panos Armenakas in the seventh minute.

The teams traded several set piece chances through the middle of the frame until Asante broke free on Vegas’ left flank, drove towards goal and tested Rios Novo with a hard, curling attempt in the 34th minute. Rios Novo was up to the task, diving low to his left side to punch the attempt out for a corner kick.

Asante was left unmarked down the left side at the opening of the second half. He tried a second time to beat Rios Novo low to the far post but once again the goalkeeper was alert and made a diving stop to his left to keep the match tied, 0-0.

Rios Novo made another huge save for Rising in the 56th minute, blocking down a point-blank header and then recovering to slap it off the goal line.

He made his seventh save of the game on Vegas’ Edison Azcona in the 64th minute, standing his ground and using his body to deflect a hard shot from just outside the six-yard box.  

Rios Novo’s ninth save of the night may have been his best. The Argentine took a step backwards and laid out to get a fingertip on a hard shot from Vegas substitute Khori Bennett’s blast from just outside the box in the second minute of stoppage time. The dipping shot was pushed just over the bar by the goalkeeper to give Phoenix its fourth shutout of the season.

Rising returns home to face rival Orange County FC on Saturday, June 8 at 8 p.m.