Phoenix Rising FC came from behind to beat Monterey Bay FC 3–2 on Friday night, scoring twice in the final 12 minutes to complete a USL Championship comeback. Dominique Badji, Kelvin Arase, and Ryuga Nakamura found the net for the hosts, while Anisse Saidi and John Scearce scored for Monterey Bay.

Phoenix took the lead in the 30th minute when Badji finished off a Jean Eric Moursou assist to make it 1–0. The advantage lasted just 12 minutes. Saidi equalized for Monterey Bay before halftime, pulling the visitors level in the 42nd minute.

Monterey Bay carried that momentum into the second half. Scearce put them ahead in the 52nd minute, and for the next 25 minutes the visitors looked comfortable holding their lead.

Then Phoenix flipped the match on its head. Arase leveled things at 2–2 in the 78th minute, latching onto a Diego Gómez pass to beat the goalkeeper. Six minutes later, Nakamura struck to put the hosts ahead for good. It was a ruthless late surge from a Phoenix side that had spent most of the second half chasing the game.

The final minutes grew testy. Bookings were handed out to both sides in stoppage time, with Monterey Bay's Belmar Joseph among those cautioned as frustrations boiled over. Pape Boye had already been carded for Phoenix earlier in the half.

The victory gives Phoenix Rising FC three crucial points at home and reinforces their credentials as a side capable of grinding out results even when the momentum swings against them.