MEMPHIS, Tenn — Memphis 901 FC were complete class on Saturday night at Autozone Park as they dismantled Phoenix Rising 5-1 for their fifth game in a row unbeaten. The lads are now also unbeaten in 10 of their last 11 matches.
“I think we came out of the traps really well and were aggressive at the start," Head Coach Stephen Glass said. "The quality on the ball was some of the best that it’s been all season. It’s really good to see we kept our foot on it as well. I don't think we sat off what we think is a good team. We felt it there last year and they felt it here this year. I'm sure they’ll be difficult when we go there next time because they don’t like what happened tonight.”
From start to finish Memphis put on an attacking clinic - scoring five goals to tie a franchise record for most goals scored in a game.
The first of those came in the 11th minute when Akeem Ward put a cross in for Zac Duncan who found the finish to score his first goal for Memphis, that goal came off the back of his first assist last week.
Next up, Duncan and Carson Vom Steeg combined in the box to set Marlon Santos up for his seventh goal of the season. The goal now leaps him one above fellow Brazilian Bruno Lapa for most goals scored by a player for Memphis this season.
Those two goals saw Memphis take a solid lead into the sheds but they weren't done there.
In the 55th minute Vom Steeg found himself on the end of a goal of his own and three minutes later Emerson Hyndman also slotted one. It was both Vom Steeg and Hyndman's first goals of the season.
Then in the 81st minute Nighte Pickering rounded out the scoring.
The five goals from Memphis put the lads atop the Western Conference in goals scored with 29. The next highest team has 20.
The win sees Memphis climb to third in the Western Conference Standings. They now get set to start a three-match road trip beginning with Orange County SC. Memphis will next play at home on Saturday. July 27 against San Antonio FC.