Sacko earns Team of the Week bench spot after Phoenix rally

Ihsan Sacko landed back on the USL Championship Team of the Week bench after Phoenix Rising FC’s 4-3 loss to Oakland Roots SC, a wild match in which all seven goals came after halftime and the French forward again gave Phoenix a steadying attacking presence. The Week 16 honor, announced June 23, came after Sacko scored once and set up another in a game that swung from chaos to a late Phoenix push.

Sacko converted a penalty in the 62nd minute for his ninth goal of the season and his fifth successful spot kick in regular season play. He later sent in the cross from the right side that Diego Gómez finished for his second goal of the campaign, helping Phoenix claw back from a 2-0 deficit before Oakland reclaimed control. The match also featured goals from Peter Wilson, Danny Trejo, Florian Valot and Kelvin Arase, and Oakland’s win was its first in the series since Sept. 11, 2022. It also made the Roots the first side to score four goals against Rising in league play this season.

The selection was Sacko’s fourth Team of the Week nod of 2026, following recognition in Weeks 6, 7 and 13. He scored twice and won a penalty in a 3-0 win over New Mexico United in Week 6, then followed with another brace in a 3-0 road win at Miami FC in Week 7. After that stretch, Phoenix said Sacko had five goals and ranked second among league scorers, and he has stayed near the top of the scoring race with nine goals through the first 15 matchdays.

Phoenix said June 20 marked the halfway point of its 2026 league campaign, with the club sitting at 4-5-5 and sixth in the Western Conference, four points out of second place. The club has lost only two of its first seven home matches, but it still has three multi-game road trips and two more multi-game home stands ahead, starting with a visit to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on July 4.