Switchbacks rally past Phoenix Rising, win 3-1 on Independence Day

Adrien Perez scored twice and Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC turned an early 1-0 hole into a 3-1 Independence Day win over Phoenix Rising FC before 7,024 at Weidner Field. Phoenix needed only four minutes to go ahead when Gunnar Studenhofft lofted a long-range effort over Christian Herrera and across the line, but the Switchbacks never let that opening goal dictate the night.

Colorado Springs answered in the 34th minute when Frank Daroma found Perez outside the box, and Perez drove a crisp finish into the net for his second goal of the season. The Switchbacks carried that momentum into the second half and struck again three minutes after the restart, when Perez’s corner found Garven Metusala for a header and Metusala’s first goal in a Colorado Springs shirt.

The decisive blow came in the 79th minute, when Aidan Rocha slipped a pass through two Phoenix defenders and Perez cut into the box to finish into the bottom corner. Colorado Springs finished with 21 shots, 11 on target and 64.7 percent possession, while ESPN match stats showed 372 accurate passes to Phoenix’s 168. Nabil Bensalah officiated the match, and the result pushed Colorado Springs to 5-4-5 on 19 points while leaving Phoenix at 4-5-6 on 17.

Alan McCann called the early concession a bad moment, but his group quickly realized it was a rare lapse and kept playing with conviction. He also pointed to the stability Speedy Williams and Chris Herrera brought to the starting lineup, while Metusala credited his time away on international duty for helping him return with calmness and experience.

Colorado Springs signed Perez on Jan. 12 to a deal covering the 2026 and 2027 USL Championship seasons, bringing in a veteran who had logged 54 matches, nine goals and nine assists for Louisville City FC and scored 10 goals in 31 appearances for San Diego Loyal SC in 2023. Colorado Springs now heads to Orange County SC on July 11 for the final match of the Prinx Tires USL Cup group stage.