PHOENIX — For a heartbeat, the ball hung in the air just long enough for Jearl Margaritha to dream.
Running in from behind an El Salvador defender, he muscled his way into an ideal angle and launched a high, deflected chip shot that floated past a helpless goalkeeper, cruelly hitting the middle of the crossbar.
He threw himself to the ground as the ball harmlessly ricocheted away. No goal. No breakthrough. But his dream nearly took flight.
For Margaritha, taking time away from Phoenix Rising to make his CONCACAF Gold Cup debut in Tuesday’s 0-0 draw, it was a glimpse of how close he came to delivering Curacao just its second-ever win in the continental competition — and a moment that still carried significant personal meaning.
“It’s hard of course because you want to be with them all the way,” Margaritha said of temporarily leaving Rising to represent Curacao. “We’ve been together from the start — through the hard times that we were losing, and now we’re winning, and everyone’s just in a good vibe.
“But I think they’re also happy for me. It’s my first time playing in the Gold Cup … It’s a big thing for me.”
Margaritha — Rising’s leading scorer across all competitions with four in nine appearances — is one of three players representing the club at the Gold Cup, joined by midfielders Damien Rivera (Guatemala) and Carl Fred Sainte (Haiti).
Sainte came off the bench for Haiti’s opening match 1-0 loss against tournament guest Saudi Arabia, while Rivera did not feature during Guatemala’s opening match victory over Jamaica. All three players are expected to be in action again later this week — Haiti faces Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday, Guatemala meets Panama on Friday and Curacao takes on Canada on Saturday.
Rising coach Pa-Modou Kah does not see some of his top players missing matches to face the best teams in North and Central America as a negative. Rather, it is an example of the mindset he wants his players to cultivate — to always be dreaming of something bigger.
“We value characters at this club,” Kah said. “People who have ambitions. People who view this as a stepping stone to further their career.”
That ambition has helped shape Rising’s current form, even with a shorthanded squad.
Back in Phoenix, the club has extended its unbeaten streak to six matches during the international window, securing a win and a draw with a heavily rotated lineup, relying on young academy talent and depth options.
Veteran Dariusz Formella, stepping in as a striker, finished with a goal and two assists in the win over Orange County.
“This is USL — there’s no international break,” Formella said. “That’s why we have 20 good players. Other people have to step in and show their quality.”
Kah, who has emphasized the importance of Rising’s academy for its sustainability and long-term development, views the current necessity in relying more on young players as an extension of the club’s philosophy.
“We’re not afraid to give youth the opportunity, because that’s what football is about,” he said. “It’s very important, because that’s how you develop players … We have a core group of academy players that we work with on a daily basis.”
Braxton Montgomery (age 18), Cyrus Kowall (16) and Jamison Ping (17) have played meaningful minutes during the international break, already contributing and working for bigger things in the future.
For Rising, these moments— whether it’s Margaritha nearly scoring on the continental stage or a 16-year-old starting matches at home — reflect a club built on the idea that individual ambition isn’t separate from success, but central to it.
The ball didn’t fall for him this time. But for Margaritha and Phoenix Rising, the moment — and the message — still landed.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
