Real Monarchs 0–2 St. Louis City 2
April 29, 2022; Zions Bank Stadium, Herriman, Utah
Real Monarchs (0-3-2, 2 points); St Louis 2 (4-1-0, 12 points)
Man of the Match: Defender Golden Mafwenta started off his tenure at Real Monarchs with an impressive performance in his first-ever match on the Wasatch Front. Mafwenta was key to both the Monarchs offense and defense, taking charge of the team's set pieces for the game and having one of the team’s best chances at goal. Additionally, Mafwenta had two tackles and won seven duels in his debut.
Telling Stat: Despite allowing two goals, the Monarchs had a strong defensive showing. The Monarchs led the way with tackles and duels won, besting St. Louis City 52-42 on duels won and 16-13 on tackles. Additionally, the Monarchs blocked four shots from St. Louis and goalkeeper Tomas Gomez had five saves on the night.
What You Missed: The Monarchs had four players earn their first starts for the team in the match against St. Louis City 2. RSL Academy defender Gabriel Oksansen, defender Golden Mafwenta, RSL Academy midfielder Abokye Bikyeombe and midfielder Tyrone Mondi all earned their first starts. Additionally, RSL Academy defender Aldo Carmona made his professional debut as a late-second half substitute.
What’s Next: Real Monarchs will head on the road for a two-game road swing. The first match will take place on May 8 at Sporting KC II with kickoff set for 12:00 p.m. MT. The Monarchs will then head back West to face the Tacoma Defiance for a season-opener rematch on May 15 with kickoff at 8:00 p.m. MT. The team will return home to Zions Bank Stadium on Friday, May 20 versus North Texas SC for Pride Night with kickoff at 7:00 p.m. MT.
