Telling Stats: The 4-1 loss ends the Monarchs three-match unbeaten run, the team’s longest such streak this season. Jamison Olave’s squad falls to 1-6-2 at home, and are now 1-2-0 against Colorado Rapids 2 all-time in MLS NEXT Pro. Owen Anderson’s stoppage time goal helped the Monarchs to avoid a ninth shutout this season. After conceding four times the team’s goal differential drops to -17 on the season, second-worst in the league.
What You Missed: Looking to get a result against the best team in the Western Conference, Real Monarchs opened the first half aggressively in pursuit of an early goal. The best opportunity of the first half came in the 12th minute when forward Ilijah Paul collided with Colorado ‘keeper Adam Beaudry outside of the box, giving Jude Wellings an open shot on goal which he smacked off the crossbar before the whistle was blown for concussion precaution. The Rapids would draw first blood in the 36th minute when Sebastian Anderson fired a shot from outside the 18-yard-box which took a redirection off the head of teammate Yosuke Hanya into the top left corner of the net. The Rapids doubled their lead in first-half stoppage time as Oliver Larraz ran onto the end of a through ball in the area and curled a shot into the side netting past a diving Blake Kelly, giving Colorado a 2-0 cushion at the break. After 15 minutes of back and forth play to open the second half, the Rapids scored a third goal off the foot of Remi Cabral who slid home a shot across Kelly and into the far corner. In the 74th minute the Rapids found the back of the net once again, this time courtesy of a free kick outside of the box which was flicked into the net by Sebastian Anderson. The Monarchs scored a consolation goal in stoppage time thanks to Owen Anderson’s first professional goal after causing a turnover in the box and stumbling the ball into the net, but it was too little too late for the Monarchs as they fell 4-1 to the other team from the Rocky Mountains.
What’s Next? Real Monarchs will put a pause on the 2023 regular season campaign to host the MLS NEXT Pro Invitational, featuring Crystal Palace U21 and TSG Hoffenheim U23 as well as Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 and Colorado Rapids 2. Matches will begin at Zions Bank Stadium on Tuesday, July 18, with the Monarchs facing off against Crystal Palace on July 19 and TSG Hoffenheim on July 24. Monarchs’ players Zavier Gozo and Jude Wellings will be in Annapolis, Maryland competing for the Western Conference All-Stars at the MLS NEXT All-Star Game on July 19. The Monarchs will resume the 2023 regular season at home on July 28 at 8:00 p.m. MT against Houston Dynamo 2.
