HERRIMAN, Utah (Friday, August 26, 2022) – Real Monarchs (4-14-3,15 points) defeated the league’s top-seeded Tacoma Defiance (13-5-4, 46 points) 1-0 to extend its home-unbeaten streak to six matches across all competitions.
Real Salt Lake Homegrowns led the way with defender Tate Schmitt netting his first goal in MLS NEXT Pro, while defender Jaziel Orozco earned his first assist of the season. Goalkeeper Gavin Beavers and defender Erik Holt controlled play on the defensive end for the Club’s third clean sheet of the season.
Real Monarchs began the match on the front foot, controlling much of the possession and scoring in the seventh minute. Orozco found Schmitt on a ball over the top that beat the Tacoma Defiance defense. Schmitt controlled the ball and drove to the top of the box before rocketing a shot with his left foot through the legs of Defiance goalkeeper Wallis Lapsley to take the 1-0 lead. As the half progressed, the Monarchs continued to maintain control of the match, creating the majority of the opportunities and keeping Tacoma at bay. Despite some near misses from both sides, neither side found a breakthrough in the final minutes, giving the Monarchs the 1-0 lead at the half.
Coming out of the halftime break, Real Monarchs went immediately back on the attack, nearly scoring in the 57th minute. Immediately after being subbed on, forward Benjamin Rodriguez played in a cross to the center box to RSL Homegrown Axel Kei. Kei powered a header toward the bottom-right corner but his attempt was barely saved by Lapsley. Just moments later, Rodriguez was shown a straight red on a suspect foul, leaving the Monarchs to play the rest of the match with 10 men.
In the 69th minute, Kei nearly found the net again when he got on the end of a ball from Holt and headed a ball toward the goal but was deflected on what appeared to be a handball outside of the 18-yard-box on Lapsley. Kei followed up his header with a left-footed volley that was stopped by the Tacoma defense. Behind some spectacular saves from Beavers, the Monarchs were able to seal the clean sheet and earn the 1-0 victory, its sixth straight at home.
UP NEXT: Real Monarchs will finish its two-game homestand against Timbers 2 on Saturday, September 3 for Community Heroes Night with kickoff at 7:00 p.m. MT. The Monarchs will look to continue its unbeaten streak at home as the Club has gone unbeaten in their last six matches across all competitions on Utah soil and has won the previous three matches in league play. Tickets are available for only $5 at www.rsl.com/monarchs/tickets/.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN:
RM: Tate Schmitt (Jaziel Orozco) 7th Minute: RSL Homegrown Jaziel Orozco played a long ball over the top of the Tacoma defense to fellow RSL Homegrown Tate Schmitt. Schmitt settled the ball and fired a left-footed rocket to the near post that went through the hands of Defiance goalkeeper Wallis Lapsley for the opening goal.
NOTES:
-RSL Homegrowns Tate Schmitt and Erik Holt started for the Monarchs tonight. This was Schmitt’s first appearance in MLS NEXT Pro while it was Holt’s fifth.
-Midfielder Jude Wellings returned to the squad after spending last week in Southern California with the RSL U-17s to take part in an international tournament
-Real Monarchs extended its home undefeated streak to six matches across all competitions and four straight in league play.
Match: Real Monarchs vs Tacoma Defiance
Date: August 26, 2022
Venue: Zions Bank Stadium
Weather: Cloudy and 87
Attendance: 2,028
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
Real Monarchs 1 0 1
Tacoma Defiance 0 0 0
RM: Tate Schmitt (Jaziel Orozco) 7’
Lineups:
Real Monarchs (3-4-2-1): Gavin Beavers, Erik Holt, Jaziel Orozco ( Zack Farnsworth,46’), Pierre Reedy, Tate Schmitt (Aziz Kayondo, 87’), Golden Mafwenta, Abokye Bikyeombe, Pedro Fonseca, Tyrone Mondi, Terron Williams (Benjamin Rodriguez, 56’), Axel Kei (Yekeson Subah, 89’)
Subs not used: Fernando Delgado, Jude Wellings, Marcelo Mondragon
Tacoma Defiance: Wallis Lapsley, Achille Robin (Travian Sousa, 60’), Abdoulaye Cissoko, Randy Mendoza (Georgi Minnoungou,75’), Cody Baker, Adolfo Ovalle (Sota Kitahara,60’), Marlon Vargas, Reed Baker-Whiting (Hal Uderitz, 60’), Dylan Teves (Valentin Sabella, 81’), Juan Alvarez, Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez
Subs not used: Joe Hafferty, Levi Bieber
Stats Summary: RM/TAC
Shots: 11/15
Shots on goal: 7/2
Saves: 2/6
Corner Kicks: 5/4
Fouls: 14/13
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
TAC: Dylan Tevez (caution) 1’
RM: Axel Kei (caution) 40’
RM: Pierre Reedy (caution) 42’
RM: Benjamin Rodriguez (ejection) 64’
TAC: Randy Mendoza (caution) 65’
TAC: Marlon Vargas (caution) 66’
RM: Erik Holt (caution) 68’
RM: Abokye Bikyeombe (caution) 78’
RM: Pedro Fonseca (caution) 90+9’
OFFICIALS:
Referee: Jordan Downs
Assistant Referees: Cephas Quartson, Carmelo Alvarez Jr.
4th Official: Brad Jensen
