COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (Wednesday, September 8, 2021) – Real Monarchs (4-13-4, 16 points) fell 2-0 to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC at Weidner Field.
The first half was tightly-contested throughout, with neither side yet putting its stamp on the match. In the 32nd minute of the match, Monarchs midfielder Malik Johnson tapped into his blazing speed to beat the defense on a counter before being pulled back by a defender to stop the run. Forward Max Mata took the ensuing free kick and fired the ball in the direction of the top-right corner, but his shot was saved by the goalkeeper. Colorado Springs saw its best chance of the half in the 45th minute with Deshane Beckford slipping past the defense inside the box, but his point-blank opportunity was erased by Jeff Dewsnup and the sides remained scoreless into the break.
Switchbacks FC found the breakthrough goal in the 57th minute when Hadji Barry found himself with one defender to beat and buried a curling, right-footed shot into the right side of goal to give the home side the 1-0 lead. Eight minutes later, Switchbacks FC looped a corner kick into the box that was cleared up and away by the Monarchs defense, but the ball fell perfectly to the left foot of Jose Torres, who rocketed the one-time volley past the goalkeeper to double the lead for Colorado Springs. The Monarchs carved out a chance to cut the lead in half in the 84th minute when Johnson found Ibrahim Bancé open inside the box, but his shot missed wide and the match ended 2-0 in favor of Colorado Springs. UP NEXT: The Real Monarchs return home for the first time in over a month to host San Antonio FC at Zions Bank Stadium on Saturday, September 11 at 7:00 p.m. MT. The match can be streamed on ESPN+ and locally on the KSL TV app.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN:
COS: Hadji Barry (Deshane Beckford), 57th minute: Deshane Beckford picked the pocket of Sam Brown just outside the 18-yard box and found Hadji Barry with one defender to beat. Barry spun the defender with a cut to his right, froze the goalkeeper with a hesitation step and then buried the right-footed curling shot into the back of the net.
COS: Jose Torres, 65th minute: Switchbacks FC earned a corner kick in the 65th minute and Sebastian Anderson sent a looping ball into the box. Kyle Adams cleared it up and away with a header, but before the ball could land, midfielder Jose Torres caught it with his left foot to rocket a one-time volley from distance into the bottom right corner of the net.
NOTES:
- The Monarchs have spent the past four matches on the road, a trip that began with the team’s first victory away from home, and will now return to Zions Bank Stadium this weekend for the first time in 38 days.
- Monarchs forward Charlie Wehan missed his third-consecutive match to injury, while midfielder Brayan Gomez missed his sixth-consecutive match.
Match: Real Monarchs vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
Date: September 8, 2021
Venue: Weidner Field; Colorado Springs, Colorado
Weather: Mostly sunny and 83 degrees
Attendance: 4,792
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
Real Monarchs 0 0 0
Switchbacks FC 0 2 2
COS: Hadji Barry (Deshane Beckford) 57’
COS: Jose Torres 65’
Lineups:
Real Monarchs (4-2-3-1): Jeff Dewsnup; Kevin Saucedo, Kyle Adams, Jaziel Orozco, Bret Halsey (Frankie Martinez 75’); Julio Benitez (Ibrahim Bancé 75’), Sam Brown; Malik Johnson, Josimar Quintero (Esequiel Coronel 75’), Seth Powder (Haroun Conteh 75’); Max Mata
Subs not used: Jimmy Slayton, Daniel Flores, Christian Nydegger
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (4-3-3): Sean Melvin; Matthew Mahoney, Jimmy Ockford, Michael Edwards, Sebastian Anderson; Andre Lewis, Jose Torres, Phillip Mayaka (Beverly Makangila 74’); Deshane Beckford (Matthew Hundley 83’), Hadji Barry (Jordan Burt 83’), Dantouma Toure (Steven Echeverria 63’)
Subs not used: Abraham Rodriguez, Rony Argueta
STATS SUMMARY: COS / SLC
Shots: 14 / 8
Shots on Goal: 4 / 2
Saves: 2 / 2
Corner Kicks: 6 / 2
Fouls: 15 / 11
Offside: 5 / 1
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
COS - Sebastian Anderson (caution) - 39’
SLC - Joel Delass, Assistant Coach (caution) - 59’
SLC - Jaziel Orozco (caution) - 88’
OFFICIALS:
Referee: Ricardo Fierro
Assistant Referees: Truman Berghall, Charles Rupert
4th Official: Laura Rodriguez
