HERRIMAN, Utah (May 13, 2022) – Real Monarchs (0-4-2, 2 points, 11th in West) travel to Pacific Northwest to face Tacoma Defiance (2-2-3, 11 points, 6th in West) in what will be a rematch of the season opener at Starfire Sports Complex on Sunday, May 15 with kickoff set for 8:00 p.m. MT.
Sunday’s match, as well as all Real Monarchs matches this season, will be streamed live via www.MLSnextPro.com.
Real Monarchs vs Tacoma Defiance
Starfire Sports Complex; Tukwila, Washington
Sunday, May 15 at 8:00 p.m. MT
Game Notes for Sunday’s RM vs TAC game Available Online
The Adobe PDF version of the 2022 MLS NEXT Pro Game Guide in advance of Sunday’s contest between Real Monarchs and Tacoma Defiance can be found here. Media members looking to receive the document as an attachment or have further questions are asked to please contact Meg Van Dyk in RSL Communications via email at meg.vandyk@rsl.com
2022 Records: Real Monarchs (0-4-2, 2 points); Tacoma Defiance (2-2-3, 11 points)
Head-to-Head: The clubs most recently faced one another in their inaugural match of MLS NEXT Pro where Real Monarchs fielded an academy-heavy squad and fell 4-0 to a more experienced Tacoma Defiance side. Prior to joining MLS NEXT Pro, Real Monarchs and Tacoma Defiance each competed in the USL Championship. Since its 2015 inception, Real Monarchs earned a dominant record against the team from Seattle, posting a 9-2-2 (W-L-T) all-time record against the side. Last summer, the clubs played to a 1-1 draw, with a Monarchs goal from Malik Johnson on June 23, 2021, in what would become the final USL Championship meeting between the two teams.
MONEY MONDI
Midfielder Tyrone Mondi arrived on the scene last week against Sporting Kansas City II, scoring a brace and his first goals of the season. Beginning the season sidelined due to injury, Mondi has been on an offensive tear in his first three appearances rising to second in goals and shots for the Monarchs. He has also made it a point to set up his teammates as he is now second in key passes with five behind captain Pedro Fonseca. While at Oregon State, the South African native scored 10 goals in his two seasons with the Beavers, earning 2021 PAC-12 Offensive Player of the Year and All-PAC-12 First Team honors.
THE RED, WHITE AND BLUE
RSL Homegrown Jude Wellings is the latest Monarchs player to receive a call-up to the U.S. Youth National Team ranks, representing the U-17’s in Portugal as part of the UEFA Development tournament. Wellings featured in all three matches for the Red, White, and Blue playing 20 minutes in the United States’ 3-0 win over Belgium and 1-0 loss to Italy, while starting and playing all 90 minutes in its 2-1 win over Portugal.
Goalkeeper Gavin Beavers and defender Luis Rivera also have recently returned from international duty, representing the Stars-and-Stripes in their respective age groups. Beavers in his first national team call-up was in Carson, California as part of newly appointed Head Coach Marko Mitrovic’s U-19 Youth National Team training camp. Meanwhile Rivera was a mainstay in the U.S’s U-15 side during the Torneo delle Nazioni in Italy, starting and playing all 90 minutes in three matches for the U.S.
WELCOME BENJAMIN
Real Monarchs have recently signed Uruguayan forward Benjamin Rodriguez from Defensor Sporting. The 19-year old was a mainstay in the youth ranks for the Uruguayan Premier League club, helping lead the U-16 side to a Uruguayan Championship while also appearing in the Club’s U-17 and U-19 ranks. Rodriguez was the last of three signings made by the Monarchs in the past two weeks, joining defenders Golden Mafwenta and Aziz Kayondo. Mafwenta has started at center back in two matches since signing with the Club, while Kayondo made his first start of the season last week against Sporting KC II during which he had three shots in 76 minutes.
RACE FOR THE GOLDEN BOOT
Sunday’s match between Tacoma Defiance and Real Monarchs will feature two of the most prolific scorers in MLS NEXT Pro, so far this season, in Tacoma’s Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez and Real Monarchs’ Pedro Fonseca. Ocampo-Chavez is currently in the lead in MLS NEXT Pro’s inaugural golden boot race with six goals, including a brace in the clubs’ first match of the season, while Fonseca is tied for third with four goals. Additionally, Fonseca had a stretch of three-consecutive games on the score sheet, including a brace of his own in the Monarchs’ home-opener against Whitecaps FC 2.
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
After beginning the season with three of their first five matches at home, Sunday’s match against Tacoma Defiance will round out a two-game road swing for the Monarchs. This will be the first of three instances throughout the 2022 season where Real Monarchs will have back-to-back road games. The others will come in June when the Monarchs travel to face Whitecaps FC 2 on June 5 before crossing the Rocky Mountains to face Colorado Rapids 2 on June 12. Additionally, in August the Club will visit North Texas SC on August 12 before facing Minnesota United FC 2 for the second time this season on August 21.
