Real Monarch’s fifth campaign in the USL Championship has come to close but its journey isn’t over just yet. Finishing 4th in a competitive Western Conference, the Monarchs begin the race for the USL Championship Trophy.
From spectacular finishes to come-from-behind victories and professional debuts, 2019 saw a lot of memorable moments for the Monarchs and the fans that helped fill the stands at Zions Bank Stadium each week. Before the Monarchs start its quest for Cup, here are just ten of the top moments that made up the regular season that helped earn its third straight Top-Four finish and consecutive playoff appearance.
1.Hat Trick Hero
On July 12, Douglas Martinez recorded the first hattrick in Real Monarch’s history in front of nearly 2,000 fans at Zions Bank Stadium. Martinez tallied his first in the 36th minute with a rifled volley into the side of the net before picking up the brace in the second half at the 67th minute when he cleaned up a blocked attempt with one touch. The Honduran International completed the hattrick when he was given space to again put a rocket with one touch in his three-goal contribution to the 5-0 win over Tacoma Defiance. The performance certainly did not go unnoticed, as Martinez earned the USL Championship Player of the Week accolade for Week 19.
2.Taking on the West
Near the end of the season, the Monarchs started finding its stride and took on top teams in the Western Conference, some of which had already clinched a playoff spot at the time. No match-up was more dramatic and exciting than the 2-1 win over 2019 Regular Season winners, Phoenix Rising FC on October 12th. After packing in deep and putting a stop to the Rising FC attack, the penalty conversion from Maikel Chang and the stoppage-time winner from Kyle Coffee secured a massive three points, the Four-Corners Cup for the Wasatch Legion, and served Phoenix its first home loss of the year.
3.A Shining Academy
The Real Salt Lake Academy shone through the Real Monarchs in the 2019 season, as a variety of Academy products featured on the pitch. DF Steve Jasso and MF Jordan Pena each signed to Real Monarchs straight from the academy, combining for 26 appearances and 1,585 played. GK David Ochoa, MF Julian Vazquez, and FW Luis Arriaga all of whom signed to Real Salt Lake from the Academy also featured heavily for the Monarchs combining for 3,013 minutes. FW Damian German and FW Tate Schmitt were RSL Alumni’s that returned from college careers 14 1271. Overall the Academy combined for 5,869 minutes on the field.
4.First Time Debuts
With a young cast on the field, there were plenty of professional debuts. Jordan Pena and Steve Jasso each made their debuts on March 23rd against LA Galaxy II while Kyle Coffee and Luis Arriaga made their professional debuts in April. Pena started the match and played the full 90 minutes and Jasso came in as a substitution at the 82nd minute. Coffee subbed in at the 59th minute against Reno 1868 FC on April 6th and Arriaga subbed in at the 84th minute in the 3-2 loss against Austin Bold FC on April 26th. The four went on to provide a meaningful presence on the field combining for seven goals and five assists in 3,600 minutes.
5.You Never Forget Your First
Along with the slew of professional debuts, Real Monarchs saw its fair share of first-time professional goals as well. Steve Jasso scored his first within minutes of him subbing into the contest against LA Galaxy II, adding his mark to the dominating lead. Kyle Coffee provided the Monarchs three points behind his diving header late against San Antonio FC on April 20th. Tate Schmitt found his first professional goal off a left-footed volley in April against Austin Bold FC. Damian German followed suit with a headed game-winning goal late in the game to provide the Monarchs with a win over Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. Finally, Julian Vazquez found a quick goal in the 5th minute against Austin Bold FC, sliding a shot into the far post and out of reach of the goalkeeper.
6.Konrad Rides His Bike
Get yourself a defender that can do it all. In first-half stoppage time against OKC Energy FC on August 30th, Konrad Plewa showed that he was capable of being one of those defenders with a picture-perfect bicycle kick that found the back of the net. The athletic ability shown by the 6’3” defender earned him nominations as a contender for not just Goal of the Week but for Goal of the Month as well.
7.Lucky Dog
Real Monarchs hosted not one, but two Pups at the Pitch nights in the 2019 season. The first was in early June where the Monarchs controlled a commanding 5-3 victory over Rio Grande Valley, while the second was on August 2nd in a match that saw Damian German steal the victory in the dying moments. Paired with the lone 2018 Pups at the Pitch night where the Monarchs earned an emphatic 4-0 victory against LA Galaxy II, the Monarchs remain undefeated when our furry friends are on the sidelines with a record of 3-0-0.
8.The International Stage
Goalkeeper David Ochoa and Forward Douglas Martinez represented club and country on the international stage over the summer, helping lead their teams to success. Ochoa was featured on the USMNT U-20 team in the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup, making two appearances for the Stars and Stripes, earning one shut out before the US bowed out of the competition. Martinez featured for the Honduran U-23 side, helping lift his side to the Silver medal in the Pan American Games after earning a spot in the Olympic qualifiers behind three goals – including one in a shootout against Mexico.
9.The Douglas Martinez Show
After recording the first-ever hattrick in club history against Tacoma, Douglas Martinez went on to set another Real Monarchs record as he became the first Monarchs player to score four goals in a single game. Martinez found a brace in the first half and followed it with another two goals in the second 45 in the 5-1 win over Portland Timbers 2 on September 14. The performance provided Martinez with another spot the USL Team of the Week as he broke the Monarchs record set by himself against Tacoma Defiance.
10.Top 3 in the 20 under 20
The young 18-year-old Goalkeeper David Ochoa made his mark and turned heads in the 2019 USL Championship season. The United Soccer League recognized the exemplary performances from Ochoa by naming him in the Top 3 of the USL 20 Under 20. Throughout the year, Ochoa landed on the USL Team of the Week on three separate occasions, featured the United States on a world stage, and earned four clean sheets with 54 saves in league play.
Of course, there are plenty of other moments to choose from – both on and off the field – that would be worth mentioning as well. Let us know what your favorite moments of the Monarchs season were and come support Real Monarchs as it enters the Western Conference Quarterfinals of the 2019 USL Championship Playoffs on October 26. Tickets to Saturday’s contest can be purchased atRealMonarchs.com or by calling 844.REAL.TIX.
