Monarchs open season with 1-0 loss in San Antonio

The 2020 Monarchs came out in their new static inspired white away uniforms with a traditional RSL heavy line up. RSL’s new signings Alvin Jones and Ashtone Morgan joined Taylor Peay and Erik Holt in the backline with Luke Mulholland just in front of them to clog the center. Arturo Rodriquez, Sam Brown and Noah Powder took the center with Kyle Coffee and Milan Iloski up top. David Ochoa got the first start in goal.

The first twenty minutes were basically a defensive pinball match for the Monarchs. There were at least two good chances for San Antonio including a nice ball off the far post, but the Monarchs failed to make any headway across midfield. Sam Brown went down after a hard challenge and was replaced by Julian Vazquez in the 39th minute. As the first half was ending play evened out a bit, but both sides left the field at half time with two yellow cards and nothing else of note.

The second half started identical to the first with San Antonio on the front foot and creating chances. Jack Blake came in at the 57th minute in place of Coffee shifting Rodriguez further forward. Play was beginning to even up a bit but ended quickly after Morgan was lucky to receive only a yellow in the 67th minute after a really bad takedown. Just over a minute later San Antonio took the lead when Callum Montgomery, who spent last season playing for North Texas FC like Arturo Rodriguez, redirected a nice low cross across goal from Luis Solignac.

As time began to wind down Damian German replaced Rodriquez in the 80th minute in another attempt to find consistency on the offensive side and pull back a late goal but the Monarchs continued to struggle to find any connection and continued to pick up yellow cards on poor tackles. A second yellow to Noah Powder just as stoppage time began put an emphatic end to the match and stop all forward movement by the Monarchs.

Real Monarchs SLC return to Herriman for their home opener against Phoenix Rising at 3 PM this Saturday.