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The final quarter of the Monarch’s 2021 USL Championship season begins Sunday as they host Eastern Conference side Red Bull 2 at Zions Bank Stadium. Although both teams entered the league in 2015 along with a group of other reserve teams owned or sponsored by MLS organizations, this is the first meeting between the two former USL Finals champions. Red Bull 2 were 2016 USL Finals Cup champions and also made it to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2017 and 2018. Real Monarchs SLC were 2019 USL Finals campions.
Both sides have recently struggled and are already on the verge of being eliminated from the playoffs in what might be their final USL season. Red Bulls 2 come into the match on short rest following a victory over Charleston Battery on the road last Wednesday. The Monarchs have lost there last 6 matches but are coming back home for 5 of the final 8 matches in the 2021 season.
The Monarchs need to find three victories to tie their previous low mark of seven victories in a non-pandemic year which came in their inaugural season in 2015. The Monarchs earned 29 points in the same 2015 season which has on 28 scheduled matches and will need 13 points out of the remaining 24 to reach that level an avoid another low water mark.
The return of Jeff Dewsnup in goal and Kyle Adams in the back line have provided some additional defensive options but the return of several long term loans from Real Salt Lake continues to cast doubt on the Monarchs offensive production which remains second from the bottom in USL Championship.
Tonight’s match will kick off at 7:00 PM in Herriman and be streamed live on ESPN+ and locally on the KSL TV app.
Real Monarchs current roster as of September 26th, 2021
Goalkeepers (1): Gavin Beavers, Jimmy Slayton
Defenders (5): Kyle Adams, James Moberg, Jaziel Orozco, Kevin Saucedo, Timi Sobowale
Midfielders (5): Ibrahim Bancé, Julio Benitez, Sam Brown, Brayan Gomez, Josimar Quintero,
Forwards (5): Aris Briggs, Malik Johnson, Max Mata, Charlie Wehan, Yekeson Subah