Real Monarchs drop 3-1 to Timbers 2 on the road

Real Monarchs dropped 3-1 to a domineering Portland Timbers 2 side on Sunday night, giving up three goals by the 60th minute and looking just like a team of recent professional debutants — which, of course, is accurate.

Portland's opener came around the 30-minute mark, with Kharlton Belmar finishing a cross past debuting goalkeeper Victor Rodriguez. Nelmar scored the second of the night, putting T2 up 2-0 in the 54th minute when Rodriguez took a loose touch on the edge of his box. The striker's finish was a simple one.

Some poor marking on a cross led to a goal from Rundell Winchester, on loan with T2, who finished another cross past Rodriguez only after Portland went up 2-0.

Coco Navarro scored his first professional goal — and the only one from Monarchs on the night — in the 60th minute when a defender slipped on the ball, setting up the former academy player for a simple but effective finish.

A handful of absences allowed the only Real Monarchs-exclusive lineup: RSL's Ovalle was away with RSL-AZ academy at Dallas Cup; Emery Welshman on international duty with Guyana; and Lalo Fernandez, regular first-choice goalkeeper, was on backup duty in Salt Lake City, with Nick Rimando absent with the United States Men's National Team.