Monarchs unable to find a goal in 0-0 draw against Orange County SC.

Head Coach Mark Briggs elected to add Danny Cruz, Juan Ignacio Mare and Diego Calvo, his three newest signings, to the starting lineup in what appeared to be a chance for Chandler Hoffman and Charlie Adams to get some rest prior to the hard trip through Sacramento and Reno next week. In addition, Taylor Peay started out at right full back to allow Emilio Orozco space in the center.

From the start the Monarchs controlled the pace of the game and generated the bulk of the offensive chances. Few high quality chances were created early, but the Monarchs continued to take their opportunities and created a number of shots on goal.

Orange County consistently played with a full 8 defenders behind the ball in two lines of four and remained content to let the Monarchs control the bulk of the possession outside of their defensive third.

The heat map from this week shows the Monarch’s main line of possession was clearly across the center line and into the OC side.

USLSoccer.org and OPTA

While the one from last week shows the main line of possession much further back at the midfield portion of the Monarchs side of the filed (NOTE: The Monarchs are on the right against Phoenix last seek and on the left this week against Orange County.)

USLSoccer.org and OPTA

In the end, however, despite holding 65.7% of the possession and creating 21 shots of which 7 were on goal, the Monarchs were unable to find the back of the net. Charlie Lyon and a packed Orange Country defense did enough to walk out of the stadium with a point on the road.

Discipline

Yellow Cards

23’ – SLC – Taylor Peay

45+2’ – SLC – Danny Cruz

59’ – OC – Carlos Alvarez

90+3’ – OC – Oscar Sorto

Real Monarchs SLC: (4-2-3-1) Sparrow; Peay, Moberg, Orozco, Lachowecki; Calvo (Adams 62’), Besler; Cruz, Velasquez, Haber (Minter 78’); Mare (Hoffman 61’)

Phoenix Rising FC: (4-2-3-1): Lyon; Sorto, Fernandes, Hume, Ocegueda; Olijve, Pineda; van Ewijk, Baxendale (Alvarez 57’), Kobayashi (Pacheco 57’); Parra (Villalobos 71’)

Three Highlights for the Monarchs:

1. Connor Sparrow picked up his seventh clean sheet.
2. The attacking side of the Monarchs will be well rested going into the crucial two game road swing next week. .
3. The Monarchs showed great signs of live and continued to display effort and heart on the offensive side in the face of a compact Orange County defense.

MEDIA

USLSOCCER.COM: Monarchs Held by Obstinate Orange County