Real Monarchs 0 vs. 4 Whitecaps FC 2
June 5, 2022; Swangard Stadium; Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
Real Monarchs (0-8-2, 2 points); Whitecaps FC 2 (5-2-4, 21 points)
Man of the Match: Making his MLS NEXT Pro debut just a day after his MLS debut, midfielder Diego Luna was a spark for Real Monarchs throughout the match. Luna’s speed and tight touches allowed him to push through and test the Whitecaps FC 2 defense on multiple occasions. Late in the second half, Luna broke away from the WFC2 defense on the left side and sent a ball into the middle of the box for a near assist, but was unable to find any fellow Monarchs.
Telling Stat: With the debuts of defender Erik Holt and Luna, Real Monarchs have fielded 32 different players in their inaugural season in MLS NEXT Pro. Injuries, call-ups to the first team, and academy tournaments have forced Head Coach Jameson Olave and the Monarchs to move players around into different positions throughout the 2022 campaign.
What You Missed: After an early red card was shown to defender Golden Mafwenta, Real Monarchs were held scoreless as they fell 4-0 to Whitecaps FC 2. Luna and Holt made their MLS NEXT Pro debuts while midfielder Julio Benitez and forward Terron Williams made their returns to the Monarchs from injury.
What’s Next:Real Monarchs will finish its two-match road swing on Sunday, June 12 at 7:00 p.m. MT as the Club takes on Rocky Mountain rivals Colorado Rapids 2. The Monarchs will then return to Zions Bank Stadium to face San Jose Earthquakes II on Friday, June 17 at 7:00 p.m. MT for Star Wars night. Tickets can be purchased at rsl.com/monarchs/tickets/.
