Real Monarchs 1 vs. 0 San Jose Earthquakes II
April 9, 2023; PayPal Park; San Jose, California
Real Monarchs (1-2-0, 3 points); San Jose Earthquakes II (2-1-0, 6 points)
Man of the Match: Terron Williams led Real Monarchs to its first victory, continually pressuring Earthquake II’s backline and making aggressive runs in behind the defense. The RSL Academy product made his way past San Jose’s defenders multiple times and fired three shots on goal. After missing his first attempt Williams recovered and netted the lone goal of the match in the 75th minute.
Telling Stats: Real Monarchs found their first win of the 2023 campaign, outplaying their opponents on both sides of the ball. The Monarchs dominated the final third outshooting San Jose 17 to 7, while the backline won 16 tackles, the most tackles recorded by the Monarchs in an MLS Next Pro match. This match marks the first time Real Monarchs have claimed victory over Earthquakes II since their very first meeting in 2022.
What You Missed: Both Real Monarchs and San Jose Earthquakes II matched each other’s energy at the start of the match. Within the first-half both teams had a combined fifteen shots on goal, nine of which came from Real Monarchs. The Monarchs pressured San Jose’s compact defense which until tonight had yet to concede a goal this season. In the 45th minute Bertin Jacqueson almost found the back of the net after he beat two defenders with pace and launched a missile from outside the box, but narrowly missed, striking the bar. Despite getting numerous shots off and creating space in the final third neither Real Monarchs or Earthquakes II were able to produce a goal before visiting the locker room. In the 58th minute San Jose believed they found the first goal of the match after a corner kick was tapped in by Alejandro Cano. Cano’s goal was ruled off seconds later due to Earthquake II’s Jerry Ayon standing offside and interfering with Fernando Delgado’s ability to make play. The Monarchs continued to play attacking football and fired three more shots on target before Terron Williams scored in the 75th minute, slotting a left footed shot past the keeper. William’s goal would prove to be the game winner giving the Real Monarchs a 1-0 victory.
What’s Next?: Real Monarchs will return home to Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman to battle Western Conference rivals Sporting Kansas City II on Friday, April 14 at 8:00 pm MT.
