For the second time this season, the Real Monarchs have a player representing the club as the USL Player of the Week. Ricardo Velazco accomplished the feat after a two-goal performance against Vancouver Whitecaps FC II back in May and now Lalo Fernandez became the second when his eight-save shutout against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Sunday helped the Monarchs to a 1-0 win.
With still one more match on Wednesday before the Monarchs return to Rio Tinto Stadium for the first time since April – after spending the last 11 matches away from the club’s home venue – the Monarchs are 5-7-4 with a chance to climb the standings when the USL club can finally develop a rhythm with a stretch of home matches that will really start to pick up when the calendar turns to August and the Monarchs play six out of seven matches at home from August 8-September 14.
Fernandez, on loan from Real Salt Lake, has played 14 matches with the Monarchs this season, posting a 1.14 goals against average to go with four shutouts and a 4-7-3 record. It’s the second time this season that he has made five or more saves to earn a shutout on the road, the first coming when he made five stops to stake Vancouver Whitecaps FC to its first loss of the season in a 1-0 Monarchs victory on June 4.
The product of the RSL-Arizona Academy has now played 32 matches with the Monarchs over the last two seasons, posting a 9-15-8 record with eight shutouts and a 1.40 goals against average.
