Real Monarchs SLC 1 vs Saint Louis FC 1
September 12, 2018; Herriman, Utah; Zions Bank Stadium
Real Monarchs SLC (17-9-3, 54 points); Saint Louis FC (11-8-10, 43 points)
Man of the Match: Midfielder Jose Hernandez gave the Real Monarchs the goal it needed to break the three-game losing streak and walk away with a point at home. Hernandez became the 16th player this season to place one in the back of the net after putting away the low cross in from Maikel Chang for the equalizer. Hernandez completed 93% of his passes and took three shots towards goal, and the one on frame was the one that mattered for Real Monarchs.
Telling Stat: 89.1%. Real Monarchs controlled the game with its passing, ending the match with a passing accuracy of 89.1%. This argely attributed to the Monarchs game of keep away, helping to prevent Saint Louis from scoring a goal in the run of play, while keeping control of the pace and providing more chances for the Monarchs.
What You Missed: Real Monarchs midfielder Maikel Chang became the first player in the league’s modern era to reach 30 assists in his career. Chang achieved the feat with his assist to Jose Hernandez’s game-tying goal early in the second half to register his team-leading 8th assist on the year.
So What: While the draw at home against Saint Louis doesn’t quite put Real Monarchs into the playoffs just yet, it does put the team back on top as the leaders of the Western Conference, tying Orange County SC with 54 points. Real Monarchs will continue its pursuit of securing the coveted top spot in the West in a midweek game next Wednesday, when it goes on the road to battle for Western supremacy against Orange County SC. That match is set on Wednesday, September 19, in Irvine, California where kick off from Champions Soccer Stadium is set for 8:00 p.m. MT. The match up will be available live for streaming on ESPN+.
