Real Monarchs has 10 days between matches, so it’s a good time for Head Coach Freddy Juarez to get an extra runout on Saturday when the Monarchs host the U.S. U-17 National Team in a scrimmage at America First Field in Sandy (10 a.m. MT).
The Monarchs are in the midst of a three-game unbeaten run that includes wins in the last two matches to elevate the club to ninth in the Western Conference at 8-11-5. Currently just one point behind Arizona United for the eighth playoff spot in the West, the Monarchs have six matches left to secure a postseason berth, so this is a good opportunity for the team to keep a rhythm and give players some tough competition to stay sharp.
“I think it’s a good opportunity for the guys who haven’t gotten a lot of minutes. Everyone gets used throughout the year and everyone will continue to get used. So we have guys that have a chance to get 70-plus minutes and you hope they respond with energy,” Juarez said. “The 17s are good and they’ll run all over the field. We hope that the mental part of it, that they’re into it and they want to prove something.”
While the Monarchs may have age and experience on the U-17 squad, Juarez knows that it is not a team to be taken lightly.
“The U.S. at this age group always puts out some pretty good talent, so we don’t expect this team to be a pushover,” Juarez said. “We feel it’s going to be a very good game for us and good soccer. They have good talent and they’ll play some dynamic football. It should be a good test for our guys.”
Included in that group is a Eden, Utah, native and RSL-Arizona product in midfielder Taylor Booth, someone RSL and the Monarchs have kept a close eye on during his development.
“He’s a good player. He’s someone that a friend of ours recommended to us a couple of years ago. We brought him into some sessions and we recommended him to the Academy,” Juarez said. “Martin (Vazquez) and Mike (Kraus) had nothing but great things to say about him. They feel he’s a special player. The club is going to be monitoring him and its good for him to go to the U17s and fight for a position.”
Kickoff in Saturday’s scrimmage is scheduled for 10 a.m. as the U.S. U-17s prepare for the upcoming 2016 Torneo Naciones de Mexico, which takes place August 22-29 in Mexico City.
