Sandy, UT (Saturday, May 20, 2017) – FW Chandler Hoffman and MF Sebastian Velasquez led the attacking explosion with two goals each, as Real Monarchs (8-1-0, 24 points, 2nd West) avenged the club’s lone loss of the season with a 5-2 home win against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC at Rio Tinto Stadium. Velasquez and Hoffman opened the offensive floodgates in the second half, combining for three goals in a six-minute span to spark the come-from-behind win, the third-year club's fifth consecutive victory.
With the five-goal outburst, HC Mark Briggs ’ side remains the highest-scoring offense in the league with 25 total goals through nine matches, while the five-goal output matches the club’s record set in early April during a 5-3 win over visiting Reno 1868.
Colorado Springs opened its account first, when the Monarchs conceded a penalty kick on a 24th-minute handball in the box. Monarchs GK Connor Sparrow – making his fourth consecutive start and entering the game with a 224-minute shutout streak – stopped Aaron King’s kick from the spot, but Switchbacks MF Josh Suggs tucked home the rebound from seven yards out.
Real Monarchs quickly equalized just five minutes later through an exquisite piece of play down the left side. After combinations in midfield, MF Daniel Haber set up Hoffman on a platter just seven yards away from Moise Pouaty’s goal. Though the Switchbacks FC goalkeeper got a hand to it, the ball trickled past the line.
Velasquez began the second half scoring surge in the 51st minute. DF James Moberg played in the dynamic playmaker with a 40-yard diagonal ball into the box. Velasquez beat Jordan Burt to the end line, striking from a sharp angle to the far post.
The Haber-to-Hoffman connection proved fruitful once again in the 54th minute. For Hoffman’s second tally, the forward was unmarked in the middle of the goal box for an easy tap-in after Haber’s magic unlocked the defense.
With the Switchbacks defense shellshocked, Velasquez notched his second off a turnover at the top of the 18. Seba dispossessed Pascal Eboussi and finished past a diving Pouaty with a scoring left-footed blast. With matching tallies, Hoffman and Velasquez stay tied atop the club’s scoring race with six goals apiece.
DF Michael Gallagher reduced the Monarchs to 10 men in the 63rd minute. The defender was given his second yellow card for nullifying a breakaway by former RMSLC man Kevaughn Frater in front of the Colorado Springs bench.
Still, the Monarchs scored their fifth and final goal with a short-handed effort. Haber capped his two-assist birthday with a late goal, as the Canadian’s right-footed shot from outside the box ricocheted off a defender into the top left corner in the 83rdminute.
With the game in hand, Frater ended the five-goal run with a header past Sparrow in the 87th minute.
The Claret-and-Cobalt USL sideused all three substitutions. First-team regular DF Tony Beltran started and played the first half in a rehab stint. Beltran had been sidelined with a back injury since March. DF Kyle Curinga took over for the RSL veteran in the second half. Salt Lake City native DF Taylor Peay replaced Hoffman in the 68th minute, while MF Jonel Desiré came in for Haber in the 84th minute.
UP NEXT: The Monarchs will be on the road next Sunday, May 28 at Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 (4:00 p.m. MT, Sunday). Real beat Vancouver the last time they ventured to Canada, earning a 1-0 stoppage time victory through Amass Amonkona on June 4, 2016.
GOAL-SCORING RUNDOWN:
COS -- Josh Suggs, 25th minute: Josh Suggs smashed home the rebound for eight yards out after Monarchs goalkeeper Connor Sparrow denied Aaron King’s penalty kick. RM’s Michael Gallagher conceded the spot kick on a handball.
RM -- Chandler Hoffman (Daniel Haber), 30th minute: Chandler Hoffman finished a sublime piece of play down the left side. Daniel Haber served the opportunity on a platter and Hoffman finished with a left-footed strike from seven yards away, powering it past Moise Pouaty.
RM -- Sebastian Velasquez (James Moberg), 51st minute: James Moberg spotted Sebastian Velasquez open on a big switch from inside the Monarchs half. The flashy playmaker controlled the 40-yard diagonal, beat Jordan Burt inside the penalty area and finished to the far post past Pouaty.
RM -- Chandler Hoffman (Daniel Haber), 54th minute: The Haber-to-Hoffman connection was fruitful once again and from nearly identical areas. This time the provider was inside the box, but his service on the ground once again found the finisher open for a tap in inside the goal box.
RM -- Sebastian Velasquez, 57th minute: The Switchbacks defense was shellshocked after conceding two goals just three minutes apart and couldn’t clear their lines at the top of the box. Sebastian Velasquez dispossessed Pascal Eboussi and finished past a diving Pouaty.
RM -- Daniel Haber (Andrew Brody), 83rd minute: Daniel Haber’s right footed shot from outside the box ricocheted off a defender into the top left corner.
COS -- Kevaughn Frater (Masta Kacher), 87th minute: Masta Kacher’s cross from the left side met a rising Kevaughn Frater in the center of the box. Sparrow was beaten to the left corner.
KEY SAVES AND DEFENSIVE STOPS:
RM -- Connor Sparrow, 22nd minute:The hero in this year’s earlier meeting Masta Kacher ripped one from 30 yards out against, but Connor Sparrow followed the fluttering strike into his paws.
COS -- Moise Pouaty, 36th minute: Chandler Hoffman nearly doubled his tally from the same spot. This time Sebastian Velasquez turned into the provider, but Moise Pouaty did enough to fight it off and clear the danger.
COS -- Moise Pouaty, 62nd minute: Max Lachowecki’s left footed shot from outside the box forced Pouaty into his best save of the night down to his right.
NOTES:
- Real Monarchs are now 3-5-1 in USL play against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC.
- RSL first team regular Tony Beltran went 45 minutes in a rehab stint with the USL side. The veteran had been sidelined with a back injury since March.
- With matching tallies, Hoffman and Velasquez stay tied atop the club’s scoring race with six goals apiece.
- The Monarchs are now winners of five straight, a streak begun on April 22.
- With the strike in the 25th minute, Switchbacks FC ended the Monarchs’ shutout streak at 249 minutes.
- The Claret-and-Cobalt USL side has scored multiple goals in every game this season, except the 1-2 defeat at Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on April 15.
- Captain Nick Besler, DF James Moberg and DF Max Lachowecki have played every one of the Monarchs’ 810 minutes thus far in 2017.
Match: Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC at Real Monarchs
Date: May 20, 2017
Venue: Rio Tinto Stadium; Sandy, Utah
Attendance: 2,209
Weather: 69 degrees and sunny
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
Real Monarchs 1 4 5
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC 1 1 2
Lineups:
Real Monarchs (4-2-3-1): Connor Sparrow; Max Lachowecki, Michael Gallagher, James Moberg, Tony Beltran (Kyle Curinga 45’); Nick Besler, Charlie Adams; Daniel Haber (Jonel Desire 84’), Sebastian Velasquez, Andrew Brody; Chandler Hoffman (Taylor Peay 68’)
Subs not used: Lalo Fernandez, Karsten Hanlin, Emmanuel Ocran, Skyler Milne
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC: (4-3-3): Moise Pouaty; Josh Suggs, Josh Phillips, Pascal
Eboussi (Conner Bevans 73’), Jordan Burt; Eddy Prugh, Rony Argueta, Ricardo Perez; Masta Kacher, Aaron King (Sean McFarlane 63’), Shane Malcolm (Kevaughn Frater 58’)
Subs not used: Dan Jackson, Taeseong Kim
Stats Summary: RM / COS
Shots: 12 / 11
Shots on Goal: 8 / 4
Saves: 2 / 3
Corner Kicks: 5 / 2
Fouls: 6 / 20
Offside: 1 / 2
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
RM -- Michael Gallagher (Caution) - 24’
RM -- Michael Gallagher (Second Yellow) - 63’
COS -- Jordan Burt (Caution) - 72’
OFFICIALS:
Referee: Joseph Dickerson
Assistant Referees: Daniel Spicer-Escalante, Kristi Mark
4th Official: Brad Jensen
