Through four games of the 2018 United Soccer League season, Real Monarchs SLC currently stands undefeated along with defending USL Cup Champion Louisville City FC with perfect records. The Monarchs have posted the best start to a season in its four-year history with a 4-0-0 record but the team isn’t bothering themselves with the pursuit of history, rather with the quest to claim three points in every match.
“It feels nice to claim the start we have,” Head Coach Mark Briggs said. “But I think we just take each game as it comes. Now our focus is on Tampa [Bay Rowdies]. It’s nice to win the first four games, but it’s not really something we’re thinking about.”
With the win against Sounders 2 on Wednesday, the Monarchs inched closer to equaling the best start to a season in the USL’s modern era. Currently, the best start to a USL season is 6-0-0, putting the Monarchs within two wins of another place in the record books.
Wednesday’s win in Tacoma also solidified another milestone for Real Monarchs midfielder Masta Kacher, who in his second start for the club notched two world-class goals on either side of halftime – including the game winner in the 65th minute.
“To be fair, it’s a big relief to score my first two goals for this club,” Kacher explained. “First of all, the injury got me outside the field for the preseason, so I’m just trying to catch the fitness and the game rhythm. And those two goals, they help a lot, but the most opportune thing today was the three points and the way the team showed.”
Through four games in 2018, last year’s USL All-League First Team Selection, Golden Boot Finalist and MVP Candidate, Chandler Hoffman, has earned his 48th and 49th regular-season goals to pick up where he left off last season. The 27-year-old striker was named Monarchs captain ahead of its season opening match against Tulsa Roughnecks FC and is now looking to reach the 50-goal mark this season.
The Monarchs next match against the Tampa Bay Rowdies is shaping up to be a marquee matchup in the USL on April 21. Playing the last match of its three-game road swing as a part of having four of its first five matches on the road, the Monarchs will look to continue its impeccable start to the season against the Rowdies in what could be a potential USL Cup bout come November. The Monarchs have already faced stiff competition to start 2018 in Tulsa, Portland, Phoenix and Seattle with the matches against Phoenix and Tampa highlighting the early goings.
The match in Tampa will provide a big test for the current western conference leaders before it opens its new home at Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman on April 30 against Las Vegas Lights FC. Tickets to April 30’s match can be purchased by calling 844.REAL.TIX.
