Real Monarchs SLC 0-2 Tampa Bay Rowdies
April 21, 2018; St. Petersburg, Florida; Al Lang Stadium
Real Monarchs SLC (4-1-0, 12 points); Tampa Bay Rowdies (4-2-0, 12 points)
Man of the Match:
Making his professional debut against the Rowdies was Real Salt Lake Academy goalkeeper David Ochoa who started the match and played the full 90 minutes for the Monarchs. Making one save in three shots faced, Ochoa did well to break up numerous Rowdies attacks outside of his own penalty area in his debut.
Telling Stat: Despite falling to the Rowdies, the Monarchs held 51% of the possession in the match, in a venue that the Rowdies typically dominate opponents on the scoreboard and in possession of the ball. The Monarchs controlled the time on the ball to show that even on the road in a raucous environment, the club can stay calm and collected to dictate the pace of a match.
What You Missed: The loss in Florida saw the Monarchs drop its first result of the 2018 season in what was the league’s marquee matchup in Week 6. The match was the first ever visit to an Eastern Conference opponent in the club’s short four-year history while the match was also the club’s lone trip to an Eastern Conference opponent in 2018.
So What: After witnessing its first loss of the season against Tampa Bay, the Monarchs remain one of the top teams in the United Soccer League with a 4-1-0 (12 points) record and currently sit in third place in the Western Conference. The club has taken nine total points from a possible 12 in its first four road matches to start 2018. The Monarchs now see four straight home matches at the new 5,000 seat Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, beginning with the inaugural match against Las Vegas Lights FC on April 30 where kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. MT.
