Real Monarchs Finish Season with 2-1 Win Over Colorado Rapids 2

September 18, 2022 – MLS NEXT Pro (MLS NEXT Pro) – Real Monarchs News Release

Herriman, Utah – Real Monarchs (6-14-4 20 points) finished out the 2022 MLS NEXT Pro season with a 2-1 victory over Colorado Rapids 2 at Zions Bank Stadium. This year’s leading Monarchs scorers, Tyrone Mondi and Pedro Fonseca, netted goals on either side of the halftime break to help secure the team’s sixth-consecutive win at home. Despite a difficult start to the season, Real Monarchs finished the year unbeaten in 10 of its last 13 matches across all competitions.

In the final match of the inaugural MLS NEXT Pro season, Real Monarchs started out on the front foot, scoring in the eighth minute when midfielder Tyrone Mondi stole the ball from a Rapids 2 player near midfield before driving a ball from 40 yards out, tucking into just inside the left post to open the scoring.

The Monarchs nearly doubled its score in the 12th minute when RSL Homegrown Bode Hidalgo drove down the right sideline and hit a bouncing ball into fellow RSL Homegrown Axel Kei. Kei fired a rocket directly at Colorado goalkeeper Abe Rodriguez who made the point blank save.

Coming out of the halftime break, Colorado found the equalizer early, scoring in the 56th minute on a break away from Darren Yapi. Real Monarchs came back swinging shortly after with another opportunity when early substitute Pierre Reedy played a through ball to Kei. Kei attempted to beat Rodriguez near post with a quick toe-poke, but his shot was wrapped up by the ‘keeper.

The Monarchs finally found the go-ahead goal in the 86th minute with Hidalgo hitting a low cross to Fonseca who slotted the ball perfectly into the bottom-left corner for the 2-1 lead. The Club was able to see out the rest of the match, finishing the 2022 season with six consecutive victories at home.

UP NEXT: Real Monarchs will now move into its offseason program to prepare for its second season in MLS NEXT Pro.

GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN:

RM: Tyrone Mondi 8th Minute: After stealing the ball from a Rapids 2 player at midfield, Mondi caught Rodriguez off his line and rocketed a shot from almost 40 yards away into the bottom-left corner for the 1-0 lead.

COL: Darren Yapi (Maclovio Swett) 56th Minute: On a through ball from Swett, Yapi made a solo run through the center of the pitch, maneuvering through the Monarchs backline and past goalkeeper Tomas Gomez before hitting a slow dribbler over the line to tie the score at one.

RM: Pedro Fonseca (Bode Hidalgo) 86th Minute: Holding…