April 9, 2023 – MLS NEXT Pro (MLS NEXT Pro) – Real Monarchs News Release
SAN JOSE, California – Real Monarchs (1-2-0, 3 points) won its first match of the young season, defeating the San Jose Earthquakes 1-0 at PayPal Park, denting the hosts for its first conceded goal of 2023.
On the heels of a 5-0 loss last week in Tacoma, Jamison Olave’s Monarchs side began the match with intended sharpness, controlling the tempo in the first half and creating a majority of the scoring opportunities. San Jose responded to the early intensity, testing teenage Monarchs goalkeeper Fernando Delgado often, forcing the Mexican youth international to make a diving save in the 16th minute. In the 19th minute, the Monarchs broke into the attacking third with a chance to score first, but Terron Williams’ shot was deflected wide.
Monarchs veteran Tyrone Mondi teed up a volley intended for the far post in the 25th minute, but his shot sailed wide of the target. The two teams continued through the remainder of the first half exchanging chances at goal, and it seemed as if Bertin Jacquesson had broken the deadlock in the first minute of stoppage time but his shot smacked off the crossbar and the score stayed even 0-0 going into the break.
Coming out of the changing rooms, neither team seemed to drop from the high pace established in the first half. Midfielder Griffin Dillon gave the Monarchs another shot in the 53rd minute, ripping one from 20 yards out, but the ball narrowly missed, rolling just a few inches wide of the post. Five minutes later, the Earthquakes looked to draw first blood when Alejandro Cano tapped the ball in off a corner, but the goal was waved off after a San Jose player was ruled to be in an offside position and interfered with Delgado prior to the shot.
The Monarchs defense kept the San Jose attack honest, with Nicholas Nobles coming up with a huge goal line clearance after Delgado came off his line in the 70th, preventing what appeared to be a sure goal for the home side. Finally, in the 75th minute, Williams took advantage of some generous space inside the box and curled a left-footed shot past an outstretched Eric De La Cerda for the 1-0 lead. Williams’ efforts marked the first time this season that a Monarchs player featured on the scoresheet and the first player to score against San Jose.
With the lead in hand, the Monarchs maintained control for the remaining 15 minutes, extinguishing any and all desperate opportunities in the final minutes from the…
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