March 17, 2024 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Monterey Bay FC News Release
SEASIDE, California – Monterey Bay F.C. (1-0-1, 4 points) defeated the defending USL Championship Title-Winners Phoenix Rising FC (0-2-0, 0 points) with a shutout, 1-0 victory in the 2024 home opener at Cardinale Stadium in Seaside. After Adrian Rebollar intercepted a pass inside the visitors’ box in the 22nd minute, Rafa Baca buried the game-winning goal with his left foot to help see Monterey Bay to victory.
Monterey Bay brought the energy right at kick off, pushing down the right side with Chuy Enríquez and immediately earning a corner kick less than a minute into the match, but the Phoenix defense held firm to deny a good look at goal. In the 14th minute, Rebollar was played into space near the right corner flag and crossed a dangerous ball into the box with Luther Archimède, Alex Dixon, and Mobi Fehr all making runs, but it was cleared away by a visiting defender with a last-ditch effort. Monterey Bay took the lead in the 22nd minute of the match when Rebollar intercepted a pass inside the Phoenix 18-yard box. Rebollar immediately played the ball over to Baca, who settled it with his right before smashing it into the back of the net with his left to give the Crisp-and-Kelp the 1-0 lead. Still applying pressure on the Rising FC goal, Dixon fired a shot from just outside the box in the 33rd minute, but it was saved by the goalkeeper back into play. From there, Rebollar managed to fire a shot of his own, but it was blocked by a defender. With the high press continuing to pay off for the Union, Archimède intercepted a pass near the Phoenix box in the 35th minute, but the ensuing shot by Rebollar was saved. Just before the end of the half, Enríquez managed to cross a ball into the box from the endline that found Dixon, but his header missed just over the bar and the first half came to a close shortly after.
Less than a minute into the second half, the Crisp-and-Kelp were right back on the attack. Heading toward the endline, Enríquez crossed a low ball back up near the top of the box to Fehr, but his right-footed shot was saved at the near post. Phoenix came close to its first goal of the match in the 55th minute when a shot from beyond the box was deflected on its way in, but Antony Siaha managed to get an outstretched glove on it to keep it out. In the 88th minute, Pierce Gallaway – who made his professional debut as a substitute four minutes earlier – headed the…