April 14, 2024 – United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Monterey Bay FC News Release
SEASIDE, California – Monterey Bay F.C. (3-1-2, 11 points) defeated Western Conference for Las Vegas Lights FC (3-3-0, 9 points) 3-1 on Defend The 831 Night at Cardinale Stadium, presented by U.S. Army. Alex Dixon bagged the opening score with a penalty kick, Tristan Trager added a second for the Crisp-and-Kelp just before the half, and Michael Gonzalez scored his first professional goal in his home debut to put the finishing touch on an impressive 3-1 home win. Carlos Guzmán moved outside in the formation and recorded two assists on the night.
Access the postgame quote sheet here
Monterey Bay F.C. earned a penalty in the 10th minute of the match when Chase Boone was taken down on the left side of the box. Adrian Rebollar crossed a dangerous ball into the box that landed at the feet of Trager, who then played Boone in on the left side, earning the whistle. Dixon stepped up to the spot and buried it past the goalkeeper’s right to give Monterey Bay the early 1-0 lead at home. In the 14th minute, Trager made a run with the ball across the box before laying it off to Mobi Fehr, but his shot was blocked by a defender. Two minutes later, a great display of possession between Dixon, Fehr, and Rebollar led to the latter getting past the defense for a shot, but it was blocked out for a corner. Boone had a great look at goal from the left side after a fancy dribble inside the box in the 23rd minute, but his shot missed just wide of the near post. In the 45th minute of the match, Guzmán looped the ball up and over a defender to perfectly play Trager forward. On his first touch, Trager flicked it up and over the top of another defender, brought it back down with his right, took a touch with his left, and then buried it into the back of the net to double the Crisp-and-Kelp’s lead at 2-0. Moments later, Las Vegas cut the lead right in half with a goal by Gaoussou Samaké on a miscommunication by the home side and the first half came to close with a 2-1 scoreline.
Las Vegas Lights FC looked to even the match with a shot from the top of the box by Valentin Noel in the 53rd minute, but it was saved with a diving effort by Antony Siaha at the right post. In the 60th minute, Trager drove the ball all the way down the left sideline and into the box, but his shot at the end of the run was saved by the goalkeeper. The ball spilled softly back towards the top of the six-yard box, but a Las…