SANDY, UTAH – Whitecaps FC 2 (5W-17L-9D) were faced with a tough test against the United Soccer League regular season champions on Saturday night at Rio Tinto Stadium.
And they rose to the occasion, earning a deserved 1-1 draw with Real Monarchs SLC (19W-6L-7D) in a match that saw goalkeeper Mark Village and Residency product Noah Verhoeven make their professional debuts for the Blue and White.
Real Monarchs opened the scoring in the 16th minute through Sebastian Velasquez, who cut into the middle and found the bottom right corner from the top of the box. It was the lone goal of the opening frame – despite some decent attacking play from both sides.
WFC2 found an equalizer in the 48th minute, forcing an own goal through some fine interplay between Residency graduates David Norman Jr., Kadin Chung, and Marco Bustos, whose cross deflected into the back of the net off Monarchs defender James Moberg.
Both teams pushed for a winner, and Real Monarchs came closest when Chandler Hoffman hit the bar at the back post in the 70th minute, but it was not to be.
Saturday’s results in the USL clinched the regular season title for Real Monarchs.
WFC2 will now return to Vancouver for their final match of the season on Friday, October 13 against Orange County SC (7 p.m. PT at UBC Thunderbird Stadium). Visit whitecapsfc2.com for ticket information.
MATCH DETAILS
Referee: Joshua Mills
Attendance: 8,402
Scoring Summary
16’ – SLC – Sebastian Velasquez (Sebastian Saucedo)
48’ – VAN – James Moberg (own goal)
Statistics
Possession: Real Monarchs 52.4% – Vancouver 47.6%
Shots: Real Monarchs 12 – Vancouver 8
Shots on Goal: Real Monarchs 4 – Vancouver 3
Saves: Real Monarchs 3 – Vancouver 3
Fouls: Real Monarchs 17 – Vancouver 19
Offsides: Real Monarchs 0 – Vancouver 5
Corners: Real Monarchs 5 – Vancouver 1
Cautions
26’ – VAN – Marco Bustos
45’ – SLC – Nick Besler
79’ – VAN – David Norman Jr.
Ejection
76’ – SLC – Demar Phillips
Real Monarchs SLC
51.Andrew Putna; 44.Kyle Curinga, 40.James Moberg, 52.Emilio Orozco, 17.Demar Phillips; 41.Charlie Adams, 43.Nick Besler; 23.Sebastian Saucedo (47.Max Lachowecki 89’), 55.Sebastian Velasquez, 46.Daniel Haber (61.Daniel Cruz 54’); 49.Chandler Hoffman (54.Juan Ignacio Mare 86’)
Substitutes not used:
50.Connor Sparrow, 42.Diego Calvo, 45.Andrew Brody, 48.Chase Minter
Whitecaps FC 2
53.Mark Village; 63.Kadin Chung, 14.Cole Seiler, 33.Francis de Vries, 46.Brett Levis (54.Gloire Amanda 45’); 66.Michael Baldisimo (65.Matthew Baldisimo 79’), 42.David Norman Jr.; 55.Chris Serban, 32.Marco Bustos, 61.Terran Campbell; 57.Thomas Sanner (68.Noah Verhoeven 74’)
Substitutes not used
40.Sean Melvin, 41.Dominick Zator, 51.Danny Barbir
