The Tacoma Defiance snapped a three-game losing streak and posted a shutout for the first time in more than two months by beating Real Monarchs 3-0 on Wednesday. The Defiance got goals from Chris Aquino, Danny Leyva and Osaze De Rosario.
Highlights
Key performers
Danny Leyva — First-team playing time has been hard to come by for Leyva, but he showed once again how useful he can be, especially on set pieces. His free kick goal was an absolute beauty, bending inside the far post from about 25 yards out. The knock against Leyva is that he’s a bit of a player without a position, not quite offensive enough to be a No. 10 and not quite where the Sounders want him to be defensively to play deeper. In this one, he more than held his own defensively winning 2/3 tackles, making seven recoveries and going 4/9 on duels. With the schedule getting congested again over the next three weeks, this could be Leyva’s big opportunity.
Cody Baker — Another first-team loanee, Baker did everything you could ask. He set up the first goal on a nice cutback pass, set up another good scoring opportunity, made five passes into the final third, and won 4 of 6 duels. With the return of Reed Baker-Whiting, Baker’s path to first-team minutes may now depend on how quickly Nouhou is reintegrated into the team. The good news is that he seems capable of handling whatever is thrown at him.
Chris Aquino — The 18-year-old has flown a bit under the radar this year, in large part because this was only his third start of the season. But he showed why he was considered such an intriguing prospect as recently as last year. Aquino might be the most technically gifted player in the Sounders pipeline, evidenced by the smooth strike he scored in this one. In 62 minutes, he completed 12/13 passes and was active enough on defense to at least keep the Monarchs honest. Now finished with school, it will be interesting to watch him develop.
Stats
MATCH SUMMARY
Tacoma Defiance 3 – Real Monarchs 0
Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Venue: Starfire Stadium
Referee: Jalen Gray
Assistants: Ryan Jung, Cephas Quartson
Fourth official: Yannick Rothfuss
Weather: 65 degrees and cloudy
SCORING SUMMARY
TAC – Chris Aquino (Cody Baker) 27’
TAC – Danny Leyva 60’
TAC – Osaze De Rosario (Sebastian Gomez) 64’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
SLC – Griffin Dillon (caution) 39’
TAC – Chris Aquino (caution) 48’
SLC – Omar Enrique Alba Burrowes (caution) 59’
SLC – Benjamin Redzic (caution) 73’
SLC – Jhalmar Joffre Soliz (caution) 87’
LINEUPS & STATS
Tacoma Defiance – Jacob Castro; Kalani Kossa-Rienzi, Antino Lopez, Stuart Hawkins, Cody Baker (Sebastian Gomez 62’); Snyder Brunell, Danny Leyva (Frank Daroma 62’); Georgi Minoungou (Blake Bowen 68’), Chris Aquino (Faysal Bettache 62’), Travian Sousa; Osaze De Rosario (Yu Tsukanome 75’)
Substitutes not used: Lars Helleren, Owen O’Malley, Burke Fahling, Elias Katsaros
Total shots: 11
Shots on goal: 5
Fouls: 13
Offside: 2
Corner-kicks: 7
Saves: 1
Real Monarchs – Fernando Delgado; Omar Enrique Alba Burrowes (Jhalmar Joffre Soliz 73’), Keller Storlie – captain, Zackery Farnsworth, Derrick Silva; Bertin Jacquesson, Griffin Dillon (Damien Barker John 73’), Noel Caliskan (Luca Moisa 82’), Daron Iskenderian (Benjamin Redzic 64’); Matthew Bell, Zavier Gozo (Ilijah Paul 72’)
Substitutes not used: Bennett Ewing, Kurowskybob Pierre
Total shots: 18
Shots on goal: 1
Fouls: 16
Offside: 0
Corner-kicks: 10
Saves: 2
Standings
