MNUFC2 on Saturday afternoon against the Real Monarchs saw two defenders score in regulation, but those goals weren’t able to secure all three points at the National Sports Center Stadium, ultimately leading to a 4-3 shootout win over the Utah side.
Saturday afternoon’s match started out as an end-to-end possession battle between both sides, with the first corner being earned and taken in the 12th minute by MNUFC2. But it was the Real Monarchs who recorded the first shot on target in the 16th minute when Jordan Perruzza made a run into the box on the left flank, firing off a shot at an angle, but MNUFC Academy U18 goalkeeper Kai Zeruhn made the save.
Then in the 21st minute, the visiting side took the lead when Noel Caliskan sent a ball in across the 18-yard-box, ultimately connecting with Aiden Hezarkhani who was making a run into the box at the back post. Hezarkhani slipped past wing-back Anthony Markanich for the tap-in goal.
But the Twos pressed and responded just minutes later when defender Britton Fischer delivered a ball on a cross from outside the keeper’s box, connecting with Markanich for a header towards the upper right corner of the net. Markanich’s header missed just wide of the post.
Notably in the 29th minute, Monarchs’ defender Omar Alba committed a dangerous tackle against MNUFC forward Jordan Adebayo-Smith at the near sideline. The referee showed Alba a straight red-card ejection, forcing the Salt Lake City side to play down a man for the remainder of the game.
It was the Monarchs who had yet another strong scoring chance when in the 35th minute, Caliskan found himself in a one-on-one with Zeruhn, pulling the Twos’ keeper far off his line. But the MNUFC2 defense gathered itself and Caliskan’s eventual shot was blocked to keep the score the same.
The Twos equalized the match in the late moments of the 43rd minute when Markanich dribbled near the top of the Monarchs’ 18-yard box. He initially sent off a pass back out to Enrique Nieves for what resulted in a give-and-go play. The ball back towards Markanich ricocheted around the half-circle, then landed back at the feet of Markanich who made a run deeper into the box before firing off a shot that sneaked past the keeper and into the far left netting.
Nearly 15 minutes into the second half, MNUFC2 saw a close scoring chance when a ball was sent into the Monarchs’ box from a cross, bouncing around between the Loons and the Salt Lake defense before finding the feet of Fischer, who took a one-time shot that hit the outside of the near netting after the keeper made a fingertips save.
On another corner kick won by the Twos in the 63rd minute, Academy midfielder Justin Arias delivered a ball deep into the box, connecting with fellow Academy midfielder Adian Martinez, who went vertical to attempt a header shot that was ultimately saved by William Mackay and the cross bar.
Just two minutes later, Fischer yet again took a one-timer strike inside the Real Monarchs’ box, with the shot screaming towards the far post, but also being stopped by the visiting goalkeeper.
MNUFC2 took the lead in the 77th minute from a set piece opportunity. Darius Randell sent in the ball from about 25 yards out. Dropping into a busy six-yard box, multiple Twos players took shots at close range, either being blocked or saved by the Salt Lake side. Veteran MLS defender Zarek Valentin was the recipient of a rebound and scored at close range to give the Twos the 2-1 lead.
In the 82nd minute, Adebayo-Smith sent a through-ball pass to Justin Arias, who in turn beat out the Monarchs’ back line, where he forced a one-on-one with the keeper. Arias then took the shot at close range, but was saved.
But the Real Monarchs did not shy away at the end of the match, equalizing the game in the 83rd minute when Zavier Gozo controlled possession at the endline and inside the six-yard box before sending it along the goal line to an un-marked Jazier Orozco, who tapped the shot in to make it 2-2.
But it was MNUFC2 who took the two points at the end of the shootout, prevailing 4-3 in the shootout from the mark and earning points for the first time in four games.
GOALS
0-1 SLC - Aiden Hezarkhni, assisted by Noel Caliskan (21’)
1-1 MNUFC2 - Anthony Markanich, assisted by Jordan Adebayo-Smith (43’)
2-1 MNUFC2 - Zarek Valentin, assisted by Britton Fischer (77’)
2-2 SLC - Jazier Orozco, assisted by Zavier Gozo (83’)
SHOOTOUT SUMMARY
MNUFC2
Jordan Adebayo-Smith - Saved
Enrique Nieves - Goal
Justin Arias - Saved
Darius Randell - Goal
Anthony Markanich - Goal
Anderson Farris - Goal
SLC
Noel Caliskan - Goal
Keller Storlie - Saved
Joffre Soliz - Goal
Erik Holt - Missed
Zavier Gozo - Goal
Omar Marquez - Saved
DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY
Caution, SLC - Erik Holt (27’)
Ejection, SLC - Omar Alba (29’)
Caution, SLC - Zackery Farnsworth (40’)
Caution, MNUFC2 - Finn McRobb (74’)
Caution, MNUFC2 - Anthony Markanich (90’)
NOTABLE STATS
1 - Minnesota United defender Anthony Markanich scored his first goal for MNUFC2 on Saturday afternoon, notably during his first appearance with the club.
TEAM LEADERS (Updated through August 31)
Goals – Patrick Weah (8)
Assists – Britton Fischer (4)
Saves – Alec Smir (23)
Wins – Clint Irwin (3)
Shutouts – Clint Irwin (2)
