SANDY, Utah – In Week 12 of the 2017 USL regular season, T2 fell 2-0 on the road to Real Monarchs SLC at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday night.
Real Monarchs (11-1-0, 33pts) took the lead just before halftime when midfielder Andrew Brody tapped in midfielder Sebastian Velasquez’s pass from close range in the 41st minute.
Searching for a goal in the first half, T2 (1-11-1, 4pts) threatened the Real Monarchs defense when midfielder Tomás Granitto’s long-range effort from 40 yards out was fired just over the crossbar in the 18th minute. In the 44th minute, midfielder Villyan Bijev’s strike from distance was deflected off a Real Monarchs defender’s leg and nearly hit the crossbar, resulting in a T2 corner kick.
In the second half, Monarchs SLC took a 2-0 lead in the 67th minute when forward Chandler Hoffman tapped in Valesquez’s pass from inside the six-yard box. Two minutes later, T2 defender Kyle Bjornethun found space on the left flank and played a pass to the top of the 18-yard box to Bijev, whose shot flashed just wide of the near post in the 69th minute. From a corner kick in the 79th minute, midfielder Blake Bodily picked out Bjornethun, and his leaping header from the left edge of the box missed the frame.
Goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh, making his seventh start of the season, finished the match with six saves. Midfielder Terrell Lowe made his first start of the season, while 16-year-old Timbers Academy product Gio Calixtro made his T2 and USL debut.
Next up, T2 return home to play host to OKC Energy FC at Providence Park on Friday, June 16; kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. (Pacific).
The June 16 match will also be available via a live, high-definition web stream at www.timbers2.com.
Postgame Quote Sheet
T2 head coach Andrew Gregor
On his team's performance...
"Not a great performance. We didn't do a good job of taking care of the ball and getting pressure on the ball. I'll take the blame for it and I'll have the guys ready to play. We can obviously play better and we know that. I thought Kendall McIntosh was outstanding. I thought he did an excellent job of managing the game tonight."
On midfielder Terrell Lowe making his first start of the season...
"I thought he was pretty steady tonight. He got himself around the park. He got involved defensively and made some good tackles. He kept the ball for the most part for us, which is his game. It's good for him to get 90 minutes and get that performance under his belt after being gone from the T2 program for a while."
On Timbers Academy product Gio Calixtro making his T2 and USL debut...
"At that point, it was a good opportunity to get Gio in. He's a young player. I thought it was a goo opportunity to get his feet wet. He came in and his first touch of the game was super clean in a good spot. He didn't show as though he was scared in the moment. He worked and chased, so I thought it was important for him in his development to get that opportunity. It'll help him keep pushing along development wise both on and off the field."
On the upcoming match at home against OKC Energy FC...
"I expect a better performance for sure. The boys should be motivated to come out and solve the issue that happened tonight in front of our home fans in Portland. Collectively as a group, we need to be better. It's been a while since we earned some points, and they've got to make sure that's the focus next week against OKC."
T2 (1-11-1, 4pts) vs. Real Monarchs SLC (11-1-0, 33pts)
June 10, 2017 – Rio Tinto Stadium (Sandy, Utah)
Goals by Half 1 2 F
T2 0 0 0
Real Monarchs 1 1 2
Scoring Summary
SLC: Brody (Velasquez), 41
SLC: Hoffman (Velasquez, Brody), 67
Misconduct Summary
SLC: Horst (Caution), 23
POR: Bijev (Caution), 30
SLC: Peay (Caution), 61
POR: Lowe (Caution), 75
Lineups & Stats
POR: GK McIntosh, D Jimenez, D Amick, D Batista (Ornstil, 46), D Bjornethun, M Lowe, M Granitto, M Mohamed (Brett, 74), M Bijev © (Calixtro, 83), M Bodily, F Cicerone
Substitutes Not Used: GK Hamilton, M Perez, F Cini
TOTAL SHOTS: 5 (Bijev, 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 0; FOULS: 6 (Lowe, 2); OFFSIDES: 3; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: 6
SLC: GK Fernandez, D Peay, D Horst (Moberg, 46), D Gallagher, D Lachowecki, M Adams (Hanlin, 78), M Besler ©, M Brody, M Velasquez, M Haber (Minter, 76), F Hoffman
Substitutes Not Used: GK Sparrow, , M Ocran, F Desire, F Milne
TOTAL SHOTS: 27 (Velasquez, 9); SHOTS ON GOAL: 8 (Hoffman, 3); FOULS: 6 (Horst, 2); OFFSIDES: 1; CORNER KICKS: 13; SAVES: 0
Referee: Malik Badawi
Assistant Referees: Allen Pickett, Karsten Gillwald
4th Official: Trevor McDowell
Attendance: 2,707
Weather: Sunny, 73 degrees
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.
