OPPONENT WATCH: Real Monarchs SLC

RMSLC

Adam Henley talks to manager Chris Coleman prior to making his full international debut as a substitute for Wales v the Netherlands (Copyright: Jon Candy, Cardiff, Wales)

  • Real Monarchs SLC are currently unbeaten this season, with two wins (3-2 v Tulsa and 4-2 v Timbers 2). Rising have seven points from their three matches (2W, 1D).
  • Monarchs won the USL Western Conference last season, picking up 67 points from 32 matches. However, they were knocked out of the playoffs in the first round by Sacramento Republic on penalties.
  • Rising and Monarchs shared the spoils when they met three times last season. Monarchs won the first game 2-0 at the Rio Tinto Stadium, before drawing the return fixture in Scottsdale 1-1. Sam Hamilton and Jason Johnson gave Rising a 2-0 victory when the sides met for the final time in September.
  • Monarchs’ defender/midfielder Nick Besler is the younger brother of U.S. international and Sporting Kansas City captain Matt Besler.
  • Adam Henley is also currently assigned from Real Salt Lake to the Monarchs. The 23 year old Tennessee-born full back made 80 appearances for Blackburn Rovers in the English Premier League and Championship (2011-2017).  He has also represented Wales at U19, U21, and full international level, qualifying through his Welsh mother.  Henley’s two full international caps came in a 3-2 home friendly defeat v the Netherlands in Cardiff, and a 1-0 friendly defeat v the Ukraine in Kiev prior to Euro 2016.  However, he did not make the Welsh squad of 23 for the finals in France.
  • Three of Monarchs’ 7 goals scored this season have occurred in the opening 15 minutes, and 2 in the final 15.  Defender Kalen Ryden is the current top scorer with 2 goals from 4 shots in 103 minutes play.  Baird, Hoffman, Adams, Besler, and Velasquez have all netted once.
  • Three of Monarchs’ 4 goals conceded this season have been scored in the second half.

From the Ashes Prediction: Rising to win 2-1.