Monterey Bay Rescues Point with Stoppage Time Goal vs Tampa Bay Rowdies at Cardinale Stadium
August 4, 2024 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Monterey Bay FC News Release
SEASIDE, California - Monterey Bay F.C. (7-9-6, 27 points) squeaked out a 2-2 draw against Tampa Bay Rowdies (11-4-6, 39 points) on Hometown Heroes Night at Cardinale Stadium, presented by California Highway Patrol. Alex Dixon scored the opening goal of the match in the first half and Tristan Trager added onto his first-half assist with an equalizer in stoppage time to earn the Union a point in Interim Head Coach Simon Dawkins' debut on the touchline.
Monterey Bay's first good look of the night came in the 10th minute on a set piece. Walmer Martínez whipped the ball into the mix and Alex Lara rose up to get his head on it, but the shot was denied by a fingertip save from the Tampa Bay goalkeeper at the left post. In the 16th minute, Morey Doner crossed the ball into the six-yard box towards Trager, but he was unable to bring it in cleanly and the ball bounced to Dixon on the left side, but his shot from just inside the end line ricocheted off the crossbar and out. Tampa Bay converted the missed shot into an immediate counterattack with Cal Jennings breaking free behind the Union back line, but Lara managed to track all the way back and execute a clean slide tackle to disrupt what appeared to be a sure chance. Two minutes later, Monterey Bay found itself back inside the visitors 18-yard box. Dixon chopped back to his right to gain space near the middle, but his shot was blocked. The blocked ball then landed at the feet of Carlos Guzmán, but his shot was collected by the goalkeeper.
Monterey Bay finally broke through in the 29th minute of the match when Xavi Gnaulati pinged a long ball down the left sideline to play Trager in behind. Trager rounded the defender and played the ball across the box to Dixon, who then hit the ball with through the legs of the nearest defender and into the back of the net to give the Crisp-and-Kelp the 1-0 lead. Monterey Bay earned a corner in the 44th minute of the match, but the shot by Kai Greene with defenders draped all over him missed over the crossbar. Jennings fired a shot on frame from the visitors in the 45th minute, but it was saved by Antony Siaha and the half ended with the hosts out in front.
Tampa Bay earned a couple of chances on frame to start the second half, first was a shot by Joshua Perez that was saved by Siaha at the far post on the right side, and the second of which was a dangerous header by Manuel Arteaga from the center of the box, but it was tipped up and over the bar by Siaha. Dixon broke behind the Tampa Bay back line in the 64th minute of the match, but his pass across the box toward Trager was cleared away by a defender. Tampa Bay equalized in the 72nd minute. With Siaha off his line, Jennings fired a right-footed shot and found the back of the net from distance to level the match at 1-1. In the 80th minute, Guzmán looped a ball into the box towards Dixon in space, but his header was saved. Four minutes later, Tampa Bay was awarded a penalty for a foul just inside the box and Arteaga converted to put the visitors in front late. But Monterey Bay responded less than 10 minutes later with a laser strike from Trager in the 90+2 minute of stoppage time to rescue a point on the night with a 2-2 final score.
Up Next
Monterey Bay remains at home next Saturday, August 10 against Birmingham Legion FC. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. local time on 80's Drive-In Night at Cardinale Stadium. The match will be broadcast locally via KION on FOX 35 (46.2 over the air, 35 Dish, 47 DirecTV and 3/702 HD Xfinity), with live streaming available on ESPN+.
Golden Memorial Man of the Match
Tonight's Golden Memorial Man of the Match is Tristan Trager. The number nine played creator and finisher, assisting Alex Dixon for the opener and scoring a 90+2 minute equalizer to rescue a point at home against one of the most in-form teams in the league in Tampa Bay.
Additional Notes
Tristan Trager's goal in the 90+2 minute of the match was the latest goal of the season for Monterey Bay thus far.
Captain Kai Greene recorded his first assist of the season on Trager's late goal to level the match.
Missing the match due to injury were Luther Archimède (knee), Chase Boone (knee), and Jesse Maldonado (knee). Rafa Baca missed the match for personal reasons.
Information
Date: August 3, 2024
Venue: Cardinale Stadium; Seaside, California
Weather: Clear and 61 degrees
Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
Monterey Bay F.C. 1 1 2
Tampa Bay Rowdies 0 2 2
MB: Alex Dixon (Tristan Trager) 29'
TBR: Cal Jennings (Daniel Crisostomo) 71'
TBR: Manuel Arteaga (Penalty) 84'
MB: Tristan Trager (Kai Greene) 90+2'
Lineups
Monterey Bay F.C. (4-2-3-1): Antony Siaha; Carlos Guzmán, Alex Lara, Kai Greene, Morey Doner; Adrian Rebollar, Mobi Fehr; Alex Dixon (Max Glasser, 85'), Xavi Gnaulati (Jerry Ayon, 56'), Walmer Martínez (Michael Gonzalez, 72'); Tristan Trager
Subs not used: Carlos Herrera, Grant Robinson, Pierce Gallaway, Miguel Guerrero, Ryan Dieter
Tampa Bay Rowdies (4-3-2-1): Phil Breno; Aarón Guillen, Frederick Kleeman (Blake Bodily, 36') (Zane Bubb, 85'), Jordan Doherty; Pacifique Niyongabire, Edwin Munjoma, Daniel Crisostomo, Lewis Hilton (Nathan Worth, 71'); Manuel Arteaga, Cal Jennings (Damian Rivera, 71'), Josh Perez (Leonardo Fernandes, 71')
Subs not used: Taner Akin, Christian Ortiz
Stats Summary: MB / TBR
Shots: 19 / 14
Shots on Goal: 7 / 9
Saves: 7 / 4
Corner Kicks: 7 / 5
Fouls: 14 / 10
Possession: 46.6% / 53.4%
Misconduct Summary
TBR: Frederick Kleeman (caution) 9'
TBR: Robbie Neilson, Head Coach (caution) 19'
MB: Xavi Gnaulati (caution) 26'
MB: Carlos Guzmán (caution) 45+1'
TBR: Aarón Guillén (caution) 54'
MB: Antony Siaha (caution) 61'
TBR: Damian Rivera (caution) 90+6'
Officials
Referee: Nabil Bensalah
Assistant Referee: Fernando Fierro
Assistant Referee: Salvador Reyes
Fourth Official: Peter Hanson
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