
Tacoma Defiance Records 1-0 Victory in Season Opener
March 9, 2019 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Tacoma Defiance News Release

Tacoma Defiance head off the pitch after a season-opening win
(Tacoma Defiance, Credit: Charis Wilson / Sounders FC)
TACOMA, WASH. - Tacoma Defiance (1-0-0, 3 points) on Friday earned its first victory of the 2019 campaign in the opening match of the season, defeating Rio Grande Valley FC (0-1-0, 0 points) 1-0 in Tacoma. Forward Alec Diaz tallied the lone goal of the match, while goalkeeper Trey Muse made two saves to record the shutout in his first career professional contest. Tacoma Head Coach Chris Little earns a win in his USL Championship coaching debut, leading Sounders FC's USL side to three points in front of 3,432 fans at Cheney Stadium.
In the 49th minute, Danny Leyva played a ball into the area and Marlon Vargas found Shandon Hopeau, whose header hit the goal post. Diaz pounced on the loose ball and put it past Rio Grande Valley goalkeeper Ben Willis. The 17-year-old Diaz has now recorded three goals and two assists in six career USL games. Leyva last season became the youngest player in club history to make his professional debut at 15 years old, playing a full 90 minutes on Friday night. Hopeau led the club with four shots and two shots on goal in Friday's victory.
Nine players under the age of 20 saw action for Tacoma tonight, and five players made their first career USL Championship starts for Tacoma: Muse, Jonathan Campbell, Matt Nance, Modou Ndow and Danny Robles.
In a series of key announcements on January 30 at a press conference inside Cheney Stadium, the Tacoma Rainiers and Seattle Sounders FC unveiled the long-awaited new brand for the organizations' United Soccer League club: Tacoma Defiance. Set to begin play under this new identity immediately, Tacoma's professional soccer side now officially bears the name of its hometown, while proudly paying homage to the city's maritime roots and deep sense of civic identity. The Tacoma Defiance is led by Head Coach Chris Little, who guided the Sounders FC Academy U-17 squad to the 2017-2018 U.S. Soccer Development Academy National Championship and the 2018 U-17 Generation Adidas Cup title.
Tacoma Defiance returns to action on Saturday, March 16 vs. LA Galaxy II (7:00 p.m. PT / ESPN+) at Cheney Stadium. The club then travels to Tulsa on Saturday, March 23 to take on Roughnecks FC in its first road match of the season (1:00 p.m. PT / ESPN+).
MATCH SUMMARY
Tacoma Defiance I 1-0 I Rio Grande Valley FC
Friday, March 8, 2019
Venue: Cheney Stadium I Tacoma, Washington
Referee: Alejandro Mariscal
Assistants: Baboucarr Jallow, Christian Clerc
Fourth Official: Liam Leonard
Weather: 37 degrees and clear
Attendance: 3,432
SCORING SUMMARY
TAC - Alec Diaz 49'
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
TAC - Josh Atencio (caution) 68'
RGV - Robert Coronado (caution) 77'
TAC - Modou Ndow (caution) 84'
LINEUPS & STATS
TAC - Trey Muse; Saad Abdul-Salaam, Jonathan Campbell, Modou Ndow, Matt Nance; Danny Leyva, Alex Roldan (Josh Atencio 67'); Shandon Hopeau, Danny Robles (Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez 89'), Marlon Vargas (Azriel Gonzalez 75'); Alec Diaz
Substitutes not used: Sam Fowler, Blake Malone, Enrique Montana, Jesse Daley
Total shots: 12
Shots on goal: 5
Fouls: 10
Offside: 2
Corner-kicks: 4
Saves: 2
RGV - Ben Willis; Andrew Samuels, Robert Castellanos, Kyle Adams, Robert Coronado; Isidro Martinez, Brad Dunwell, Wilmer Cabrera (Andres Arcila 66'); Camilo Monroy (Kevin Rodriguez 74'), Carlos Small, Maalique Foster
Substitutes not used: Osmar Chavero, Zach Jackson, Carlos Viveros, David Cabrera, Brandon Morales
Total shots: 17
Shots on goal: 2
Fouls: 14
Offside: 1
Corner-kicks: 7
Saves: 4
Images from this story
![]() Tacoma Defiance head off the pitch after a season-opening win (Charis Wilson / Sounders FC) |
United Soccer League Championship Stories from March 9, 2019
- Sandoval finds the net for the first time in NM United history as the team earns its first ever point - New Mexico United
- Lancaster, Rios Open Accounts as Nashville SC Wins Season Opener - Nashville SC
- San Antonio FC Earns 3-3 Draw in Front of Sellout Crowd at Toyota Field - San Antonio FC
- Phoenix Rising Battles Back for 3-3 Draw in San Antonio - Phoenix Rising FC
- ATL UTD 2 Wins 2-0 in Season Opener against Hartford Athletic - Atlanta United 2
- Roughnecks Open 2019 with Draw vs. Portland - FC Tulsa
- Battery Draw to Fury on Season Opener - Charleston Battery
- Sold-Out Crowd Welcomes Pro Soccer to AutoZone Park Saturday Night - Memphis 901 FC
- Fury FC Secures Its First Point of the 2019 Campaign in 1-1 Draw - Ottawa Fury FC
- Fresno FC at New Mexico United Match Preview - Fresno FC
- Reno Draws in Second Half Thriller to Start 2019 Season - Reno 1868 FC
- North Carolina FC Ushers in New Era with Commanding 4-1 Win over Louisville City FC - North Carolina FC
- Five Inducted into Inaugural Riverhounds SC Hall of Fame Class - Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
- STLFC Comes Back to Win 2-1 over Indy Eleven - Saint Louis FC
- Hounds Complete Preseason Action - Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
- Memphis 901 FC Acquires Defender Abdi Mohamed on Loan from New York City FC - Memphis 901 FC
- 2019 USL Championship Season Opener: Fresno FC vs. New Mexico United - Fresno FC
- Tacoma Defiance Records 1-0 Victory in Season Opener - Tacoma Defiance
- RGV FC Falls in Season Opener to Tacoma - Rio Grande Valley FC Toros
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent Tacoma Defiance Stories
- Tacoma Defiance Parts Ways with Head Coach Hervé Diese
- Tacoma Defiance Loans Ryan Baer to the Richmond Kickers
- Tacoma Defiance Draws, 1-1, with Minnesota United FC 2, Wins Ensuing Shootout
- Tacoma Defiance Hosts Minnesota United FC 2 Tonight at Starfire Stadium
- Tacoma Defiance Falls 3-2 to North Texas SC on Sunday Night at Starfire Stadium

