Photos: Another Monarchs rally keeps RSL second team unbeaten with shootout win
Antonio Riquelme and Lineker Rodrigues each scored a goal as Real Monarchs rallied twice for a 2-2 draw with LAFC2, and Max Kerkvliet made a huge save to preserve an extra point 5-4 in the shootout.
SANDY, Utah — Real Monarchs fought back twice and goalkeeper Max Kerkvliet kept the squad unbeaten through three games with a 2-2 draw against LAFC2 and a 5-4 shootout victory Sunday at America First Field.
After Jacob Machuca’s 22nd-minute goal gave LA a 1-0 halftime lead, Antonio Riquelme equalized just after the hour mark, putting back a rebound off Rubén Mesalles’ attempt in the 61st minute for his second goal of the season.
Marius Omotoye Aiyenero scored again for LAFC2 as the visitors were keen to collect all 3 points for the first time in 2026.
But Jesús Barea flicked a ball over his defender that found forward Lineker Rodrigues, and the Brazilian international by way of Marshall University ripped a 90th-minute equalizer that helped force a shootout.
In the extra session, Marcos Zambrano, Barea, Rodrigues and Riguelme all found the back of the net before Kerkvliet saved an attempt in the final round and Felix Ewald clinched the second point that boosted the Monarchs to 1-0-2 with 7 points on the short season.
Quotable from manager Mark Lowry:
“I think there’s a collective maturity to this group. Because of what happened during preseason, there were a lot of our players that got opportunities with the first team — and they were able to stay there. There’s been less of this movement of players on a daily basis. You’re always going to have injuries or visa things. But we’ve gotten to spend that time together, and you grow and trust each other. I think that’s been a big part of this year.
“There’s some individual maturity. But it’s more of a collective maturity about the group because they’ve spent more time together now.”
Photographer Uriel Bento was at Sunday afternoon’s match. Here’s a look at the story of the game, through his lens.
