In the inaugural MLS NEXT Pro weekend, a veteran-laden Tacoma Defiance topped the youthful Real Monarchs 4-0 at Starfire Stadium in Tukwila, Washington.
Dylan Teves had a goal and an assist for the Defiance, and Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez scored two goals, including the first MLS NEXT Pro goal in Tacoma history in the 40th minute. Sam Adeniran added the fourth goal in stoppage time, and goalkeeper Stefan Cleveland finished the afternoon with four saves to earn the clean sheet.
In a matchup of two teams with diametrically opposed experience, Tacoma held control throughout the match.
The Defiance starting 11 featured eight players on loan from Seattle Sounders FC with a combined 118 games of MLS experience - including five players who started in a historic win over Austin FC last season in which Seattle started an MLS record with five teenagers. Meanwhile, injuries throughout the Real Salt Lake organization limited roster selection for Monarchs Head Coach Jamison Olave and the starting 11 had a league-low average age of 18.7 years old.
Ocampo-Chavez opened the scoring in the 40th minute after a pair of chances, the final ball hitting off the outstretched fingertips of Monarch's goalkeeper Gavin Beavers before finding the net. Then in the 49th minute, Reed Baker-Whiting raced into the box up the left side before sliding a pass to Teves for a first-time shot for the 2-0 advantage.
Ocampo-Chavez added his second goal in the 86th minute, heading in a cross from Randy Mendoza, and Adeniran closed things out in stoppage time with a beautiful individual effort for the final 4-0 tally.
The Monarchs had a string of dangerous opportunities in the second half, highlighted by a strike from second-half substitute Jude Wellings. Still, they could not convert, and Defiance finished with the shutout victory and all three points.
