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Matchday Report: Martinez’s Late Goal Lifts New Mexico Past Monarchs

By USLChampionship.com Staff, 06/05/21, 12:06AM EDT

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Set piece delivery found net as visitors took 1-0 win in blustery conditions at Zions Bank Stadium

HERRIMAN, Utah – Isidro Martinez scored a late winner as New Mexico United took a 1-0 victory against Real Monarchs SLC at Zions Bank Stadium on Friday night that moved the side into first place in the USL Championship’s Mountain Division. The victory was also New Mexico’s fifth in six meetings all-time with the Monarchs, and its fifth in a row in visits to Zions Bank Stadium.

New Mexico came out brightly from the opening kickoff and almost took the lead in the 10th minute as Josh Suggs delivered a cross from the left that found Devon Sandoval centrally, but the United forward’s strong header rebounded off the turf and elevated over the crossbar.

The visitors generally held the upper hand in the opening half-hour but had difficulty finding an incisive final pass in the attacking third. United went close to breaking the deadlock in the 31st minute as a corner kick from the left by Martinez was met at the near post by Ilija Ilic with a flicked header that went through the six-yard area, but no-one was able to turn the ball on target as it slid wide of the right post.

The Monarchs’ first clear chance didn’t arrive until five minutes before halftime as Malik Johnson played a well-weighted pass from the left flank into the left side of the penalty area to meet the run of Daniel Flores, and his left-footed shot to the near post was blocked behind by United goalkeeper Alex Tambakis for the lone shot on target in the first half.

Real threatened again early in the second half as Johnson fired from 30 yards to force Tambakis into a low save, and the hosts almost carved out a chance soon after as Bode Davis was unable to corral a through-ball by Brayan Gomez into the right side of the penalty area letting the opportunity slide away.

New Mexico continued to control more of the tempo of the game, but as the conditions became blustery in the second half the visitors were unable to find many good looks on goal in open play. A lifted pass through to Brian Brown almost set up a chance only for Monarchs defender Kyle Adams to recover and clear with 17 minutes to go, but in the 80th minute the visitors almost grabbed the lead from a corner kick. A delivery from the left by Martinez dropped in the penalty area for a shot by Harry Swartz at the top of the six-yard area that was blocked on the goal line by Real’s Francisco Martinez and cleared to safety.

Two minutes later, though, United found the breakthrough as from a free kick 40 yards from goal on the left of center, Martinez delivered a cross that sailed over the waiting crowd in the penalty area, bounced once, and found the top-right corner of the net.

The Monarchs almost hit back immediately as Christian Nydegger controlled an angled ball from the right at the top of the penalty area before firing a snap-shot just wide of the left post. The hosts were unable to find a late equalizer, however, as United emerged with all three points.

USLChampionship.com Man of the Match

Isidro Martinez, New Mexico United – Martinez’s set pieces provided the greatest danger for United throughout the game and ended up providing the late winner, and the midfielder also completed 27 of 31 passes and won 8 of 12 duels.

Scoring Summary
NM
– Isidro Martinez 82’

Full Box Score

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