MNUFC2 fought hard to erase a two-goal deficit on Sunday night, but the equalizing goal wasn’t to be, as the Twos fell on the road by a 3-2 score against the Real Monarchs at America First Field. Minnesota now returns home to face The Town FC on August 31 as they continue to pursue a playoffs berth.
2’ - Real Monarchs were the first ones to create a dangerous opportunity. The attack developed when Jesus Barea received possession in the attacking third and played Aiden Hezarkhani near the top of the 18-yard line. Hezarkhani took a few touches before releasing a shot forcing goalkeeper Alec Smir to dive right to keep the ball out of the net.
6’ (0-1) - The home team took the early lead after successfully converting a penalty-kick attempt. Jesus Barea stepped up to the mark after MNUFC2 conceded a foul inside the box, slotting the shot opposite of Smir to earn the 1-0 early advantage.
11’ (1-1) - Logan Dorsey from the MNUFC2 side found the equalizer. After a quick give-and-go between Momoh Kamra and Kage Romanshyn Jr. near the top of the penalty area, Romanshyn Jr. set a final pass to Dorsey, who took a few touches as he entered the penalty box before firing his shot into the back of the net.
24’ (1-2) - Real Monarchs reclaim the lead after scoring a second penalty awarded to the home side. Marcos Zambrano stepped up and took the shot that snuck under Smir on the bottom left corner.
35’ (1-3) - Ruben Mesalles stepped up to take the corner kick for Real Monarchs. The kick was left loose near the top of the penalty area. Griffin Dillion struck a one-touch volley that found the bottom left corner, extending the home side’s lead.
53’ - MNUFC2 earned a direct free kick about 20 yards from the goal line. Midfielder Curt Calov stepped up to take the set piece and immediately sent a pass to the far right flank, where it connected with Kieran Chandler. Chandler then sent a cross into the six-yard box, where Babacar Niang quickly controlled the ball, but his shot sailed high above the crossbar.
57’ - Defender Andy Farris made a crucial intervention to deny Aiden Hezarkhani a dangerous opportunity. Tommy Silva delivered a ball into the center of the penalty area, where Hezarkhani was setting up to take the shot, but Farris slid in to win the challenge and deflect the ball out for a corner.
63’ (2-3) - Britton Fischer found the second goal for the Twos, coming off a corner from Kieran Chandler. Chandler sent the kick to the top of the six-yard line where Fischer redirected his header into the back of the net.
71’ - Calov carried from the defensive third onto the attacking third to send Dosey a quick through ball. Dorsey attempted another short pass but was intercepted by Kobi Henry and was cleared out of danger. On the counterattack, Real Monarchs built up play to attack where eventually Barea got the ball on the 18th yard to set it up for Owen Anderson, who sent it over the crossbar.
74’ - The Twos almost scored the equalizer, this time from another corner kick. Calov sent his service deep into the Monarchs’ box, where Fischer connected a header attempt, but the shot missed just wide right of the post.
90’ - Calov carried the ball from the middle third onto the top of the penalty area before unleashing a shot. The attempt forced Monarchs’ goalkeeper Will Mackay on his knees to control the ball in his hands.
90’ + 4’ - MNUFC2 goalkeeper Alec Smir pushed forward and got on the long switch from Muba Nour into the center of the penalty box in a last-ditch effort to equalize the game. Smir jumped to head the ball but was eventually cleared by the home side.
GOALS
0-1 SLC - Jesus Barea (penalty kick) - 6’
1-1 MNUFC2 - Logan Dorsey (Kage Romanshyn Jr.) - 11’
1-2 SLC - Marcos Zambrano (penalty kick) - 23’
1-3 SLC - Griffin Dillion - 35’
2-3 MNUFC2 - Britton Fischer (Kieran Chandler) - 63’
DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY
MNUFC2 - Curt Calov (caution) - 22’
MNUFC2 - Britton Fischer (caution) - 29’
SLC - Luca Moisa (caution) - 31’
MNUFC2 - Kage Romanshyn Jr. (caution) - 54’
SLC - Marco Zambrano (caution) - 59’
SLC - Griffin Dillon (caution) - 81’
SLC - Owen Anderson (caution) - 89’
NOTABLE STATS
2 – Forward Logan Dorsey, with his goal tonight, has scored in back-to-back games for the second time this season, and the first time since the March 30 and April 9 matches; both games were multi-goal wins with goal contributions from Dorsey.
1 & 2 – Defender Brittion Fischer scored his first goal of 2025 from a header off a corner kick. That goal was notably his second-ever goal scored for MNUFC2, the first scored at home against LA Galaxy II (now Ventura County FC) in May of 2023.
1 – MNUFC Academy U16 defender Jaden Bernard made his MNUFC2 and MLS NEXT Pro debut in tonight’s match, coming on as a second-half substitute.
TEAM LEADERS (Updated through Aug. 24, 2025)
Goals – Luke Hille (10)
Assists – Curt Calov (7)
Saves – Kayne Rizvanovich (33)
Wins – Kayne Rizvanovich (4)
Shutouts – Wessel Speel, Kayne Rizvanovich (1)
LINEUPS
MNUFC2 XI: GK Alec Smir; D Justin Sosnouski (Issa Saidi 79’), Britton Fischer, Andy Farris, Kieran Chandler; M Babacar Niang ©, Curt Calov, Kage Romanshyn Jr. (Muba Nour 62’); F Darius Randell (Jadan Bernard 84’), Logan Dorsey, Momoh Kamara
Substitutes Not Used: GK Kayne Rizvanovich; D Kisa Kiingi; M Calin Grulke
REAL MONARCHS XI: GK Will Mackay; D Tommy Silva (Zackery Farnsworth 78’), Kobi Joseph Henry, Ruben Mesalles, Maximus Jennings; M Jesus Barea (Liam O’Gara 77’), Griffin Dillon ©, Luca Moisa, Tyler Wolff (Matthew Bell 72’), Aiden Hezarkhani (Juan Gio Villa 65’); F Marcos Zambrano (Owen Anderson 65’)
Substitutes Not Used: GK Robert Alphin; D Luis Rivera; M Izahi Amparo; F Brayan Sandoval
