TACOMA, WASH. – Tacoma Defiance (7-19-7, 28 points) on Wednesday earned a point with a 1-1 draw at New Mexico United (10-10-13, 43 points) in its final road match of the season. The draw stretched Tacoma’s unbeaten streak to four, its longest of the 2019 campaign. Azriel Gonzalez scored the lone goal for Tacoma on an assist from Alex Villanueva, and Trey Muse made a career-high 13 saves to lead the visitors.
Tacoma struck first in the seventh minute on Gonzalez’s third goal of the season. He received a pass from Villanueva down the left side and made several clever moves in the area to beat his defender before evening the match at 1-1. The 18-year-old blasted a shot with his left foot that hit the far post and bounced into the net to give Tacoma an early lead. Gonzalez now ranks fourth on the club in goals this season with three.
New Mexico evened the match just one minute later on a marker from Christopher Wehan. Kevaughn Frater dribbled into the area and left a ball for Wehan, who tapped it into the back of the net for the equalizer.
Ten players under the age of 20 saw action for Tacoma tonight, including one First Team player in Muse.
Defiance next hosts Austin Bold FC at Cheney Stadium in its season finale on Saturday, October 19 (7:00 p.m. PT / ESPN+).
MATCH SUMMARY
Tacoma Defiance I 1-1 I New Mexico United
Wednesday, October 16, 2019
Venue: Isotopes Park I Albuquerque, New Mexico
Referee: Yusri Rudolf
Assistants: Baboucarr Jallow, Diego Blas
Fourth Official: Cristian Campo
Attendance: 9,323
SCORING SUMMARY
TAC – Azriel Gonzalez (Alex Villanueva) 7’
NMU – Christopher Wehan (Kevaughn Frater) 8’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
NMU – Kevaughn Frater (caution) 63’
TAC – Ever Rubio (caution) 88’
LINEUPS & STATS
TAC – Trey Muse; Bryson Hankins, Sam Rogers, Aleks Berkolds (Ever Rubio 33’), Alex Villanueva; Peter Kingston, Chris Hegardt; Marlon Vargas (Nick Hinds 73’), Danny Robles, Azriel Gonzalez; Alec Diaz (Ray Serrano 79’)
Substitutes not used: Jamie Lowell, Herbert Robinson
Total shots: 4
Shots on goal: 2
Fouls: 10
Offside: 0
Corner-kicks: 0
Saves: 13
NMU – Cody Mizell; Manny Padilla, Rashid Tetteh, Justin Schmidt, Austin Yearwood; Christopher Wehan, Juan Guzman, Saalih Muhammad (Sam Hamilton 64’), Santi Moar; Kevaughn Frater, Devon Sandoval
Substitutes not used: Ben Beaury, Ethen Sampson, Daniel Bruce, David Estrada, Tommy Madden, Toni Soler
Total shots: 36
Shots on goal: 15
Fouls: 11
Offside: 2
Corner-kicks: 11
Saves: 1