SAN JOSE, CA. – Tacoma Defiance (12-3-4, 43 points) left PayPal Park on Friday night with a 2-0 win over Pacific Division rival Earthquakes II (9-7-3, 31 points). An early goal by Travian Sousa and a second-half stoppage time goal by Juan Alvarez was the difference as Tacoma won its fifth game in a row.
Tacoma scored in the first minute when Sousa was fed a ball inside the area, firing a shot that was saved by Earthquakes II keeper Eric de la Cerda. Sousa then chased down the rebound, slotting the ball into the back of the net for the early lead.
Defiance sealed the game in the 93rd minute, with Alvarez finishing off a counterattack, beating de la Cerda on the near post after getting fed a ball by Marlon Vargas in the area.
With the win, Tacoma adds to its lead at the top of the table, now leading Columbus Crew 2 by five points for the league’s top spot.
Following tonight’s match, Wade Webber’s side travels to National Sports Center Stadium for a matchup against Minnesota United FC 2 on Monday, August 15 (5:00 p.m. PT / mlsnextpro.com).
MATCH SUMMARY
Tacoma Defiance 2 – Earthquakes II 0
Friday, August 5, 2022
Venue: PayPal Park
Referee: Patricia McKracken
Weather: 70 degrees and partly cloudy
SCORING SUMMARY
TAC – Travian Sousa 1’
TAC – Juan Alvarez (Marlon Vargas) 90+4’
MISCONDUCT SUMMARY
TAC – Marlon Vargas (caution) 66’
LINEUPS & STATS
Tacoma Defiance – Wallis Lapsley; Cody Baker, Achille Robin, Aboulaye Cissoko, Randy Mendoza; Reed Baker-Whiting (Joe Hafferty, 62’), Fito Ovalle (Juan Alvarez, 81’), Ethan Dobbelaere (Georgi Minoungou, 62’), Marlon Vargas, Travian Sousa (Valentin Sabella, 80’); Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez (Alfred Gombe-Fei, 90+1’)
Substitutes not used: Wyatt Nelson, Hal Uderitz
Earthquakes II – Eric de la Cerda; Erick Reyes (Joaquin Eisenberg, 82’), Casey Walls, Israel Carrillo, Omar Lemus; Eduardo Blancas, Nathan Scott (George Asomani, 82’), Jerry Ayon (Cruz Medina, 60’); William Richmond, Rodolfo Castro, Maximilian Arfsten (Siad Haji, 60’)
Substitutes not used: Mateo Lopez, Alejandro Cano, Alex Chow, Giancarlo Mota Morfin, Drew Murray
