Tacoma Defiance defeated Earthquakes II 5-4 in a shootout after a 2-2 stalemate in regulation on Monday night at Paypal Park in San Jose, California.
It was a high-scoring first half between Quakes II and Defiance teamed up to score 4 goals during the first half of play. Samuel Adeniran led the way for the Defiance offense, first feeding a great cross to Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez for a goal in the eighth minute and then scoring a screamer a few minutes later.
Earthquakes II would claw their way back from their early deficit and tie the game with two great efforts from the eighth overall selection of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft, Ousseni Bouda. The former Stanford standout scored his first of the night by stealing a ball in Tacoma’s 18-yard box and knocking it home. Bouda bagged his second goal by curling an exquisite shot past the keeper right before halftime.
Both teams would trade shots in the second half but neither side was able to get the ball in the back of the net. After 90 minutes the score remained tied at 2 and would head into a shootout. Defiance goalkeeper Wallis Lapsley denied Quakes II midfielder Max Arsften’s attempt from the spot. Defiance would convert all five of its attempts and earn two points.
With the result, Earthquakes II now have four points in five games and will look to earn their first win in the month of April on the road against Whitecaps FC 2 this weekend.
By earning two points tonight, Tacoma Defiance will now move into the sixth spot of the Western Conference standings. Defiance will have a tall task ahead this weekend, hosting the top team in the league, Houston Dynamo 2, on May 1st.
Alfonso Ocampo-Chavez and Samuel Adeniran led the way for Tacoma Defiance during today’s match.
The 20-year-old Ocampo-Chavez continued his torrid start to the season by scoring a header during the opening minutes of the match against Quakes II. The goal gave Ocampo-Chavez his fifth goal in five games and he is now tied atop the MLS NEXT Pro scoring leaderboard with Houston Dynamo 2’s Roberto Avila. What’s more impressive is that he has scored that amount of goals with only 9 shots on target. If Tacoma Defiance can get the ball to him more times throughout the game, Ocampo-Chavez will continue to remain at the top of the scoring charts.
Samuel Adeniran had himself a game by being a key component of both of his team’s goals. He first provided a wonderfully placed ball into the box and connected with Ocampo-Chavez for Tacoma's first goal. Minutes later, Adeniran would dribble into the top of the 18-yard box, lose his defender by cutting the ball onto his left foot and launch a curling shot past the Earthquakes II keeper. The Houston native has two goals for the season after scoring against the Real Monarchs in Week 1.
With the potent combination of Ocampo-Chavez and Adeniran up top, it’ll be a matter of time until Tacoma Defiance is able to earn their second win of the season.
