Match Recap: Monterey Bay FC Continues Momentum with 4-1 Win Against Loudoun United FC
Monterey Bay FC (2-7-2, 8 points) continued its resurgence in the USL Championship with an impressive 4-1 victory over Loudoun United FC (1-3-6, 9 points) at Cardinale Stadium.
Fresh off their first league win of the season, Monterey Bay FC entered the contest looking to build momentum in front of the home crowd. The Crisp-and-Kelp started brightly and carried the confidence gained from their victory over Birmingham Legion FC into Saturday night’s matchup. Riley Bidois #9 opened up the scoring in the 5th minute with a calm finish. Wesley Leggett #11 managed to make it 2-0 by the 11th minute with a great rebound goal. Monterey Bay FC consistently threatened Loudoun’s back line by having 10 total shots within the first half.
The hosts were rewarded for their attacking pressure with a pair of first-half goals that put Loudoun United on the back foot. Monterey Bay remained aggressive after taking the lead and continued to create opportunities, making 4 big chances just in the first half, forcing Loudoun to chase the match. Defensively, the home side stayed organized and limited chances for their opponent while maintaining control of the tempo heading into the Taylor Farms halftime break.
Monterey Bay FC carried that momentum into the second half and continued to push forward in search of additional goals. Loudoun United managed to find a response and briefly cut into the deficit, but MBFC quickly regained control of the match with a second goal from Bidois. Following Riley Bidois’s brace, he stated, “I’ve had some injury issues, so I’ve been out for a little bit, but now I’m feeling physically good, so it’s just about helping the team when I can and doing my job defensively. I’m just really excited to keep it rolling and keep doing our jobs.”
The attacking display marked Monterey Bay FC’s highest-scoring USL Championship match in nearly three years and highlighted the club’s growing confidence under Head Coach Alex Covelo. The home side combined effective possession play with clinical finishing while also remaining disciplined defensively throughout the evening by having 7 interceptions in just the second half. Head Coach, Alex Covelo, emphasized that during the week, “we were talking about how to start strong, that we are unsatisfied, that we want more and we want to start very strong.”
Monterey Bay FC’s supporters once again played a significant role in creating an energetic atmosphere at Cardinale Stadium as the club secured consecutive league victories for the first time this season. Jacob Jackson #98, on his debut stated, “Super fun, super exciting atmosphere. I love the fans coming out. Excited for my first game. Hopefully I have many more and can continue to do good work.”
With the win, Monterey Bay FC earned its second straight USL Championship victory and continued its climb up the Western Conference standings. The Crisp-and-Kelp will now look to carry their strong form into their next league fixture as they continue a stretch of improved performances following a difficult start to the 2026 campaign.
