MBFC2 Completes Double over Academica SC With Two Wins in Three Days, Remains Undefeated at Rabobank Stadium in Salinas

By Eli Corona

SALINAS, California (Sunday, July 2, 2023) – Monterey Bay F.C. 2 (8-1-1, 25 points) defeated Academica SC (3-6-1, 10 points) 3-1 at Rabobank Stadium in come-from-behind fashion. A first half goal from Academica SC gave the visitors the advantage heading into the break, but MBFC2 fought back behind a two-goal performance by Anthony Orendain and a goal from Miguel Guerrero to secure the victory.

MBFC2 looked comfortable from the off, maintaining the bulk of possession and fashioning a few chances in the first ten minutes. Janos Kommerling was fed into space in the area by Isaac Lomeli and saw his shot deflected in the 11th minute. Not moments later, Elias Bouhaja’s shot from outside the box was caught by the Academica SC goalkeeper as Los Dos looked to take an early lead. A corner conceded by Academica in the 10th minute from a Sebastian Ruiz-Hurst deep cross opened a chance for Kommerling, but his shot was wide. The visitors were limited to two corners in the first fifteen minutes, neither of which could produce a shot on goal. Joel Garcia did well to square the ball across the area to Bouhaja in the 18th minute, but the number nine’s shot was skewed wide. Tamba DiMattia’s 21st minute service for Lomeli was just a bit too high, but Los Dos continued to look likely to score. 

Kommerling threatened again with a driven shot from long range two minutes later, but was unfortunate to see it fly just over the crossbar. Luis Mendoza’s skillful forward play found Bouhaja in space to run at goal. Bouhaja’s deflected shot fell to Mendoza, who then skimmed the crossbar with a powerful first-time shot. A 28th minute set piece opened space for Garrett Hayes to chip a cross into Lomeli, but his close-range, flicked-on header could not quite find the target. Academica SC would strike the crossbar themselves in the 29th, their first good chance of the match. Later, Hayes’s involvement in a collision in the buildup to a shot resulted in his substitution for Pierce Gallaway. Shortly after, Lomeli showcased skillful footwork in the opposition’s box to open space for a curled shot, but he sent his effort wide and high. The 38th minute gave DiMattia a chance to show his speed, latching onto a ball on the left flank and putting in good service to Lomeli, but his volleyed shot was deflected into the path of Jose Madrigal and his shot was blocked as well. Academica S.C. struck first against the run of play in the 44th minute, taking advantage of some confusion from the hosts off a set piece to capitalize on a loose ball. The initial shot was saved by David Sweeney off his line, but the rebound was converted into an open net by the visiting forward and the sides entered the break with Academica SC in front 1-0.

In the 53rd minute, Kommerling once again looked dangerous in the final third when he whipped a shot towards the back post from a tight right-side angle, but it bounced just outside the left post. The number seven drove forward once again just three minutes later, this time taking on two defenders and firing a shot through the legs of his man. His effort flew towards the back of the net and only the outstretched arms of the goalkeeper denied him the equalizer. Guerrero did well to maintain possession inside the eighteen and found Orendain in space to shoot, but the striker saw his first shot of the match saved. He would not miss his second however, as off the ensuing corner, Hugo Vargas found the number 16’s head and Orendain converted a looping header for the equalizer. Guerrero would test the goalkeeper from range in the 67th minute, firing a powerful low drive towards the bottom corner and it forced a good save.

Five minutes later, Vargas sent a deep ball through for Orendain to chase and the striker was inches away from connecting with the ball and scoring. Vargas had a shot himself shortly after, carrying the ball down the right side and forcing a near post save. In the 75th minute, Francisco Ponce replaced Kommerling. In the 77th minute, Lomeli threatened with a run into the box and his hard work drew a foul that resulted in a penalty for MBFC2. In the buildup to the kick being taken, an Academica SC player who was already on a yellow card moved the ball from the spot deliberately and was sent off. Then, Guerrero remained cool under pressure and converted the spot kick, giving MBFC2 a well- deserved 2-1 lead. Two minutes later in the 82nd minute, Orendain chased down a long ball into Academica’s half and won possession, catching the goalkeeper off his line to sneak in a low finish off the left post to extend the hosts lead to 3-1.

Another similar ball just a minute later gave Los Dos a chance to make it four, with Orendain making a smart pass to Guerrero after his hard work to win the long ball, but the number five’s curling shot towards the far post was denied by the goalkeeper in a diving effort. Vargas latched onto a deflected ball in the 88th minute and unleashed a rocket of a volley towards the near post from inside the area to force another save. Then with the final shot of the match in the 90th minute, Academica SC looked to threaten, but the curling effort sailed over the crossbar. MBFC2’s second half performance showed their quality as they quickly put Academica SC to the sword. A final road trip of the season at San Francisco City awaits Los Dos next Sunday,  July 9.

Match: Monterey Bay F.C. 2 vs Academica SC
Date: July 2, 2023
Venue: Rabobank Stadium; Salinas, California
Weather: Sunny and 72 degrees

Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
Monterey Bay F.C. 2 0 3 3
Academics SC 1 0 1
MB2: Anthony Orendain (Hugo Vargas) 62’
MB2: Miguel Guerrero (PK) 80’
MB2: Anthony Orendain 82’

MBFC2 Dismantles Davis Legacy SC 6-0 at Rabobank Stadium in Salinas

by Eli Corona & Izzy Ultsch

SALINAS, California (Wednesday, June 14, 2023) – Monterey Bay F.C. 2 (5-0-1, 16 points) remained undefeated in its inaugural USL League Two campaign and earned a second-consecutive home shutout in a 6-0 victory over Davis Legacy SC (0-5-1, 1 point) at Rabobank Stadium in Salinas. Miguel Guerrero recorded a brace, while Pierce Gallaway, Willy Miranda, Isaac Lomeli and Tamba DiMattia each tallied goals of their own in the rout. The six-goal outing marks the most goals scored in a single match in MBFC2’s short history.

Los Dos started off strong in the first half by pressing the Davis Legacy SC goal early and often. Guerrero got it started with a free kick opportunity from a dangerous position in the 5th minute of the match, but his low shot went just wide of the right post. A minute later, Anthony Orendain got ahead of the Legacy SC defense for a one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but his shot was stopped at the six-yard box. Guerrero earned yet another chance in the 18th minute after receiving the ball from Janos Kommerling. This time, his strike from the left side of the box ricocheted off inside of the right post and into the back of the net to give MBFC2 the 1-0 advantage. Lomeli looked to double the lead in the 26th minute after recovering possession inside the Davis box, but was unfortunate to have his shot saved by the outstretched foot of the goalkeeper. Then in the 44th minute, Lomeli did well on a driving run into the area to win a penalty for Los Dos, which was cooly converted into the bottom left corner by Gallaway to put the home side ahead 2-0 at the half.

Immediately after the break, goalkeeper David Sweeney – making his MBFC2 debut between the sticks – impressed with a diving save to keep the visitors off the board. Los Dos struck again in the 49th minute, and did it once again through Guerrero. Lomeli got past his man smartly on the right flank before putting a low ball in from the end line towards Guerrero, who slotted it into the back of the net to secure his brace. Lomeli created another brilliant chance just two minutes later, swinging in a low cross for Orendain, but his shot was too high. In the 63rd minute, Lomeli again found himself with possession inside the area before finding Miranda on the edge of the box. The forward then curled the ensuing shot into the bottom right corner to make it four on the night for Los Dos. Only a minute later, a long corner found Jose Madrigal near the back post, who squared it to Lomeli. The forward pulled off a flying volley, burying a fifth goal for MBFC2. DiMattia had a chance to make it six shortly after coming on in the 68th minute, latching onto a through ball and danced around the goalkeeper, but his shot from a tight angle hit the side netting. But it would not take long for Mattia to add his name to the scoresheet, scoring a season-high sixth goal for MBFC2 with an audacious chip over the goalkeeper from close range in the 78th minute. Later in the 90th minute, Salto received a red card and was dismissed from the contest, but the final whistle followed shortly after and the match ended 6-0 in favor of MBFC2.

Match: MBFC2 vs Davis Legacy SC
Date: June 14, 2023
Venue: Rabobank Stadium; Salinas, California
Weather: Mostly cloudy and 60 degrees

Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
MBFC2 2 4 6
Davis Legacy SC 0 0 0
MB2: Miguel Guerrero (Janos Kommerling) 18’
MB2: Pierce Gallaway (Penalty) 44’
MB2: Miguel Guerrero (Isaac Lomeli) 49’
MB2: Willy Miranda (Isaac Lomeli) 63’
MB2: Isaac Lomeli (Jose Madrigal) 65’
MB2: Tamba DiMattia (Kevin Salto) 78’

MBFC2 Maintains Perfect Record in First Match at Cardinale Stadium, Top San Francisco Glens SC 1-0

by Eli Corona

SEASIDE, California (Sunday, May 21, 2023) – Monterey Bay F.C. 2 (4-0-0, 12 points) defeated division rivals San Francisco Glens SC (2-1-0, 6 points) 1-0 in the development club’s first match at Cardinale Stadium to remain undefeated on the campaign. 19-year-old Santa Cruz native and current member of CSUMB Men’s Soccer, Francisco Ponce opened his MBFC2 account with a game-winning, first-half header.

Yet again, MBFC2 flew out of the blocks on Sunday night at Cardinale Stadium. A 2nd minute chance for Ponce set the tone for the match, and although his header from a corner was just wide, it was an ominous sign for the San Francisco Glens SC defense. The visitors struggled to cope with the defensive pressure from Los Dos, leading to further chances for the home side. In the seventh minute, Kevin Salto would announce himself in the match, latching on to a deflected touch from Willy Miranda during a counterattack and firing just wide of the near post. The defender would cause problems on the right flank the whole night, and just two minutes later, he exhibited his intelligent dribbling by touching the ball past his man and using his pace to get into space in the final third. His cutback to Miranda set up another good chance, but the shot flew just wide of the near post.

MBFC2 excelled defensively throughout the match. By the eleventh minute, defender Alexis Sanchez had already recorded four clearances. While the Glens were able to get the ball into the final third, they struggled to find a way past a rock solid defense. With nineteen minutes gone, Salto created yet another chance, once again for Miranda, whose tight angle shot flew across the face of goal before being collected by the Glens defense. Just moments after, the Glens had their best chance of the night as they flew forward on a counterattack, thwarted only by onrushing goalkeeper Erik Lauta, who came off his line and closed down the Glens player just in time to block their shot. The breakthrough would come for MBFC2 in the 22nd minute, as a foul by the visitors gave Miguel Guerrero a chance for a set piece near the edge of the area. The midfielder put in a high looping cross, finding the head of Ponce who was in space in the area. The Santa Cruz native headed home the cross, his first goal scored for the club and the first goal for MBFC2 at Cardinale Stadium, to give Los Dos the 1-0 lead. 

Ramiro Corrales Jr. would be booked with a yellow card in the 30th minute, but the ensuing set piece was cleared yet again by the impenetrable MBFC2 defense. Seven minutes later, Sanchez found himself with time on the ball and drove forward into space, bursting past one Glens player and feeding the ball into space past another for Miranda. The forward took the space afforded to him but was unlucky to have his shot charged down by a Glens defender and blocked. The last shot of the half fell to Jose Madrigal, who nearly doubled MBFC2’s advantage but saw his shot fly just wide of the right post. 

After halftime, both teams settled into the match and maintained more possession of the ball. Regardless, MBFC2 continued to show their quality and fashioned another chance in the 51st minute, thanks to Guerrero’s skillful dribbling. The number five received a pass near the top of the 18-yard box and wove his way to the byline, beating multiple defenders with his combination of acceleration and ball control. His shot from a tight angle was parried by the Glens goalkeeper, and the danger was averted yet again. The San Francisco Glens would test the MBFC2 net in the 55th minute, as a high ball perhaps intended as a cross looped towards the top corner. Lauta was alert once again, and reacted quickly to reach up and parry the ball out of play. 

A double substitution in the 58th minute saw Tamba DiMattia and Issac Lomeli make their MBFC2 debuts, coming on for Madrigal and Miranda respectively. About ten minutes later, Corrales made space for himself on the left and put a cross into Salto at the back post. Salto then touched the ball into the center of the area with an aerial pass intended for Hugo Vargas. The captain positioned himself well to receive the pass, but was quickly pressured by the Glens defense and was just out of reach for the shot. In the final five minutes, the Glens increased the pressure as they looked for an equalizer. The MBFC2 defense held strong, however, only allowing one good chance in the 86th minute. The attacking Glens player created space for a shot from the top of the 18. His shot looked destined for goal only to be denied again by Lauta, who leapt up to catch the shot for another save. 

The final moments of tension made for an exciting ending at Cardinale Stadium, as the home crowd witnessed yet another victory for Los Dos, their fourth consecutive win to start the campaign, bringing their record to 4-0-0 on the year. With the victory, Los Dos are now the sole unbeaten team in the USL League Two NorCal division. Next up, MBFC2 will prepare for a road trip to face Marin FC Legends on June 11.

Match: MBFC2 vs San Francisco Glens SC
Date: May 21, 2023
Venue: Cardinale Stadium; Seaside, California
Weather: Cloudy and 56 degrees

Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
MBFC2 1 0 1
SF Glens SC 0 0 0
MB2: Fransisco Ponce (Miguel Guerrero) 22’

MBFC2 Grabs 3-1 Road Win Over Davis Legacy SC for Third Consecutive Victory to Start the Season

by Eli Corona

DAVIS, California (Wednesday, May 17, 2023) – Monterey Bay F.C. 2 (3-0-0, 9 points) defeated Davis Legacy SC (0-2-0, 0 points) 3-1 at the Davis Legacy Soccer Complex in Davis. An early goal from Kamren Bolden put MBFC2 ahead at the break, while Miguel Guerrero added his name to the scoresheet in the second half with a composed finish. After Legacy SC converted a penalty to cut the lead in half late, Willy Miranda put the game beyond reach with a stoppage time finish.

Monterey Bay F.C. 2 took control of the game right away with Miranda seeing an early attempt deflected wide in the 7th minute. The ensuing corner allowed Bolden to convert from close range, heading home a brilliant cross from Hugo Vargas to open the scoring at 1-0. Los Dos would continue to threaten early, and another cross from Vargas in the 9^th minute found Guerrero in space at the back post, but his shot was low and collected by the Davis Legacy SC goalkeeper. In the 17^th minute, Jose Madrigal did well to get past his marker on the right flank and was unfortunate to see his cutback cleared by the defender. The dribbling abilities of the Los Dos attack proved difficult for Legacy SC, as less than five minutes later, Ramiro Corrales Jr. beat his man on the right flank, but also saw his pass into the box cleared. Davis Legacy would try their luck at the same tactic, but a 23^rd minute low cross into the box was acrobatically tipped aside by MBFC2 goalkeeper Erik Lauta, allowing Corrales Jr. to clear the danger. A minute later, Madrigal was played through into space on the right, once again beating his man and this time electing to shoot, forcing the goalkeeper into another save. The resulting corner saw Gilbert Velez receive short, and swing in a pinpoint cross to Alexis Sanchez, who headed just wide at the far post. 

Davis Legacy began to grow into the game and had their first good chance in the 31^st minute, sending a header inside the penalty box just wide of the left post. Madrigal would fashion yet another chance five minutes after that, skillfully flicking the ball into space with his head. Miranda was nearly able to latch onto the pass, with the goalkeeper forced off his line to collect the ball. Madrigal would once again be thwarted just a minute later, seeing his curling shot from the edge of the area well saved. The MBFC2 defense continued to hold strong, with Sanchez notably intercepting a cutback in the 42^nd minute to deny a chance. Los Dos would have a final opportunity with three minutes until halftime with a free kick on the edge of the 18. Guerrero’s shot was destined for the top right corner, but saw his attempt deflect off the wall and fly just wide, sending MBFC2 into the halftime break with the slight edge.

The second half got off to a slower start. A corner in the 55^th minute saw Francisco Ponce head just over the bar as MBFC2 looked to grab another goal. Elias Bouhaja would replace Madrigal in the 62^nd minute, and eight minutes later Los Dos would grab their second. An attempted through ball for Guerrero was deflected into space in front of the net, and the number five latched onto the ball and coolly finished into the back of the net for his third goal in two games to bring the match to 2-0. He would be unlucky not to bag another just three minutes later, as he saw his close-range effort rattle the crossbar. The 78^th minute saw Sanchez penalized for a shove in the box with a penalty, resulting in Legacy SC cutting their deficit in half to 2-1. The spot kick was hit low and hard by Legacy SC, and Lauta was unlucky not to save it, guessing the right way but seeing the ball sneak under his leg. Guerrero would then be issued a yellow card in the 88^th minute for a sliding challenge as MBFC2 looked to defend their one goal lead.

The game would be sealed in the 93^rd minute of the match, as pressure from Davis Legacy exposed their backline in a three versus one situation, which saw Miranda capitalize to extend the visitors’ lead to 3-1. The forward was played into space and made the most of his chance, finishing into the left side of the net. The last-minute goal capped off a hard-fought victory in MBFC2’s first away fixture. Los Dos will now look to remain unbeaten against San Francisco Glens SC on Sunday at Cardinale Stadium.

Match: Monterey Bay F.C. 2 vs Davis Legacy SC
Date: May 17, 2023
Venue: Davis Legacy Soccer Complex; Davis, California
Weather: Sunny and 84 degrees

Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
Monterey Bay F.C. 2 1 2 3
Davis Legacy SC 0 1 1
MB2: Kameron Bolden (Vargas) 7’
MB2: Miguel Guerrero 70’
DAV: Penalty Kick 78’
MB2: Willy Miranda 90+3’

MBFC2 Stays Hot, Takes Down Marin F.C. Legends 5-2 at Rabobank Stadium to Remain Undefeated

by Eli Corona

SALINAS, California (Saturday, May 13, 2023) – Monterey Bay F.C. 2 (2-0-0, 6 points) defeated Marin F.C. Legends (0-1-0, 0 points) 5-2 at Rabobank Stadium in Salinas. Taking the 1-0 lead into the break, MBFC2 exploded with a four-goal second half behind a game-winning brace from Miguel Guerrero and goals from Hugo Vargas, Anthony Orendain, and a third score of the season from Willy Miranda.

MBFC2 began the match well with an early shot from Pierce Gallaway from long range, but it sailed over the bar. MBFC2 then continued to apply early pressure on the Marin F.C. Legends to begin the match. Miranda was through on goal on the right side, but his touch was too heavy and the ball was collected by the goalkeeper. Los Dos continued to control the match in the 10^th minute. Ramiro Corrales Jr. put a low cross into the box for Miranda, who unluckily took a wayward touch in space and lost possession before he had a chance to get a shot off. The visitors began to find their footing later in the half, which led to Corrales Jr. conceding a foul on the left edge of the 18-yard box. The ensuing set piece did not trouble the goalkeeper, but ten minutes later in the 25^th minute a cross into the area was coolly collected by Fabian Narez, testing the goalkeeper for the first time.

MBFC2’s quality began to show, beginning with a smart through ball by Vargas. He found the run of Guerrero, who was able to finish smartly into the bottom left corner for the 1-0 lead. Just minutes later, the crossbar rattled twice in two minutes as both Vargas and Miranda had shots denied by the woodwork. Los Dos continued to threaten, and in the 35^th minute Guerrero sent a curling shot from inside the box just wide of the far post. Six minutes from halftime, Alexis Sanchez played a long through ball for Miranda on the left flank, who fought through two defensive challenges and was unlucky to shoot just over the bar.

The second half began slowly, but it would only take one goal to open the floodgates. A miscontrolled ball by the Marin F.C. Legends defense in the 57^th minute allowed Vargas to pounce. The midfielder won possession and tapped the ball around the keeper to set up an easy finish into an open net, stretching the lead to 2-0. Marin F.C. Legends were able to get one back just two minutes later, thanks to a low curling finish into the far right corner to bring the match to 2-1. Amazingly, only a minute after that, Guerrero lasered a shot into the top-right corner for his brace, extending the MBFC2 lead to 3-1. The long-range strike tied him for top scorer on the season so far, but Miranda would retake his lead atop the charts just three minutes later. Guerrero was fed through into space on the left flank and calmly squared it to Miranda who was unmarked at the back post for an easy finish to give the hosts a commanding 4-1 lead.

Following the goal, Gilbert Velez was substituted on for Corrales Jr., taking his spot at left back. In the 70th minute, Sanchez was unlucky to handle the ball inside the area, resulting in a penalty being converted by the Marin F.C. Legends. The woodwork seemed to attract shots from Los Dos the whole match, with Guerrero being played through on goal with a long through ball over the top, but his chip struck the post, denying him his hat trick. Orendain replaced Francisco Ponce in the 75^th minute, and it would only take the substitute ten minutes to find the back of the net. Kevin Salto put a dangerous cross into the box, with the initial ball being headed up by the defender. Orendain won the ball as it fell, heading in from close range to make it five on the night for Los Dos. MBFC2 continued to threaten late, with Velez crossing long and finding Salto, who played Galloway into space in the 87^th minute. The midfielder made a man miss and cut the ball back to Miranda, whose shot was blocked. Near the end of the match the post came calling again. This time for Miranda, who was in miles of space after a through ball. He stood one-on-one with the goalkeeper, but his shot struck the far post and was collected by a defender and the match ended 5-2. Now, MBFC2 heads into a midweek matchup at Davis Legacy with positive momentum.

Match: Monterey Bay F.C. 2 vs Marin F.C. Legends
Date: May 13, 2023
Venue: Rabobank Stadium; Salinas, California
Weather: Sunny and 72 degrees

Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
Monterey Bay F.C. 2 1 4 5
Marin F.C. Legends 0 2 2
MB2: Miguel Guerrero (Vargas) 28’
MB2: Hugo Vargas 57’
MB2: Miguel Guerrero 60’
MB2: Willy Miranda 63’
MB2: Anthony Orendain 85’

MBFC2 Defeats San Francisco City 2-1 in Inaugural Home Opener at Rabobank Stadium

by Isabella Ultsch

SALINAS, California (Saturday, May 6, 2023) – Monterey Bay F.C. 2 (1-0-0, 3 points) earned the full three points in their USL League Two season opener with a 2-1 win over San Francisco City (0-1-0, 0 points) at Rabobank Stadium. Salinas native and Alisal High School alum Willy Miranda bagged a brace in the club’s season-opening match, including the first regular-season goal in team history in the first half and the eventual game-winner in the second.

MBFC2 controlled possession to start the match and created a few early chances. The first chance was a cross from the right side of the pitch by Jose Madrigal to Miguel Guerrero, but they could not connect on the final touch. San Francisco City FC had an early chance of their own, but it was defended well by goalkeeper Fabian Narez to keep the visitors off the board. In the 24th minute, Madrigal began a counter-attack with Miranda alongside him that led to a foul in the box and the referee pointing to the spot. Miranda stepped up to the spot and capitalized to score the opening goal of the match. 

A few minutes later, SFC would score a goal of their own via a corner kick in the 32nd minute. MBFC2 continued to put the pressure on SFC with four additional shots on target before the end of the first half, but the visitors managed to deny each opportunity. The second half began with the sides tied up at 1-1, but MBFC2 changed that in the 55th minute of the match. The SFC goalkeeper dribbled out to the edge of the 18-yard-box when Miranda took the ball off his feet and fired it around him and into the empty net from distance with a right-footed blast to record his second goal of the night and the eventual game-winner as the match ended 2-1 in favor of MBFC2 in a great start to the team’s inaugural 2023 campaign.

Match: Monterey Bay F.C. 2 vs San Francisco City FC
Date: May 6, 2023
Venue: Rabobank Stadium; Salinas, California
Weather: Mostly Cloudy and 60 degrees

Scoring Summary: 1 2 F
Monterey Bay F.C. 2 1 1 2
San Francisco City 1 0 1
MB2: Willy Miranda 24’
SFC: 32’
MB2: Willy Miranda 55’

MBFC2 Begins Inaugural Season in USL League Two vs San Francisco City at Rabobank Stadium in Salinas

SALINAS, California (Saturday, May 6 2023) – MBFC2 (0-0-0, 0 points) embarks on its inaugural pre-professional campaign in USL League Two with a home-opening match against San Francisco City FC (0-0-0, 0 points) today, Saturday, May 6 at 3 p.m. PT at Rabobank Stadium in Salinas, California.

The match against San Francisco City FC begins a 12-match USL League Two season, in which MBFC2 will play each team in its division two times – once home and once away – with the regular season expected to run through mid-July. Following a divisional realignment for 2023, USL League Two announced that MBFC2 would join the Western Conference as part of the NorCal Division. The NorCal Division has seven teams total, one of which is Oakland Roots SC’s Project 51O. Matches between these two sides will be must-watch as they are sure to continue the greater, growing rivalry between the two organizations. 

In addition to being the first USL League Two match for the Salinas-based, pre-professional club, the night will mark the first USL match at the helm for Salinas native and San Jose Earthquakes Hall of Famer, Ramiro Corrales. With 17 players committed to play for MBFC2 so far, Corrales and his staff will have their work cut out for them on Saturday as his squad continues to take shape.

MBFC2 vs. San Francisco City FC
Rabobank Stadium; Salinas, California
Saturday, May 6, 2023; 3:00 p.m. PT

2023 Records
MBFC2 (0-0-0, 0 pts, Tied 1st NorCal Division); San Francisco City FC (0-0-0, 0 pts, Tied 1st NorCal Division)

MBFC2 Announces Initial Roster Ahead of Inaugural Home Opener in USL League Two 

SALINAS, California (Friday, May 5, 2023) – Monterey Bay F.C. 2 has announced several roster commitments ahead of the pre-professional club’s inaugural campaign in USL League Two. As of now, the team has 17 players committed to the club going into its inaugural home opener against San Francisco City FC on May 6, with conversations ongoing to commit additional players in the near future.

Of the initial 17 players that have committed to play for MBFC2 this season so far, six will help anchor the backline: Pierce Galloway, Garrett Hayes, Raul Magos Padilla (Castroville), Sebastian Ruiz–Hurst, Alexis Sanchez (Soledad), and Gilbert Velez (Salinas). In addition, Ramiro Corrales Jr., Miguel Guerrero, Willy Miranda (Salinas), Francisco Ponce (Santa Cruz), and Hugo Vargas (Watsonville) will man the midfield. 

Up top, Elias Bouhaja (Carmel), Jose Madrigal, Anthony Orendain (Watsonville), and Kevin Salto make up the forward group to start the campaign. And lastly, Jack Blickenstaff and Fabian Narez will do the shot-stopping between the pipes.

Click here for more detailed roster information

The current roster heading into 2023 as of May 5 is listed alphabetically as follows: 
Goalkeepers (2): Jack Blickenstaff, Fabian Narez
Defenders (6): Pierce Galloway, Garrett Hayes, Raul Magos Padilla, Sebastian Ruiz-Hurst, Alexis Sanchez, Gilbert Velez
Midfielders (5): Ramiro Corrales Jr., Miguel Guerrero, Willy Miranda, Francisco Ponce, Hugo Vargas
Forwards (4): Elias Bouhaja, Jose Madrigal, Anthony Orendain, Kevin Salto