Memphis 901 FC vs. Monterey Bay FC preview: Homestand continues

Wednesday night was the beginning of a three game homestand for Memphis 901 FC. After playing eight of their last ten games on the road, the return to the friendly confines of AutoZone Park was certainly welcome. But an opponent like the Tampa Bay Rowdies was going to be a tough ask. It started out rough for the Beale Street Boys as they fell behind 1-0 and then 2-1. But the Memphis players never stopped fighting and in an scenario very similar to the 2021 win against the Birmingham Legion over Labor Day weekend, found a way to equalize late in the game and then found a winner in stoppage time. With the win 901 FC moved up from 6th into 5th in the East and stayed in the hunt for a top 4 finish and the ability to host a home playoff game.

The run of form for Memphis right now isn’t the best it’s been this season (that would be the twelve-game unbeaten run from April 1st to June 24th) but it’s gotten pretty good. 901 FC is unbeaten in six of their last seven games, with the lone loss coming by a single goal on the road at the Charleston Battery. Perhaps most reassuring is the sound play defensively of late as they have conceded multiple goals just once in that stretch (this past Wednesday against Tampa). And the three goals put away by Memphis on Wednesday was also refreshing given that they had only scored multiple goals once during the preceding six games. With the final push for the playoffs ramping up (901 FC has seven games remaining, four of which are at home) it’s good to see them playing well because, as the old saying goes, it’s about who’s getting hot at the right time. Six games out of the last seven unbeaten means that Memphis might be that team getting hot at the right time.

While the run for Memphis 901 FC in this year’s US Open Cup was a great run (with a win over MLS side Atlanta United), it can be argued that Monterey Bay’s was even better. They may have gone out in the same round as 901 FC but not only did they also score a Cupset (beating the San Jose Earthquakes 1-0) but they took the reigning MLS Cup champions LAFC all the way to penalties before eventually falling. Monterey Bay has only been around since 2021 and as such, are still on their first manager, Frank Yallop. Yallop came to Monterey with a wealth of managerial experience. He has managed in MLS with the San Jose Earthquakes (twice), the LA Galaxy, and the Chicago Fire. He has USL Championship experience as well, with the Phoenix Rising and a caretaker stint with the Las Vegas Lights. He even had an international gig, managing the Canadian national team from 2004-2006. And while 901 FC is getting hot at the right time, Monterey seems to be backsliding at the wrong time. In their last eleven games dating back to July 1st, they have won just one game (a 2-1 home win against the Colorado Springs Switchbacks).