MATCH NOTES
- Five players made their MLS NEXT Pro debuts.
- Midfielder Edu Nys scored his first professional goal.
- Midfielder Natty James recorded his first assist of the season.
- Forward Nicholas Simmonds scored his first goal of the season.
- MLS NEXT Pro Box Score
HERRIMAN, Utah (March 1, 2026) – North Texas SC (0-0-1, 1 point) tied Real Monarchs (0-0-1, 2 points) 2-2 in regulation before falling 4-3 in the extra-point shootout on Sunday afternoon at Zions Bank Stadium.
SIMMONDS SCORES FIRST GOAL FOR NORTH TEXAS
Forward Nicholas Simmonds scored his first goal for North Texas in the 83rd minute. The goal was assisted by Homegrowns Daniel Baran and Diego Garcia. Simmonds was selected No. 3 overall by FC Dallas in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft and spent the offseason training with the first team.
A FIRST GOAL FOR NYS
Midfielder Edu Nys scored his first professional goal in the 40th minute, finishing off a pass from first-year midfielder Natty James. Nys signed with North Texas in February 2026 after being selected 40th overall in the MLS SuperDraft by FC Dallas.
GARCIA SETS CLUB APPEARANCES RECORD
Homegrown midfielder Diego Garcia set a new club record with his 67th appearance. Garcia joined North Texas in March 2023 and has recorded 12 goals and seven assists. He played a major role in the club’s 2024 MLS NEXT Pro Cup championship run against Philadelphia Union II.
SEASON PREMIER RECORD
With tonight’s draw, North Texas SC holds a 5-1-2 record in the club’s season opening match in all competitions since 2019. The club holds a 2-1-2 record in season openers since its inception to MLS NEXT Pro.
WELCOME TO THE PROS
Goalkeeper Eryk Dymora, midfielders Edouard Nys, Timmy Ospina and FC Dallas Homegrown defender Slade Starnes all made their MLS NEXT Pro debuts. Starnes captained North Texas in his first professional match.
Postgame Quotes
Head Coach John Gall
Thoughts on the match…
“I have some mixed emotions. At the moment, I’m proud of our team for coming here and scoring two goals. In all honesty, I think we should have scored three or four more. We had a positive performance that ultimately turned into disappointment. The way you go into penalty kicks and lose a point is frustrating and difficult. I know it happens both ways, but I was disappointed for the players because I thought we did enough to win the game. I thought we were the better team today, and we showed a lot of positive things that got me really excited about this group.”
On the chemistry of the team…
“Yeah, I mean, it’s all credit to those guys. We've had six weeks of preseason. Some of the guys have spent quite a bit of time with the first team, but the mentality is fantastic. They come in and support the team when they’re not playing, and they support the team when they’re playing with the first team. We played a friendly a few weeks ago and there were seven or eight young first-team players all coming out and supporting the team, and it meant a lot to me. It shows me these guys are committed to the club, not just the team they're playing on, not whether they’re with North Texas SC or the first team or training with either group. These kids are hungry to be successful. These kids are hungry to do well. I’m really proud of them for coming together. It’s our first real game together, and we had some nice moments.”
Forward Nicholas Simmonds
On the first game of the season…
“I feel good. It’s amazing to play. All I want to do is play and get 90 minutes under my belt. I’m so happy to score as well. I’m disappointed with the result, but it’s always a blessing to get game time and 90 minutes in the tank.”
On the physical nature of tonight’s match…
“In every game, we want to be physical. We want to set the tone and be aggressive and on the front foot. We wanted to see what Real Monarchs could do, see how aggressive they would be, and give ourselves time to assess them. Ultimately, the plan is always to be front-footed, to be dominant and to win the game. Today was a tough matchup. They’re a good team, and it was a good physical battle.”
