Forward Cruz Medina tallied his first career hat trick with The Town FC to guide the club to its third consecutive regulation win.
SAN JOSE, Calif. — On an 18,000-seat stage at PayPal Park, The Town FC didn’t just make a statement; the club put on a show against Real Monarchs, thanks to a Cruz Medina hat trick and phenomenal defense throughout the full 90 minutes.
The 4-0 win secured TTFC’s third straight regulation victory, extending its unbeaten streak to five matches. Since its 3-1 loss to St. Louis CITY2 on June 22, The Town FC has severely regrouped, posting one of the top records in the Western Conference.
Saturday’s affair began with a bang in the third minute. Medina received a pass from Missael Rodríguez around the top of the opposing 18-yard box, to which Medina fired a shot past goalkeeper Will Mackay. The goal increased Medina’s contribution streak to three games, and his production wouldn’t stop there.
Medina nearly scored again in the seventh minute after a passing error by Real Monarchs’ back line, but his attempt was unsuccessful. But he would tally a brace by the end of the first half, regardless, doubling The Town FC’s lead in the 40th minute.
After Nick Fernandez sparked an attack up the middle of the pitch, he found Medina — who narrowly stayed onside, in line with the penalty area — who was completely unguarded. Medina tapped the ball in to give TTFC a 2-0 lead, showcasing his stellar mobility, awareness and finishing ability.
The match featured a frustrating lack of discipline for Real Monarchs. The Utah-based club was booked with four yellow cards within the first 68 minutes of action, forcing it to be extra cautious defensively. The Town FC broke through the defense, once again in the 64th minute, as leading-scorer Nonso Adimabua added his name to the scoring sheet for the eighth time in 2025.
Adimabua tactically placed himself by the near post on a TTFC corner kick, lunging his head to the ball and forcing it into the goal to make it 3-0. Adimabua’s goal continued his noteworthy July, bringing him to three goals and two assists during the month.
Medina completed his hat trick in the 79th minute after The Town FC exploited Real Monarchs’ back line, once again. After second-half substitute Chance Cowell broke free and missed an uncontested shot on net, Medina recovered the ball and poked it past Mackay, who was well out of position.
TTFC’s defense continued to thrive on Saturday. The Town FC held Real Monarchs to only seven shots, with three on target, with few convincing scoring chances. The shutout was TTFC’s fifth of the year and goalkeeper Francesco Montali’s fourth. The match marked the fifth time The Town FC’s put up at least four goals in a match.
Medina’s three goals pushed him up to four total in 2025 and his first since May 4. His seven goal contributions rank him second, tied with Rodríguez, on The Town FC.
Riding the wave at the right time, The Town FC finds itself in fourth place in the Western Conference. The club’s 21 goals allowed tie it for the fewest conceded in the conference, and its 38 goals scored are the third-most. With 30 points on an 8-4-4 record, TTFC only trails Ventura County and Colorado by two points in the standings, while St. Louis stands alone in first place with 40 points.
The Town FC is also the only team in all of MLS NEXT Pro without a regulation loss at home. The team will head to Southern California next, to face LAFC 2. LAFC 2, at 12th in the West, will be looking for the upset on Aug. 3 at 7 p.m. at Titan Stadium.
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MEDIA ASSETS
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MATCH INFORMATION
2025 MLS NEXT Pro Season
The Town FC 4 – 0 Real Monarchs
PayPal Park
Saturday, July 26, 2025
Scoring Summary:
TTFC (1-0) — C. Medina 3’
TTFC (2-0) — C. Medina 40’
TTFC (3-0) — N. Adimabua 64’
TTFC (3-0) — C. Medina 79’
Misconduct Summary:
TTFC — N. Fernandez (Caution) 32’
SLC — D. Berrios (Caution) 38’
SLC — O. Anderson (Caution) 49’
SLC — L. Moisa (Caution) 52’
SLC — O. Marquez (Caution) 68’
TTFC — C. Cowell (Caution) 90’
The Town FC: F. Montali (GK), M. Mbumba, W. Eisner, A. Cano, R. Ibarra (Y. Kikuchi – 84’), R. Rajagopal, C. Medina, N. Fernandez (K. Spivey – 84’), J. Donnery (C. Cowell – 70’), N. Adimabua (D. Baptista – 78’), M. Rodríguez (K. Walwyn-Bent – 70’)
Substitutes not used: A. Ling, H. Kohler, L. Ulrich
SHOTS: 18; SHOTS ON GOAL: 8; FOULS: 14; CORNER KICKS: 4; SAVES: 3
Real Monarchs: W. Mackay (GK), R. Mesalles (T. Silva – 76’), Z. Farnsworth, G. Calderón, G. Dillon, D. Berrios (M. Jennings – 40’), L. Moisa (B. Sandoval – 65’), O. Anderson, O. Marquez, A. Hezarkhani (G. Villa – 76’), C. Duke (D. Rocío – 65’)
Substitutes not used: I. Amparo, R. Alphin
SHOTS: 7; SHOTS ON GOAL: 3; FOULS: 18; CORNER KICKS: 5; SAVES: 4