Pro Soccer: Union win shootout in Prinx Tires USL Cup

SEASIDE — For a franchise in need of a shot in the arm, a penalty kick shootout win may not turn the season around, but it certainly will brighten spirits.

Granted, it will have no bearing on the United Soccer League Championship season. Yet, for Monterey Bay FC, there hasn’t been a finer moment in the struggling start to the spring.

Turning to penalty kicks in the Prinx Tires USL Cup, the Union converted four goals, then watched the Oakland Roots final attempt bounce off the crossbar in a 4-3 overtime win Saturday at Cardinale Stadium.

Winless in the regular season through seven matches, and one of just three teams among 25 without a win, the Union scored as many goals in the shootout as they have in eight regulation matches this season.

With the roster overhauled in the off-season, finding that chemistry and cohesiveness on the field has been slow in an 0-5-2 USL regular season start, which includes failing to score in four matches.

Squeezing out a win to open the USL Cup also provided a little redemption for Monterey Bay FC, which fell 1-0 in its regular-season opener at Oakland last month.

The Union’s offensive struggles weren’t solved in the shootout, as the team managed just one goal in regulation, that coming in the 63rd minute of the second half from Ilijah Paul to tie the match at 1-1.

Paul, who produced a goal in last week’s setback at Colorado Springs, took a pass from Omari Glasgow and sent a shot screaming into the right corner.

Glasgow, one of the new faces on this year’s roster, has produced a team-high three assists this season for the Union, who return to USL play next Saturday, hosting FC Tulsa at Cardinale Stadium.

What was encouraging was the effort of the Union’s defense, who after giving up seven goals in their last two matches, held Oakland without a goal in the second half behind goalie Fernando Delgado.

Glasgow was part of the scoring entourage in the shootout, producing the first goal, with Belmar Joseph, Eduardo Blancas and Nicholas Gordon all finding the net.

Delgado, who came into the match with 17 saves in the USL regular season, made two massive stops in the penalty kick shootout to put the Union in a position to earn the win.

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This story was originally published April 25, 2026 at 10:17 PM.