Tarik Scott lifts Lexington SC past Monterey Bay with late winner

Tarik Scott’s late finish sent Lexington SC to a 3-2 win over Monterey Bay FC at Lexington SC Stadium and turned a two-goal hole into one of the USL Championship’s sharpest comebacks of the weekend. Lexington had trailed by a pair of goals midway through the first half, but the home side kept climbing back until Scott delivered the winner.

The result carried more weight than a single wild afternoon. Lexington had to reset after the early damage, and the pause created by an extended weather delay only added to the stop-start feel of the match. By the time Scott decided it, Lexington had already shown it could stay organized under pressure, hold its nerve and keep forcing Monterey Bay to defend for longer stretches.

That matters for a club trying to prove it can manage games as well as it can chase them. Falling two goals behind at home can unravel a match quickly, especially against a Monterey Bay side that arrived with more established attacking pedigree after signing Sebastian Lletget for the 2026 season. Lletget brought 33 appearances for the United States men’s national team and more than 250 Major League Soccer appearances into the campaign, adding another layer of experience to a Monterey Bay roster that expected to control difficult away nights.

Scott’s winner also gave the result a personal edge. Lexington signed the 20-year-old forward to a multi-year contract on Jan. 6, after he had produced one goal and two assists on loan with Monterey Bay late in 2025. Scoring the decisive goal against his former club made the finish even sharper, and it underscored why Lexington moved to keep him in the fold ahead of the season.

The clubs have already built a small but lively 2026 history. Another Lexington-Monterey Bay meeting ended 3-1 in Lexington’s favor, while Monterey Bay beat Lexington 2-1 in Seaside in a 2025 matchup. Saturday’s comeback pushed the series further toward balance and gave Lexington another home result that looks useful beyond the standings: a reminder that the group can absorb a bad opening, stay in the match and still find a winner late.

For Monterey Bay, the collapse turned a road lead into a damaging loss. For Lexington, the 3-2 finish was more than a burst of late drama. It was the kind of recovery that can change the way a team handles the next time the first half goes wrong.