by Chelsea Reimche
Overview: SAC vs. LEX
- Date: Saturday, July 19
- Kickoff: 8:00 p.m.
- Venue: Heart Health Park
- Tickets: Purchase now
- State Fair Match 2: Match Ticket includes same-day entry to the Fair
- Watch: FOX40, CBS Sports Golazo Network
- Matchday Guide: Know Before You Go
Know Your Club – Republic FC
The Indomitable Club heads into the second half of the season with three-straight multi-goal wins and a shutout streak of 309 minutes. Last Saturday – after a month on the road, the squad welcomed fans back to Heart Health Park with a 3-0 victory over El Paso Locomotive FC.
Building on what has become his best campaign since joining Republic FC, Sebastian Herrera scored the eventual game-winner just before halftime with a one-touch finish. He later added an assist just before the final whistle with an unselfish layoff to Cristian Parano. Across all competitions, Herrera is now tied with Russell Cicerone for the team lead with nine goal contributions.
Michel Benitez had a standout performance in his own right. After setting up the opening goal, he doubled the lead in style with a perfect curling shot that was later nominated for Goal of the Week. The assist came from Blake Willey who recorded his second assist in as many games, earning him the distinction as the youngest player to record two assists in Old Glory Red.
Danny Vitiello made a stellar save to keep things level in the 8th minute when Eric Cavillo’s strike from distance curled toward the top corner, but Vitiello flew into the air to make the save. It was his third straight clean sheet, which moves him into second place in the Golden Glove race with a 0.8 goals-against average.
The show-stopping performance earned Republic FC a league-high five Team of the Week selections. Herrera and Benitez were named to the top XI, while Danny Vitiello and Blake Willey were recognized on the bench. Neill Collins was named Coach of the Week after making history as the youngest head coach to reach 100 USL Championship wins. The 41-year-old became the fourth manager to join the century club and the fastest to do it in his 185th game.
The tightly contested Western Conference shows no sign of letting up as Republic FC enters Saturday’s match just four points out of first place.
“You can see from the table how two wins takes you way up and two losses can take you way down…in some ways, it’s a great reflection on the league, and how it’s improving, and how all these teams are improving, so it’s definitely a challenge,” says Collins.
A win against Lexington would also give The Quails more momentum heading into next week’s match against Spokane Velocity in the final round of USL Jägermister Cup group play.
Know Your Opponent – Lexington SC
This week, Lexington Sporting Club travels to Sacramento to continue its inaugural season in the USL Championship. After an up and down start to the year, LSC recently began to find its stride and is now undefeated in its last four league matches.
Last weekend against Miami FC, they conceded in the 24th minute, but fought back to find an equalizer in the final moments. Defender Kieran Sargeant sent a well-paced cross to substitute Cory Burke on the back post to deny Miami the win and extend Lexington’s scoring streak to six games.
Burke has been an offensive asset for the Kentucky side with a team-best three goals and is one of the more decorated players for Lexington. He has spent time with MLS side Philadelphia Union in 2018, finishing his debut season tied for top scorer with 10 goals. He is also a Jamaican national team veteran, with Concacaf Gold Cup and FIFA World Cup qualifier appearances.
Last December, LSC tapped two-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year, Terry Boss as its first-ever USL Championship coach. Boss has assembled a well-rounded roster of players from a multitude of leagues including MLS, USL Championship, and USL League One.
Lexington’s recent success has put the team back in the mix to fight for a spot in the postseason. Headed into the weekend, they’re ranked ninth and are among a group of five teams that are currently separated by just three points in a battle for the eighth seed.
