Sacramento Republic FC treated the sold out crowd at Papa Murphy's Park to a goal fest in the club's home opener against Orange County SC on Saturday. Sammy Ochoa struck first in the 23rd minute and added a second in the 60th minute. Wilson Kneeshaw scored his first of the season in the 68th minute, with Harry Williams clinching the 4-0 win with his 90th minute strike just before the final whistle.
Below, read what Head Coach and Technical Director Paul Buckle had to say, as well as Ochoa, Wilson and Orange County SC Head Coach Logan Pause and captain Richard Chaplow.
Sacramento Republic FC treated the sold out crowd at Papa Murphy’s Park to a goal fest in the club’s home opener against Orange County SC on Saturday. Sammy Ochoa struck first in the 23rd minute and added a second in the 60th minute. Wilson Kneeshaw scored his first of the season in the 68th minute, with Harry Williams clinching the 4-0 win with his 90th minute strike just before the final whistle.
Below, read what Head Coach and Technical Director Paul Buckle had to say, as well as Ochoa, Wilson and Orange County SC Head Coach Logan Pause and captain Richard Chaplow.
Sacramento Republic FC Head Coach and Technical Director Paul Buckle
(On Sammy Ochoa)
“I am thrilled with Sammy [Ochoa]. I think he’s doing everything that I thought he would do. He came in two months prior to the season getting underway. The one thing he does is he affects the game. He scores goals and he creates goals which is nice. He can finish. We’ve been crying out for that and he’s dangerous. He’s been dangerous in training and that first strike set us off.”
(On the match)
“We didn’t start very well, and that’s two games now that we haven’t started as well as we would like. But you’re not going to get it all straight away from the start of the season. Orange County are a good side, they’ve added a lot of quality to their squad. But I think tonight we showed what a good team we can be this season. Very pleased with four goals, very pleased with the clean sheet and delighted that I was able to bring Evan [Newton]. He made an important save at the start of the game. We’ve got two good goalkeepers and we’re going to use them both this season.”
Sacramento Republic FC Head Coach and Technical Director Paul Buckle
(On Sammy Ochoa)
“I am thrilled with Sammy [Ochoa]. I think he’s doing everything that I thought he would do. He came in two months prior to the season getting underway. The one thing he does is he affects the game. He scores goals and he creates goals which is nice. He can finish. We’ve been crying out for that and he’s dangerous. He’s been dangerous in training and that first strike set us off.”
(On the match)
“We didn’t start very well, and that’s two games now that we haven’t started as well as we would like. But you’re not going to get it all straight away from the start of the season. Orange County are a good side, they’ve added a lot of quality to their squad. But I think tonight we showed what a good team we can be this season. Very pleased with four goals, very pleased with the clean sheet and delighted that I was able to bring Evan [Newton]. He made an important save at the start of the game. We’ve got two good goalkeepers and we’re going to use them both this season.”
Sacramento Republic FC Forward Wilson Kneeshaw
(On the frontline’s chemistry)
“We work on it every day in training. He’s [Blackwood] obviously English so we’ve got that connection there [laughs]. We all work together, even with Sammy [Ochoa] getting the assist, working together with him is like a partnership. It’s all coming together.”
Sacramento Republic FC Forward Wilson Kneeshaw
(On the frontline’s chemistry)
“We work on it every day in training. He’s [Blackwood] obviously English so we’ve got that connection there [laughs]. We all work together, even with Sammy [Ochoa] getting the assist, working together with him is like a partnership. It’s all coming together.”
Sacramento Republic FC Forward Sammy Ochoa
(On his two goals)
“Just following the play. Being at the right time at the right place. It’s actually goals by Wilson [Kneeshaw] that happened by me. I’m just here to pick up the trash. We have the win and that’s the most important thing.”
Orange County SC Midfielder Richard Chaplow:
(On match as a whole)
"I think we knew coming up to Sacramento was going to be tough. We knew that the way things were left last season they were going to want to settle the score. We were ready in that first 15-20 minutes and I think that we handled the environment very well. We had some good opportunities ourselves, which you know, we were disappointed to not be ruthless enough to stick them away. And then we got the sucker punch in the first goal and from there on in we kind of folded in and I think from the first to next three [goals] were very similar. There’s lessons to be learned but there’s a lot of games to go.”
Orange County SC Head Coach Logan Pause
(On the match)
“First and foremost, congratulations to Sac Republic. Great game plan, great execution. Fantastic crowd and wonderful place to play. I think that we came out on the front foot and created some chances early on but didn’t score those and we give one up, kind of a half chance and then we’re chasing the game. From there on we opened ourselves up, vulnerable to more chances and ends up being more goals [for Republic FC]."
Sacramento Republic FC Forward Sammy Ochoa
(On his two goals)
“Just following the play. Being at the right time at the right place. It’s actually goals by Wilson [Kneeshaw] that happened by me. I’m just here to pick up the trash. We have the win and that’s the most important thing.”
Orange County SC Midfielder Richard Chaplow:
(On match as a whole)
“I think we knew coming up to Sacramento was going to be tough. We knew that the way things were left last season they were going to want to settle the score. We were ready in that first 15-20 minutes and I think that we handled the environment very well. We had some good opportunities ourselves, which you know, we were disappointed to not be ruthless enough to stick them away. And then we got the sucker punch in the first goal and from there on in we kind of folded in and I think from the first to next three [goals] were very similar. There’s lessons to be learned but there’s a lot of games to go.”
Orange County SC Head Coach Logan Pause
(On the match)
“First and foremost, congratulations to Sac Republic. Great game plan, great execution. Fantastic crowd and wonderful place to play. I think that we came out on the front foot and created some chances early on but didn’t score those and we give one up, kind of a half chance and then we’re chasing the game. From there on we opened ourselves up, vulnerable to more chances and ends up being more goals [for Republic FC].”