Sacramento Republic FC kick off their 2018 USL campaign when they host San Antonio FC on Saturday, Mar. 17. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. at Papa Murphy’s Park. Gates open at 6 p.m.
This is the first season in club history that Republic FC will begin their season at home. Republic FC are 2-1-1 all-time on opening night and 3-1-0 in home openers. San Antonio FC will be the third team that Republic FC will have faced in opening games, joining LA Galaxy II and Seattle Sounders FC 2, who they have played three times. Republic FC have played five different clubs in their home opener: San Antonio FC, Harrisburg City Islanders (now Penn FC), LA Galaxy II, Arizona United SC (now Phoenix Rising FC) and Orange County SC.
Sacramento Republic FC kick off their 2018 USL campaign when they host San Antonio FC on Saturday, Mar. 17. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. at Papa Murphy’s Park. Gates open at 6 p.m.
This is the first season in club history that Republic FC will begin their season at home. Republic FC are 2-1-1 all-time on opening night and 3-1-0 in home openers. San Antonio FC will be the third team that Republic FC will have faced in opening games, joining LA Galaxy II and Seattle Sounders FC 2, who they have played three times. Republic FC have played five different clubs in their home opener: San Antonio FC, Harrisburg City Islanders (now Penn FC), LA Galaxy II, Arizona United SC (now Phoenix Rising FC) and Orange County SC.
Republic FC enter the match following a preseason capped off with a 2-1 victory over FC Cincinnati on Saturday, Mar. 10. Republic FC went undefeated against USL and lower competition in the preseason, outscoring their opponents 5-3.
Republic FC return many key players including Wilson Kneeshaw, Jeremy Hall, Elliott Hord, Villyan Bijev and Hayden Partain. Kneeshaw scored five goals and added five assists on the season in 2017, while Hall played the second most minutes, playing 2,790 across 31 matches, scoring two goals and adding an assist. Hord made 27 appearances, recording an assist. Bijev and Partain were both mid-season additions for Republic FC, but played big roles down the stretch with Bijev scoring two goals and adding two assists in nine matches, while Partain made 10 appearances, scoring a goal.
The club also added several new players this offseason, including forwards Cameron Iwasa and Christian Eissele, midfielders Jaime Villarreal, Keven Alemán, defenders Justin Schmidt, Mitchell Taintor, Cole Seiler and goalkeepers Josh Cohen and Rafael Díaz. Iwasa returns to Republic FC after spending a season with Sporting KC (MLS). The forward was Republic FC’s leading goal scorer in 2016, scoring a club record 12 goals on the season. Eissele joins Republic FC from Finnish club FF Jaro where he recorded 11 goals and eight assists last season.
Villarreal has been a familiar foe for Republic FC, playing the last four seasons with LA Galaxy and Los Dos. Alemán joins Republic FC after spending last season with Costa Rican side Deportivo Saprissa. Schmidt, Taintor and Seiler all come to Republic FC with MLS experience with five years of experience between the trio. Cohen comes to Republic FC as one of the best USL goalkeepers over the last two seasons including last season where he helped lead Phoenix Rising FC to their first-ever USL playoff appearance. Díaz spent the last two seasons with New York Red Bulls and NYRBII.
San Antonio FC come into the season following a very successful season in 2017. San Antonio finished with a 17-4-11 record and advanced to the Western Conference Semifinals, only to fall to Oklahoma City Energy FC on penalties.
San Antonio FC returns 16 players from 2017 including Cesar Elizondo, Kris Tyrpak and Ever Guzman. The trio were leading members of the 2017 season, scoring 17 goals and adding seven assists. Elizondo and Tyrpak were tied for second on the club in scoring and assists.
Defender Chris Christian will face his former club for the first time since joining San Antonio FC in the offseason. Christian made 56 appearances, including 55 starts in two seasons with Republic FC, scoring a single goal. The defender is expected to make his USL debut with San Antonio FC on Saturday.
A limited number of tickets are still available at Ticketmaster.com and will be available at the Papa Murphy’s Park Box Office beginning at 6 p.m. The match will be broadcast on KQCA My58 and Estrella TV Sacramento. The match will also be streamed live at www.sacrepublicfc.com/matchday-guide. Updates of the match will be provided via Twitter @SacRepublicFC or using #SACvSA.
Republic FC enter the match following a preseason capped off with a 2-1 victory over FC Cincinnati on Saturday, Mar. 10. Republic FC went undefeated against USL and lower competition in the preseason, outscoring their opponents 5-3.
Republic FC return many key players including Wilson Kneeshaw, Jeremy Hall, Elliott Hord, Villyan Bijev and Hayden Partain. Kneeshaw scored five goals and added five assists on the season in 2017, while Hall played the second most minutes, playing 2,790 across 31 matches, scoring two goals and adding an assist. Hord made 27 appearances, recording an assist. Bijev and Partain were both mid-season additions for Republic FC, but played big roles down the stretch with Bijev scoring two goals and adding two assists in nine matches, while Partain made 10 appearances, scoring a goal.
The club also added several new players this offseason, including forwards Cameron Iwasa and Christian Eissele, midfielders Jaime Villarreal, Keven Alemán, defenders Justin Schmidt, Mitchell Taintor, Cole Seiler and goalkeepers Josh Cohen and Rafael Díaz. Iwasa returns to Republic FC after spending a season with Sporting KC (MLS). The forward was Republic FC’s leading goal scorer in 2016, scoring a club record 12 goals on the season. Eissele joins Republic FC from Finnish club FF Jaro where he recorded 11 goals and eight assists last season.
Villarreal has been a familiar foe for Republic FC, playing the last four seasons with LA Galaxy and Los Dos. Alemán joins Republic FC after spending last season with Costa Rican side Deportivo Saprissa. Schmidt, Taintor and Seiler all come to Republic FC with MLS experience with five years of experience between the trio. Cohen comes to Republic FC as one of the best USL goalkeepers over the last two seasons including last season where he helped lead Phoenix Rising FC to their first-ever USL playoff appearance. Díaz spent the last two seasons with New York Red Bulls and NYRBII.
San Antonio FC come into the season following a very successful season in 2017. San Antonio finished with a 17-4-11 record and advanced to the Western Conference Semifinals, only to fall to Oklahoma City Energy FC on penalties.
San Antonio FC returns 16 players from 2017 including Cesar Elizondo, Kris Tyrpak and Ever Guzman. The trio were leading members of the 2017 season, scoring 17 goals and adding seven assists. Elizondo and Tyrpak were tied for second on the club in scoring and assists.
Defender Chris Christian will face his former club for the first time since joining San Antonio FC in the offseason. Christian made 56 appearances, including 55 starts in two seasons with Republic FC, scoring a single goal. The defender is expected to make his USL debut with San Antonio FC on Saturday.
A limited number of tickets are still available at Ticketmaster.com and will be available at the Papa Murphy’s Park Box Office beginning at 6 p.m. The match will be broadcast on KQCA My58 and Estrella TV Sacramento. The match will also be streamed live at www.sacrepublicfc.com/matchday-guide. Updates of the match will be provided via Twitter @SacRepublicFC or using #SACvSA.