Possibly the most highly anticipated match in recent memory has arrived for Republic FC this week. Wednesday, a regional rival in San Jose Earthquakes comes to town as both squads look to advance to the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal round. For Sacramento, it’s the third time they’ll play this deep in the nation’s oldest tournament, and more importantly, the first time on their home turf.
The spectacle the contest provides has the whole club, from the top down, excited and ready for an opportunity to face off against the best. Republic FC has history against San Jose, falling in each of their previous three contests – but this time around, the stakes are higher. And the club knows that they’ll have every chance to win, claim NorCal superiority, and prove what they are capable of.
“We’ve got to believe – we’re going up against a team yes, of a higher caliber, but it’s a team that we’re fully capable of beating,” said Mark Briggs at training on Monday.
“For us it’s a chance to make history,” said Rodrigo Lopez. “I think the guys are up for the challenge – I think they have what it takes they know what it means to the city, the organization, and to us as players. Everyone’s excited.”
The excitement surrounding the opportunity they have has not clouded reality, however. They know that to take down one of Major League Soccer’s highest-scoring squads this season, they’ll need to be in top form and make sure that they’ve dotted every “I” and crossed every “T”. While any team is beatable, they must respect every possible outcome.
“Everyone wants to play against an opponent of a higher level,” Briggs continued. “[San Jose] is a very good team, they’ve got talented attacking players, they’ve got a lot of pace. So we’ve got to understand their strengths and weaknesses.”
“Whatever team they roll out is going to be a good one,” said Matt LaGrassa. “They’ve got a lot of depth in their roster. Every MLS roster has good players from Guy 1 to Guy 28.”
Above all, however, the club’s ready for the atmosphere they’ll be stepping into. Sacramento’s already known for being home to the best fans in the country, and it’s just the third time an MLS club will come to Heart Health Park for a competitive match. Wednesday, and the club’s counting on fans to make it a difficult place for San Jose to play just like they do for any squad.
“I hope to see a loud, raucous fans that get on every touch, that get after them and that get behind us,” Briggs said. “When our stadium gets loud there is no place like it. We need the fans and the city to get behind us and put San Jose under pressure. Let’s give everything we have to make this fairytale a good ending.”
“I know what Sacramento fans are capable of,” LaGrassa continued. “I think there’s a buzz around the city right now around this team and the opportunity we have in the cup, and everyone’s ready to take advantage of it.”
