After a trip to the Bay Area for the first contest of the year against Oakland Roots SC, Republic FC returns to Heart Health Park this weekend. Their foe traveling in is San Antonio FC, who enters the week first in the table in USL providing Sacramento an opportunity to again defend their home turf against a top club.
Last Week’s Drama
San Antonio played possibly their tightest match of the year last week. After two weeks off due to a postponed fixture against Colorado Springs, they took to Rio Grande Valley for the first of three on the road and were challenged by their Texas rivals before edging out a 3-2 result. The gritty contest saw 11 cautions and a sendoff for the Toros, as well as a score from each squad after the 87 minute mark. A Justin Dhillon brace got the club on the board early as well as put the game away, leading the midfielder to a Team of the Week selection.
San Antonio This Season
Only one club has served as a speed bump to San Antonio FC in 2022 – Phoenix Rising FC. Aside from two clean sheet losses to the Arizona club, who Sacramento bested in Open Cup play in May 11, San Antonio has been perfect. Their victories this season have seen them concede just four times and log six clean sheets.
Contributions have come from all ends of the roster – the club has three players with four scores this season including Dhillon and forward Elloitt Collier, and six creating chances in double-digits from all positions. Defensively, their backline has been one of the best, propelling the club to its impressive clean sheet tally and teaming with goalkeeper Jordan Farr to concede the second-fewest scores in the entire league this season through 11 contests.
Head to Head
Saturday’s match marks the ninth all-time meeting between Sacramento and San Antonio dating to 2016, when the two sides’ inaugural contest ended in a 1-1 draw. The pair have split points just once since then, with each taking three wins apiece and scoring nine times. The two clubs last meeting ended with San Antonio on top 1-0 despite Republic FC dominating the first half on offense.
