A State Fair match at Heart Health Park has always brought fireworks and a great atmosphere – and this week should be no different. Republic FC welcomes Birmingham Legion to Heart Health Park for the very first time this Saturday, and from the outset, the match looks to be a good one between two clubs each jockeying for position in the playoff picture. With the State Fair in the background make sure to get to Heart Health Park early before the Boys in Old Glory Red take the field.
At a Glance: #SACvBHM
- Saturday, July 16
- 8:00 PM kickoff
- Heart Health Park, Sacramento, CA
- Know Before You Go: State Fair Match Day Guide
- How to watch: FOX40, Antenna TV 40.2, FOX40.com, FOX40 App, ESPN+
- Tickets
- Pre-Match Party: 5:30PM at Pete’s Restaurant and Brewhouse – 2100 Arden Way, Sacramento, CA 95825
The Latest – Republic FC
Against Oakland Roots on July 9, Republic FC gave fans an exciting contest to watch. A back and forth match with a regional rival went down to the wire – Republic FC took a lead into the second half, before the visitors clawed back for the lead in the final ten minutes. The match ended in a draw when Sacramento salvaged a score at the death on their final opportunity.
If Sacramento can continue to be dangerous offensively, the squad will be as confident as any. Last week’s derby with Oakland marked their first time notching three scores since their first contest of Open Cup way back on April 7. Taking control of the match early against Birmingham is a big focus for the squad, especially since their foes have yet to tally a single come-from-behind win this season. Sacramento is unbeaten when scoring first in 2022, posting a 10-0-3 mark.
Opponent Report
Birmingham comes in hoping their form from last week’s win continues. After stumbling out of the gate in July, they took three points from Charleston in a shutout victory. The contest saw them pose a threat all over the pitch and put down their opponents early.
In June, the club failed to concede, allowing zero balls over the line on the back end and winning all of their matches. Their trip to Sacramento will close out a grueling stretch of five straight on the road that started on June 25 at New Mexico United. In that run, the club has posted two victories, one draw and one loss, riding the contributions of midfielder Enzo Martinez. The Uruguayan enters the contest having scored in four straight, and against Charleston, he netted both a score and an assist.
Head to Head
Saturday night will be the first time the two clubs ever meet. Since Birmingham’s inaugural season in 2019, they’ve come to the Western Conference a handful of times – but Saturday will be their first ever match in the Golden State.
This year, the two clubs do share a grouping of similar opponents. Sacramento is 4-1-2 in those contests, compared to Birmingham’s 3-3-1 mark. On the stat sheet, the two sides are nearly identical, with just a single tally separating them in goals scored and goals conceded.
