Wrapping up the club’s trip to Arizona is the final match of this week’s Desert Showcase, pitting Republic FC against another MLS outfit in Real Salt Lake. It’s the second of three contests the club will play before returning home to Sacramento for the final three weeks of training camp. After a defeat to Chicago Fire, the club will look to close out their trip to the desert on a high note.
At a Glance: #SACvRSL
- Saturday, February 11
- 5:00 PM PT Kickoff
- No broadcast available – follow @SacRepublicFC on Twitter for updates
- Kino North Stadium, Tucson, Arizona
Wednesday against Chicago Fire FC, Sacramento played well against a strong side a bit further along in their preparations. Every member of the squad got 45 minutes of action and performed admirably, setting a good foundation to build off of for the challenging week ahead. The Indomitable Club entered the break trailing by just a single score, and did well to threaten on a pair of set-piece opportunities. However, a strong second half for Chicago led by Xherdan Shaquiri put down Sacramento as Fire netted three scores before the final whistle sounded.
“It’ll be a difficult game,” said Head Coach Mark Briggs at Thursday morning’s training session. “Like Chicago, all these MLS teams are a month or so ahead of us, so they are sharper, fitter, and stronger right now. But for us, it’s about learning what we’re trying to implement and getting our fitness and mental sharpness.”
Much like Chicago, RSL is a bit further on in their preseason. They’ve already taken on two opponents – 2022 MLS Cup winner LAFC, who they bested 2-0, and Sporting Kansas City. A couple of familiar faces will likely see the pitch on the other side, most notably attackers Diego Luna and Danny Musovski who Sacramento knows from USL Championship play in recent seasons. Each is likely to see time as they battle to earn minutes this coming year alongside the already established players.
