A clash between two high powered clubs is on the docket this week as 2022 Eastern Conference Champion Louisville City FC visits Sacramento for the very first time. Coming off week three, the Indomitable Club netted the top spot in the league’s weekly power rankings. Louisville enters the match hungry after a tough home loss to El Paso Locomotive.
Amid a stretch where every opponent is a title contender, Sacramento’s confidence is high. This season they’ve proven an ability to execute at a high level no matter the circumstances. The club’s mental approach has been strong – just like Mark Briggs has asked it to be.
“It’s been a fantastic week. They guys are obviously feeling good after the result we had,” Mark Briggs said on Thursday. “But we understand we have another big opponent coming in this weekend. The intensity, the quality, and the desire shown to work this week and work at the things we believe we need to work at have been really good. Now we have to go out and execute the plan on Saturday.”
Three points against a club with the roster and pedigree of Louisville would continue to legitimize Sacramento’s as one of the league’s best. Republic FC enters tied for the league lead in points, and as one of just and handful of unbeaten teams.
“Winning games breeds confidence. Saturday will be no different to any other. We play Louisville City, who we know are a successful club,” said Mark Briggs. “For us it’s just another opponent we believe we can beat. And now we have to go and not only believe it, we have to show it.”
“It’s another big game for us. Every week seems to be huge games coming up,” said Jack Gurr. “These are the games we want to be involved in and play in, and these are the games to test ourselves and show we’re one of the best teams in the league.”
Louisville will be making their first ever trip to Heart Health Park. As Sacramento plays its third of four straight games at home, the benefit that provides is well documented. It’s also likely to be a factor in the result.
“It’s hard to travel in this league, in this country,” Briggs went on. “So, when you’re at home, you have to make the most of playing in front of your own fans, executing game plans and getting points. For our guys, the fact that we get to play in front of our fans and the way our fans support us and get behind us, it creates excitement for us to go out and represent them in the right way.”
