Republic FC closes out a three-match homestand Saturday at Heart Health Park against Rio Grande Valley FC. It’s the first meeting against the South Texas side this season, which visits the River City on a strong run of form.
Last Week’s Results: #RGVvCOS
A mid-week matchup on June 21 saw the Toros host Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC in a tightly played contest. Both sides had frequent opportunities – but it was the hosts who put in the game’s lone score in the 64th minute for a 1-0 win. Forward Frank Lopez scored the winner on a well-placed shot just inside the left post mid-way through the second half. They take on Oakland Roots mid-week before coming to Sacramento.
The Toros this Season
RGV FC has been a tough opponent for every opponent it has lined up against thus far. Like many of the top teams in the league, their squad’s success has been the result of fast starts – 10 of the 15 scores by the Toros in 2023 have come in the first half.
The club opened the season with four straight unbeaten results, drawing three to start the year before besting Detroit City FC in a shutout win. Contributions have come from all over their roster, as nine different players have found the net for the club. Lately they have been on a roll offensively, netting two scores per game since June 10.
Players to Watch
Throughout the club’s three-match unbeaten run, forwards Wilmer Cabrera and Frank Lopez have each been in good form. Both players have two scores in the last three games – Cabrera scored in two straight games against Miami and New Mexico, and Lopez scored in the Miami match and put in the winner for his club on June 21.
Head-to-Head
Sacramento and Rio Grande Valley have matched up 11 times to date, with the Quails recording five wins and four draws. The all-time scoring balance also favors Sacramento – Republic FC has outscored the Toros 20-14 since their first meeting in 2016.
Last season, Republic FC secured a point in two contests. In South Texas on April 23, RGV found a late winner to take three points. The clubs’ split points later in the year on August 6, when late-match heroics from Rodrigo Lopez equalized for the club in the final moments of.
