Republic FC wraps a busy stretch of three games in eight days this Saturday, when the club closes out the season series with Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. Sacramento enters the contest on three straight clean sheet results including Wednesday’s scoreless draw against New Mexico United at Heart Health Park.
At a Glance: #SACvCOS
- 5:00 PM PT Kickoff
- Weidner Field, Colorado Springs, Colorado
- Watch: Antenna TV 40.2, FOX40.com and the FOX40 News Mobile App, ESPN+
Republic FC – The Latest
Sacramento’s latest performance saw the club tally its third straight game unbeaten. Excellent backline play kept the contest tight through all 90 minutes. Republic FC nearly broke the deadlock on a few occasions and was very active in the attacking half – the club recorded 26 crosses into the box and had the edge in possession. In the end Sacramento claimed its 12th clean sheet of the season, tied for the league’s best mark.
Mark Briggs’ Men sets out for their penultimate road match of the regular season. Away from Heart Health Park in 2023, the club has been strong, posting a record of six wins, three losses, and six draws. Earlier this season, the club went eight straight road games without a loss from May 26 to August 19.
Know Your Opponent
Colorado Springs is part of a grouping of squads tied in the table – Switchbacks FC, Monterey Bay F.C., and Oakland Roots each sit on 40 points. With El Paso and New Mexico not far behind on 39 and 37, respectively, every game is important for the club.
Entering Saturday, they’ll be confident after getting results over two of the West’s toughest teams. On September 9, Colorado Springs split points with San Antonio in a 1-1 draw, and last weekend ended Orange County SC’s nine game unbeaten run with a 1-0 victory in enemy territory. In each contest, they’ve been efficient, scoring in each despite a combined five shots on target.
Players to Watch
Goalkeeper Christian Herrera put in a big performance for his club in Colorado Springs’ 1-0 victory last week over Orange County. He tallied eight saves and did well amidst a ton of pressure by the SoCal club, who posted 19 total shots, ten of which came from inside the penalty area. The shutout earned him Player of the Week honors for Week 28.
Cristian Parano stood out for Sacramento during Wednesday’s contest. He gave opposing defenders fits all evening, creating three scoring chances and completing nearly 85% of his passing attempts in the final third. He nearly found the net on a couple of occasions, but stout defending neutralized each chance.
Head-to-Head
Saturday marks the 14th all-time contest between the two clubs. Sacramento’s holds a slight advantage, with a record of 6 wins, 5 losses and two draws. When the two sides met on April 15 earlier this year, Republic FC put in a dominating performance, scoring four goals in a shutout victory. At Weidner Field, Switchbacks FC has won four of seven contests, outscoring Sacramento 10-6.
