For the second time in club history, Republic FC has advanced to the USL Championship’s final four. On Saturday night, Phoenix Rising FC visits the River City for the Western Conference Final at Heart Health Park. The two clubs meet for the third time this season, with a spot in the USL Championship Final on the line.
At a Glance: #SACvPHX
- 7:00 PM PT kickoff – Saturday, November 4
- Heart Health Park, Sacramento, California
- USL Championship Playoffs – Western Conference Final
- Watch: Antenna TV 40.2, FOX40.com and the FOX40 News Mobile App, ESPN+
- Giveaway: Rally Towels to the first 5,000 fans
Republic FC – The Latest
A strong second half pushed Republic FC past defending champion San Antonio last Friday evening at Heart Health Park. After a deadlock through the first 45 minutes, the game opened up in the second half as Sacramento scored three goals. Defender Damia Viader made an instant impact off the bench following the break, tallying an assist on Russell Cicerone’s 49th minute score before adding a goal of his own later in the match. For the second time this season, Sacramento claimed a 3-1 win over the Texas club.
Know Your Opponent
Phoenix has advanced on the back of two straight late-game winners. In the Conference Quarterfinal against San Diego, the Arizona side overcame two deficits to net the winning goal in the 119th minute in extra time. Additional minutes were required this past week against Orange County SC; after a back and forth first half, Phoenix netted the winner in the 116th minute as the game looked destined to be decided from the penalty spot.
Players to Watch
Rising FC’s attack has been a key to its advancing this far. Two members of their squad – Danny Trejo and Manuel Arteaga – were contenders for the league’s golden boot, while Panos Armenakas finished high on the league leaderboard in chances created. Between the sticks, goalkeeper Rocco Rios Novo has stood out all season, recording the second-most saves of any goalkeeper during the regular season.
Underrated in the club’s win over San Antonio in the last round were the efforts of Luis Felipe and Nick Ross, whose ability to break up plays kept the defending title-holders at arms length. Ross tallied a goal and assist against San Antonio, in addition to his contributions in the midfield. On the season, Luis Felipe has scored seven goals – five of which have served as a game-winner or equalizer.
Head-to-Head
It’s been an eventful all-time fixture between the two clubs, who have played 24 times since 2014 and split the results right down the middle. Each have claimed eight wins, draws, and losses across all competitions. The two sides have played twice before in knockout contests – Phoenix claimed a 1-0 victory after extra time in the 2020 postseason, and Sacramento bested the Arizona side 2-0 in the 2022 U.S. Open Cup. This season, each side defended their home ground. Sacramento won 4-0 on July 26 behind scores from four different players, and Phoenix won 2-1 on August 30 amid a late push from Sacramento.
