It’s been an eventful week for Sacramento’s Academy players. Between international competition, tournament contests against top competition, the club’s academy squads and players each closed out Fall 2023 in impressive fashion. The club’s final week of action for the Fall half of the 2023 season pit the U-15, U-16, and U-17 squads against teams from across the country in the MLS NEXT Fest Showcase, and one of the club’s top young standouts impress on the international stage.
Kimbrough Represents Overseas
While the Academy took its talents to the desert, Republic FC’s Da’vian Kimbrough once again played with older players while representing Mexico’s U-15 squad at the 2023 Football Federations Cup. The young forward earned his first-ever selection to a Youth National Team roster following two training camp invitations earlier this fall. Across three contests, he netted three scores as his squad earned two wins and a draw from Wednesday to Sunday. Wednesday against Finland, Kimbrough netted a brace and took home Player of the Match honors, and Sunday against Spain, netted two more scores as his squad earned a 2-2 draw with their counterparts from La Roja. In the three match set, Kimbrough would leave as the tournament’s top scorer.
Sacramento Strong at NEXT Fest Showcase
Republic FC’s U-15, U-16, and U-17 sides each closed out the first half of the season with strong showings at the annual MLS NEXT Fest showcase. With each matched up against top competition from around the country, the club’s youth squads came away with five wins in nine matches, highlighted by an unbeaten week for the U-16 squad.
U15 Results
Dec. 7: 1-0 Win vs. Seacoast United
Dec. 9: 1-1 Draw vs. Real JFC
Dec. 10: 3-5 Loss vs. KSA
U16 Results
Dec. 7: 4-1 Win vs. Murrieta SA
Dec. 9: 2-0 Win vs. FC Delco
Dec. 10: 5-0 Win vs. Wake FC
U17 Results
Dec. 5: 4-3 Win vs. Tampa Bay United
Dec. 6: 1-2 Loss vs. Alexandria SA
Dec. 8: 1-1 Draw vs. Strikers FC
Three from the club also earned recognition as the best in their age group during the tournament. First-team signee Chibi Ukaegbu featured in the U-17 Best Of match, helping Team West earn Squad of the Day Honors on Thursday with its comeback result. Friday, U-16 standout Sean Baitinger and U-15 standout Rylan Hashimoto represented in their respective age groups’ Best Of games – with Hashimoto scoring twice and earning Man of the Match Honors.
Strong Fall Leaves All Five on Top
As the Academy breaks for the holiday season, all five teams sit in first place in their respective divisions, having combined for 49 wins, four draws and three defeats in league play.
2023 was a remarkable year for the academy’s players, as four earned first-team opportunities on academy contracts, four made their first-team debut, and 22 earned recognition as some of the best players in their age group nationwide with invitations to youth national team ID centers, camps and rosters. Additionally, Director of Talent ID Ivan Mirkovic earned an opportunity with the U-15 National team in Lisbon, Portugal – becoming the latest Republic FC coach to make his mark on the international stage.
Sacramento’s youth squads will return to the training pitch after the new year, and MLS NEXT play in mid-January. A plethora of big games await on the schedule as each squad turns its focus to the springtime’s MLS NEXT Cup Playoffs – including matchups with more MLS-affiliated opposition and local rival Sacramento United as the club aims for silverware.
