Republic FC returned home from Colorado Springs with three points in hand after a strong victory over Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. On a difficult night to play amid cold, windy conditions, The Indomitable Club came out of the blocks fast to take control of the game, showing all the ways they can be dangerous.
Building On Up
Each of Sacramento’s goals on Saturday night were built out of the back – showing the squad’s ability to strike in any way, at any time. On the first, the club won possession in its own half before finding Jack Gurr on the wing, who pushed play to the inside ahead of Trevor Amann’s fourth goal of the season.
The club proved again that it has weapons across the pitch on its second goal. Just 20 minutes after Sacramento pulled ahead, Lee Desmond drove forward from the club’s own half with the ball at his feet, which demanded the attention of defenders. While a seemingly minor action, the move cleared out space in the middle of the pitch. When Russell Cicerone received the ball, he had little challenge in driving ahead before finding his first of the year with a right-footed strike.
“It was only a matter of time for Russell to start scoring,” said Head Coach Mark Briggs after the match. “I am over the moon tonight, not only with him scoring a goal, but with his collective performance – the work he did for the team, the pockets he found, and his choices in possession.”
Possession Turning into Results
Republic FC’s success in the build-up wouldn’t have been possible without the club’s stellar 78% passing accuracy for the match. While in possession, Sacramento’s players were clean with the ball at their feet, only getting intercepted four times and forcing a change in strategy by the hosts at halftime. In the 65th minute, the club won possession after an errant long ball forward by Switchbacks FC. Working through traffic, the squad built up the left flank for another chance at goal.
“I thought it was a really professional performance,” said Briggs. “Especially in the first half, I thought we were commanding – we kept possession and created a number of opportunities. We looked solid and we had a mindset that we weren’t going to lose this game.”
Through five weeks, Republic FC leads the league with an overall 82% passing accuracy – up ten percent from the first five games a season ago. This season, the squad identified that area as one they want to improve in.
“This year, we’ve really emphasized keeping the ball a little more,” said Rodrigo Lopez earlier this season. “But while keeping our DNA which is to be on the front foot and be aggressive, be dynamic when we have the ball, and it’s something that’s helping us a lot.”