After a bounce-back win in Seaside, Republic FC is in action at home this week with its second straight derby match. Oakland Roots SC visits the River City Saturday night for the first contest between the clubs this season.
Since the start of the derby, every game between the two squads has been closely contested, spirited, and filled with emotion from both the players on the field and the fans in the stands. Sacramento has won its last four games vs. Oakland, including an Open Cup win last season, and is unbeaten in six straight against the Roots dating to the start of 2022. At Heart Health Park, the Quails own the scoring advantage with 11 scored and seven conceded.
“We always look forward to these games because they always bring fans with them, they always bring a good crowd, and there’s a different energy to this game,” said Head Coach Mark Briggs. “It’s one we’re looking forward to and hopefully it can be as exciting as past games [vs. Oakland] have been.”
“The derby games, the rivalry games in NorCal are intense. Us and Oakland have a long history of a good rivalry,” said Conor Donovan. “Those games are obviously elevated a little bit because of that rivalry, so it’s going to be a tough match.”
Republic FC put in a strong effort last week vs. Monterey Bay, bouncing back from its first defeat of the season with a 2-0 victory. The club dictated play throughout the match and was strong in key moments, resulting in a clean sheet and providing momentum coming into Week 14.
“It’s always about us,” said Damia Viader. “And the reality is, we got to play our style and that’s what we want to do.”
“The energy, the culture, and the atmosphere that we’ve created is what the identity of our team is,” said Briggs. “That identity is simple, really. Hard work. Winning individual battles winning individual duels, working harder than the person you’re up against. It’s pretty basic, but that’s what our team’s built on.”
Oakland enters the match having won three of its last four. The club has been stingy defensively in that time, conceding only twice. Up top, they recently welcomed a seasoned veteran with top-flight experience to their roster – forward Dom Dwyer, formerly of Orlando City SC and Atlanta United made his debut for Roots SC last week.
“Oakland are a good club, a good team, and have a lot of top players that we have to be aware of,” Briggs continued. “We’ve got to come out confident, and we’ve got to carry our momentum into this weekend. Hopefully, there’s a big crowd and they create the energy and the atmosphere that they have so far this season.”
