On Wednesday, USL Championship announced that Republic FC Goalkeeper Danny Vitiello is a finalist for the USL Championship Player of the Month for June. Voting is open now through Monday, July 8 at noon PT at USLChampionship.com. Fan voting comprises 51% of the poll, and the remainder will be conducted by the USL Technical Committee and National media panel.
Vitiello is coming off one of the most dominant performances in his career. On Saturday night, the Long Island native and reigning Goalkeeper of the Year recorded his 8th clean sheet of the season in a five-save performance against Hartford Athletic. Danny’s acrobatic saves and steadfast leadership from the back had the best fans in the league chanting his name over and over through the evening.
During June, Vitiello earned the fans’ support with four nominations for Save of the Week, building off of his win the last week of May. He led the league with an 82.98 save percentage to close out the month and tallied three clean sheets – adding to his league-leading total eight shutouts on the season. Last year’s Golden Glove winner continues to protect the net with a .57 goals-against average to lead the league. Republic FC’s defensive unit including Vitiello have conceded a league-best 12 goals, six better than any Western Conference opponent.
Earlier in the week, the league also announced Vitiello as a nominee for USL Championship Fans’ Choice Midseason Awards. He is the only player to up for two awards – Goalkeeper of the Year and Player of the Year. Voting for the mid-year honors is open through 3:00 p.m. PT on Sunday, July 7 at USLChampionship.com.
Republic FC is back in action tonight when the club hosts Las Vegas Lights as the league kicks off its Summer of Soccer – 15 nationally televised matches over the next six weeks, including the Wednesday night clash at Heart Health Park. Kickoff from Heart Health Park is set for 7:30 p.m. and tickets are available at SacRepublicFC.com/tickets. One lucky fan will be crowned the USL’s One Millionth Fan – as the league expects the millionth attendee to a match to cross the gates at Heart Health Park before kickoff. In addition to a prize pack, the One Millionth Fan will have their tickets upgraded for Wednesday night.
On Tuesday, Republic FC will continue its quest for the U.S. Open Cup in a quarterfinal match against MLS side and four-time Cup champion Seattle Sounders. Republic FC is one of the eight teams remaining in the country’s longest running soccer tournament to crown a national champion. The Indomitable Club made history in 2022 by reaching the final – a first for a lower division team in nearly two decades. Tickets for the club’s historic match are available at SacRepublicFC.com/tickets.
