The 2024 USL Championship Playoffs are here and for just the second time in club history, Republic FC will head out on the road for the opening round. The Indomitable Club will face off against postseason debutants Las Vegas Lights FC in Sin City on Friday.
At a Glance: #LVvSAC
- Date: Friday, November 1
- Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. PT
- Watch: FOX40 and ESPN+
- Watch Party: Join Republic FC at Urban Roots
How They Got Here: Republic FC
The Indomitable Club will make its 10th postseason appearance in 11 seasons. Republic FC remained in the Western Conference’s Top 3 for all but two weeks before finishing in fifth place after a busy final weekend that determined the final seed for seven of the eight teams in playoff position. Ten players combined to earn 24 Team of the Week selections, while Mark Briggs was named Coach of the Week twice during the campaign.
Sacramento’s regular season campaign came to a close with a 1-0 defeat against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Saturday night. After holding the majority of the possession and building the pressure throughout the second half, the visitors found the back of the net late to take all three points.
Now with single-elimination competition on the horizon, the club will have the opportunity to hit the reset button.
“The 2024 regular season is over, it’s finished. Whatever stuff we’ve dealt with throughout the season, whether it’s been good or bad, whether we’ve been dealing with injuries, let it go because it’s over with. We now have one game. We’re the underdogs now, but it’s the playoffs so anything can happen.” – Republic FC Head Coach Mark Briggs
Kieran Phillips joined the squad on loan in April and quickly showed his scoring prowess with a brace in his home debut before closing out the season with a team-best 12 goals, including an eight-game scoring contribution streak in September and October. On the other end of the field, Sacramento’s stalwart defense has continued to be a key to its success. For the second straight season, the club gave up the fewest goals in the Western Conference while goalkeeper Danny Vitiello led the league with 14 clean sheets, a new personal best.
How They Got Here: Las Vegas Lights FC
Las Vegas will be making its first-ever playoff appearance following a historic turnaround season. Under new ownership and with former Republic FC Academy Director Dennis Sanchez leading the organization as Head Coach, the club signed 25 players in the final days of the offseason and after a slow start to the season that saw just three wins in its first 13 matches, Lights turned the ship around in May. The club posted an all-time best 13 wins and finished with 32 more points than 2023, the second-best year-over-year improvement in league history.
Led by Khori Bennett’s 14 goals, the Nevada club’s offense ranks second in the Western Conference with 49 goals an has only been shut out three times. Its nine clean sheets tie the club’s all-time best, creating the first positive goal differential in club history. At home, Lights have shown strong form and at one point went 11 straight games without a defeat at Cashman Field.
Head-to-Head
Despite Republic FC holding the edge in this all-time series (7-4-3), Las Vegas came out on top of this season’s head-to-head battle and was the only Western Conference team to win two matches against Sacramento in 2024.