by Chelsea Reimche
Overview: SAC vs. El Paso
- Date: Saturday, July 12
- Kickoff: 8:00 p.m.
- Venue: Heart Health Park
- Tickets: Purchase now
- State Fair Match 1: Match Ticket includes same-day entry to the Fair
- Matchday Guide: Know Before You Go
Know Your Club – Republic FC
On Saturday, the Indomitable Club returns home to Heart Health Park after four-straight matches on the road. El Paso Locomotive FC sits in third place in a tight Western Conference table. The Indomitable Club has grabbed the momentum with two strong league outings to bring the Boys in Old Glory Red to 5th in the standings.
Last Friday, SRFC claimed a series sweep over Las Vegas Lights FC. Stellar performances across the pitch showed the depth of the Indomitable Club’s roster. Coming on as an early substitute, defender AJ Edwards netted his first goal in Old Glory Red. Captain Rodrigo Lopez dished out his 48th career league assist, his second goal contribution within the last two matches.
Later in the half, another Quail hit a career first as Blake Willey became the youngest homegrown player to record an assist for the first team. The academy grad played a precision ball to Russell Cicerone on a run through the heart of Vegas’ back line. Cicerone’s strike put him at the top of the team’s goal scorers standings with four. Cicerone, Lopez, and Willey all earned selections to Team of the Week for their performance.
Know Your Opponent – El Paso Locomotive FC
El Paso goes on the road after a heart breaking 1-2 loss to Texas rivals San Antonio FC in front of a record-breaking home crowd at Southwest University Park. A defensive giveaway in El Paso’s box would put the club down early on. Despite Los Locos netting an equalizer in the second half, SAFC would put the match away with another in the 83rd minute and claim all three points on the road.
Head coach Wilmer Cabrera has turned things around in Texas in his first full season at the helm for Los Locos, after finishing in last place at the end of the 2024 season. El Paso sits two points behind Western Conference leader New Mexico United through 15 matches.
Wilmer “Andy” Cabrera – Coach Cabrera’s son – has been the engine for the borderlands club. Cabrera leads the team in goals (10) this season – ranked second across the league. He is the first Locomotive player to score in four consecutive games, helping the team advance to the Round of 32 in the U.S. Open Cup. The Locos will be without striker Amando Moreno, the conference’s shot leader, after he committed two cautionable offenses against San Antonio.
Head-to-Head
Saturday’s face-off marks the 11th overall meeting between the two western sides. Locomotive’s last visit to Heart Health Park resulted in a 2-0 victory for Republic FC. Defender Jared Timmer – who announced his new multi-year deal to stay in Sacramento – netted his first professional goal in last year’s clash. In the last four matches – dating back to 2019, Republic FC has claimed all three points each time out, and only conceded one goal in the six year stretch.
