Earlier today, the USL Championship announced the Week 22 Team of the Week. For the second straight week, Republic FC leads the league with three selections following a dominant 5-0 win over Sporting Club Jacksonville on Saturday. Memo Rodriguez gets his second consecutive nod, while Tyler Wolff and Lee Desmond each earn their first selection of the season.
Wolff got the goal fest started early with the help of Pep Casas. Casas capitalized on a mistake by the Jacksonville defense and took control of the ball to send a low cross to Wolff for a tap-in goal in the seventh minute. Wolff, who joined Republic FC on loan from Real Salt Lake in April, went on to score two more goals. It was his second career hat trick and the club’s first since 2023.
Later in the half, The Quails broke out for an onslaught of three goals in five minutes. The first came from the corner as Memo Rodriguez sent in a well-placed ball for Jared Timmer to head home. Rodriguez then slotted a perfect through ball for Tyler Wolff’s second goal of the night, before setting up another set piece goal in the 43rd minute. This time on the opposite corner, Memo put an in-swinging cross at the near post for center back Lee Desmond to head past the keeper.
The three-assist performance was the first of Rodriguez’s career and the first for Republic FC since its inaugural 2014 season. The offseason addition now leads Sacramento with four assists.
Desmond’s goal, his first of the 2026 campaign, put an exclamation point on an already special night. The Team Captain made his 400th career appearance, the latest milestone in a remarkable career spanning over a decade in Ireland and the U.S. The Irishman also anchored a staunch defensive effort that silenced the Jacksonville attack. Desmond led all players with seven possessions won, while also maintaining a 95% passing accuracy.
Saturday’s win marks Republic FC’s second consecutive multi-goal win and fourth straight undefeated match. The Indomitable Club has continued its ascent up the Western Conference table, and now has a chance to jump as high as third with a midweek road match against FC Tulsa on Wednesday night. That match from ONEOK Field kicks off at 5:30 p.m. and will be streaming on FOX40+ and ESPN+. The team will stay on the road to wrap up the week with another big matchup against defending league champion Pittsburgh Riverhounds on Saturday, August 8.
