League News

Chavez Banger Wins Fans Choice Goal of the Week

SACRAMENTO, California (September 9, 2021) – Julian Chavez’s curler in the 88th minute of Sacramento Republic FC’s 3-1 win at Las Vegas Lights FC on Sunday has won the USL Fans’ Choice Goal of the Week. The honor comes after Chavez netted his second professional goal and first of this season.

“I was just waiting for Jaime to make the run and take the defender out,” Chavez said. “As soon as he did that, I cut in. And as soon as I hit that, I knew it was going to hit the back of the net.”

Chavez becomes the third Republic FC player to win USL Goal of the Week this season, following Nabi Kibunguchy’s late equalizer at Orange County SC in Week 14 and Luis Felipe’s second goal of his brace against New York Red Bulls II in Week 15.

Chavez and Kibunguchy represent two of the Indomitable Club’s three winners to come through the highly successful SRFC Academy.

“My time in the academy helped me grow as a player,” Chavez remarked following the 3-1 win in Las Vegas. “My coaches always pushed me to reach the professional level. Through those years, they all those years got me ready for this moment. And that's why I feel confident when I get on the field.”

The Boys in Old Glory Red have followed a trend this season of utilizing their depth to create turning points in matches, and Chavez’ development is no different.

“I'm really pleased for Julian because he's been working day in and day out every single day,” head coach Mark Briggs said. “He’s come in with the right attitude, showing intensity and showing his quality. The fact that he got on the field and not only scored an absolutely fantastic goal, but turned in a performance of high level, shows a lot about him. He's gone through the academy and he's now doing well on the first team and really proud of his performance.”

The Indomitable Club closes out its three-game road trip on Saturday, September 11 with a 6:30 p.m. kickoff at El Paso Locomotive FC from Southwest University. The match will be broadcast locally on KQCA My58 and Estrella TV Sacramento, as well as streaming on ESPN+.

Chavez and Kibunguchy represent two of the Indomitable Club’s three winners to come through the highly successful SRFC Academy.

“My time in the academy helped me grow as a player,” Chavez remarked following the 3-1 win in Las Vegas. “My coaches always pushed me to reach the professional level. Through those years, they all those years got me ready for this moment. And that’s why I feel confident when I get on the field.”

The Boys in Old Glory Red have followed a trend this season of utilizing their depth to create turning points in matches, and Chavez’ development is no different.

“I’m really pleased for Julian because he’s been working day in and day out every single day,” head coach Mark Briggs said. “He’s come in with the right attitude, showing intensity and showing his quality. The fact that he got on the field and not only scored an absolutely fantastic goal, but turned in a performance of high level, shows a lot about him. He’s gone through the academy and he’s now doing well on the first team and really proud of his performance.”

Around the Leagues: Final Round of World Cup Qualifiers Underway

Professional soccer both at home and abroad met high stakes in the past week with playoff scenarios continuing to take shape and on-field preparations for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar getting underway.

United Soccer League

Week 20 of USL action continued over the weekend, with a number of inter-division matchups grabbing attention.

Tampa and Pittsburgh separated themselves from Miami in the East, with the Rowdies taking three points from Oakland Roots and Riverhounds SC splitting points with San Antonio. After a tough stretch, Orange County SC drew on the road with Mountain Division leader El Paso Locomotive.

FC Tulsa took down Louisville City 1-0 in a gritty Central Division road contest on Friday, inching them closer to second-place Birmingham Legion, who also dropped points. After being held scoreless for the first time all season on August 21, Phoenix Rising has responded by scoring nine goals in three matches. The Arizona side took down Tacoma Defiance 3-1 on Sunday, maintaining their lead over El Paso for most points in USL.

World Cup Qualifying

The final qualifying rounds for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar got underway last week, with countries worldwide looking to punch their ticket to the world’s most-watched tournament. After two matches, Mexico leads CONCACAF action after taking its first two matches against Jamaica and Costa Rica, followed by Panama and Canada in the second and third spots. The United States, Honduras, and El Salvador are all on the outside looking in after splitting points amongst themselves over the weekend.

Despite having their match canceled on Sunday due to health and safety concerns, Brazil and Argentina still lead the pack in CONMEBOL with Ecuador and Uruguay following closely behind. Over the weekend, Ecuador and Chile split points while Uruguay took down Bolivia 4-2.

In Europe, Ukraine split points with defending champion France while England and Germany all cruised to victories to keep the top spot in their respective groups. The Netherlands inched closer to the top spot in Group G with a 4-0 win over Montenegro, and Serbia continued their chase of Portugal with a 4-0 win over Luxembourg.

Major League Soccer

World Cup qualifying didn’t stop MLS play this week. Nashville inched further ahead of New York City FC and kept pace with Orlando with a 3-1 victory, while a win for Colorado jumped the Rapids over second place Kansas City and just one point behind Seattle for first in the west.

Dallas and Real Salt Lake played an eventful matchup on Saturday with the Utah side emerging victorious after putting two scores in during the second half. FC Dallas knocked on the door late, but Jesus Ferreria’s 80th minute goal- which garnered a nomination for MLS Goal of the Week- would be all they would manufacture in a 3-2 loss.

NWSL

A week after recording the highest attendance ever in league history, OL Reign saw their three match win streak come to an end after splitting points on the road against Racing Louisville. However, the club remains in a tie for second place after taking three against Houston on Wednesday.

On Sunday, Houston drew with Orlando, while Kansas City split points with North Carolina courage.

Republic FC’s Luis Felipe Earns Team of the Week

Sacramento, Calif. – On Tuesday, the USL Championship announced Republic FC's Luis Felipe was named to the Week 20 Team of the Week Bench for his performance in the Club’s 3-1 win over Las Vegas Lights FC on Sunday.

The Brazilian midfielder scored the game-winning goal for the Indomitable Club in the 73rd minute, putting an excellent strike past Las Vegas goalkeeper Alex Rando after finding the ball in space. The score was his third of the season, and first since July 31 when he netted two goals against New York Red Bulls II at Heart Health Park.

Sacramento, Calif. – On Tuesday, the USL Championship announced Republic FC’s Luis Felipe was named to the Week 20 Team of the Week Bench for his performance in the Club’s 3-1 win over Las Vegas Lights FC on Sunday.

In addition to his 73rd minute game-winner, the midfielder also finished with a team-high three shots, three intercepted passes and 81 percent passing accuracy.

This is Felipe’s third Team of the Week Selection this season, and second to Team of the Week Bench. He last earned the honor following Sacramento’s win over New York Red Bulls II on July 31, when he scored twice in a 3-1 victory at Heart Health Park.

Republic FC is back in action this Saturday, September 11 when the club takes on Mountain Division leader El Paso Locomotive FC. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m., and the match will be broadcast locally on KQCA My58 and in Spanish on Estrella TV Sacramento, as well as streamed live on ESPN+. The Indomitable Club returns home the following weekend when they host San Antonio FC and celebrate “Noche Latina” on September 18.

In addition to his 73rd minute game-winner, the midfielder also finished with a team-high three shots, three intercepted passes and 81 percent passing accuracy.

VOTE NOW: Juju’s Left-Footed Curler Nominated for Goal of the Week

SACRAMENTO, California (September 7, 2021) – Julian Chavez’s goal from Saturday’s 3-1 road win over Las Vegas Lights FC has been nominated for USL Fans’ Choice Goal of the Week for Week 20. Voting is now open and runs through Thursday, September 9 at 9:00 a.m. PT at USLChampionship.com.

Juju’s goal, which sealed the win and capped off a three-goal half for the Indomitable Club, was the product of excellent passing and ball movement. The buildup started from the backline with a pass from Jordan McCrary to Jaime Villarreal, who crossed the ball into the box. Jerome Kiesewetter beautifully controlled the ball out of the air and laid it off to Juju, who shook off his opponent and sent a left-footed curler to the top-left corner of the net.

This is the second Goal of the Week nomination for Juju, the youngest goal scorer in Republic FC history. Last season, the Republic FC Academy product’s first professional goal—a last-second game-winner against Timbers 2—was on the ballot for Week 11 and was voted Best Goal of the Season by Republic FC players.

In addition to Juju’s nomination, the Boys in Old Glory Red have been up for Goal of the Week four times this season, with Nabi Kibunguchy taking the Week 14 honors and Luis Felipe wearing the crown for Week 15.

Republic FC is back on the road this weekend for an out-of-conference matchup against El Paso Locomotive. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. PT and the match will be broadcast on KCQA My58, Estrella TV Sacramento, and ESPN+.

What to Watch Across the USL: Week 20

The USL Championship’s offensive potency will help sort out a crowded playoff picture across all four divisions as September gets underway.

Pacific Division Update

Oakland Roots SC are hungry and looking for higher division table positioning after winning three of their last four. The East Bay side struggled out of the gate this season in their USL Championship debut, but has a chance to make a big statement this Friday at a Tampa Bay Rowdies side currently on cruise control.

Orange County SC has turned its luck around as of late with a win and a draw to stay in third in the division and can make an equally large statement with three points against El Paso Locomotive, who is coming off just its second defeat of the season.

Tacoma Defiance and Phoenix Rising FC will square off in divisional play on Sunday, joined by LA Galaxy II paying a visit to San Diego Loyal SC.

Louisville City FC vs. FC Tulsa

LouCity enters the weekend looking to get back in the win column after a rare setback while FC Tulsa has taken all three points in its last three outings. Tulsa currently has a solid grasp on third in the Central Division, but a win over Louisville will bump them up to two points behind the second-place spot occupied by Birmingham Legion FC.

Louisville striker Cameron Lancaster scored twice against this same FC Tulsa side in a 2-1 win on August 14, but one of the league’s leading goal scorers has not found the back of the net since and will be looking to get back on track in the race for the Golden Boot. Louisville’s attacking front will be equally matched against a Tulsa offense that has found the net 33 times this season. Rodrigo Da Costa paces the Oklahoma side with eight goals, scoring against City FC on June 19.

Friday’s matchup will feature two of the league’s best one-two punches up top. For Louisville, Lancaster and Kyle Greig have combined for 16 goals and one assist, while Da Costa and Marlon have teamed up to produce 14 goals and six assists for FC Tulsa.

San Antonio FC vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

Two USL sides in the playoff conversation will meet for the first time ever when Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC travels to Toyota Field to face San Antonio FC.

Already on solid ground in the postseason pursuit, Riverhounds SC enters the weekend with one of the best attacking duos in the league in Russell Cicerone and Alex Dixon, who have combined for 20 goals and 13 assists on the year. Cicerone has been on a tear as of late with five goals on eight shots in his last two games, while Dixon has logged a goal and two assists in his last two outings.

Standing in Pittsburgh’s way is a San Antonio FC side on little rest and high momentum after a 3-2 home win over Real Monarchs on Wednesday that saw SAFC’s recent run of form stretch to four wins in five matches. SAFC has their work cut out for them against Riverhounds SC, but boasts one of the USL Championship’s most elite playmakers in Cameron Lindley. Lindley and Pittsburgh’s Kenardo Forbes are tied for second in the league with 43 chances created.

Two USL sides in the playoff conversation will meet for the first time ever when Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC travels to Toyota Field to face San Antonio FC.

Charlotte Independence vs. Miami FC

Charlotte is on the cusp of being on the right side of the playoff line, and in spite of a 2-0 defeat in Tampa Bay last week, can cross that line on Saturday with three points against their second straight Florida opponent, Miami FC.

For Miami, a 7-1-3 record since the start of July has allowed them to sit comfortably in third in the Atlantic Division. The club has outscored opponents 21-11 since with three straight clean sheets dating back to a scoreless draw with Austin Bold FC on August 14.

Charlotte forward Dane Kelly will look to add to his USL Championship all-time goals record this weekend after already racking up seven this year for the Independence, including a penalty at Miami back on June 26. On the other side of the fixture, Billy Forbes has scored for Miami three times in the past two games. The southern Florida club is 4-0-1 this season when the forward finds the back of the net.

Around the Leagues: Big Moves as International Deadline Approaches

Last week, the summer transfer window brought one of 2021’s biggest moves, while a great meeting between the best of North America’s top two leagues delivered highlights and storylines sure to be talked about for some time. NWSL action continued, delivering a week of tight matches across the top flight of Women’s soccer.

United Soccer League

A few clubs in USL put together some stunning results over the weekend. After a very tough start to the season, Oakland Roots has emerged victorious in three straight matches – including two against Tacoma and first-place Phoenix. The Bay Area side has won four of six and tallied 12 scores since a stretch through June and July that saw them find the net just twice.

The Atlantic Division dogfight between Tampa, Pittsburgh, and Miami has continued. Each of the clubs has won two straight matches, and they’ll all have a chance to extend their streaks to three this week when they take on clubs looking to get back into the postseason picture. Following last week, Tampa and Pittsburgh remained tied at the top with 40 points, while Miami is close behind at 37.

Major League Soccer

The United States’ top flight had a brief break last week as All-Star festivities took place from Los Angeles. This season’s main event pitted the MLS All-Stars against their counterparts from Mexico’s Liga MX in a match that did not disappoint. After falling behind 1-0 20 minutes in, the MLS squad rallied back to pull even before taking down their opponents 3-2 in an eventful penalty shootout that saw two misses and three kicks saved by excellent goalkeeping.

Regular season play resumed on Friday, starting with an exciting come from behind victory for Columbus over FC Cincinnati. The Crew would bag two scores in the final ten minutes to take the contest over their Midwest rivals, with both scores coming within 60 seconds of each other off the foot of Miguel Berry, marking the striker’s second career brace.

A 3-3 draw in between LAFC and LA Galaxy headlined Saturday’s action. The cross-town rivals traded punches all afternoon, combining for 35 shots and 16 opportunities on target in the season’s second El Trafico.

LAFC is making big news in the transfer market with a sale of MLS Best XI striker Diego Rossi to Turkish club Fenerbahçe, while in the Eastern Conference, the Philadelphia Union’s Jack de Vries has been loaned to Serie A side Venezia.

The homegrown midfielder becomes Venezia’s third MLS signing of the summer window, after Tanner Tessmann (FC Dallas) and Gianluca Busio (Sporting Kansas City) joined earlier. NYFCFC has also loaned Alexandru Mitrita to PAOK FC in Greece on Deadline Day.

NWSL

It was a week of close matchups in NWSL play, as all but one fixture was decided by more than one score.

Orlando Pride took a 1-0 victory over Gotham FC, allowing the club to keep pace with OL Reign, who has continued to climb in the standings after a slow start to the season. An eventful second half between Houston and Racing Louisville FC resulted in a 1-0 win for Houston. The final 45 minutes saw the fixture’s only score, a 68th minute effort from Nichelle Patrice Prince, as well as five cautions handed out to members of both squads

It was a week of close matchups in NWSL play, as all but one fixture was decided by more than one score.

OL Reign upset first place Portland in a battle of Northwest foes. A brace for Megan Rapinoe in her second straight match– third if you include the bronze medal match for the USWNT- put the Washington club in sole possession of third place on the league table. They remain just three points back of second and seven points back of first.

Premier League

Week three of the 2021-22 Premier League season brought news of easily the second-biggest player transfer of 2020. After three seasons with Juventus in Italy’s Serie A, Cristiano Ronaldo returned to Manchester United, where he featured for six seasons between 2003 and 2009. Ronaldo’s acquisition brings even more attacking potency to the Red Devils, who already boast two players with three scores through three weeks and the league’s leading assist man in Paul Pogba.

On the other side of town, two straight wins for Manchester City have undone a tough season-opening loss. The club’s 5-0 blowout of Arsenal made them one of just two squads in the league with 10 scores through the season’s first three weeks. Arsenal, on the other hand, finds themselves last in the league table after a disastrous start to the season, which has also seen them drop matches with Brentford and a depleted Chelsea squad.

After Tottenham’s 1-0 victory over Watford, the London club now stands as the only squad with wins in each of its first three matches. Watford has struggled since opening the season with a win, but has an advantageous matchup with Wolves, who has yet to claim a point this season.

What to Watch Across the USL: Week 19

Must-see matchups are the big ticket for Week 19 of the USL Championship season. As the season rolls into September, so too does the quality of matchups in tight division races. League leaders and top talent will take the bill this weekend as the road to the USL Championship Playoffs becomes clearer, both inside and outside the Pacific Division.

Pacific Division Update

Oakland Roots SC stunned Phoenix Rising FC as Las Positas College in a Wednesday night fixture to shake things up even further in an already wild division race. The streaking East Bay side have a quick turnaround for the weekend though, hosting Tacoma Defiance on Saturday at Laney College to close out an impressive 3-2-2 month.

Las Vegas Lights FC are on the other side of recent luck, falling in three straight matches ahead of Friday night’s tangle with LA Galaxy II as both sides try to push their way into the top four.

Rising FC and Orange County SC face off with interdivision foes for the weekend, and a win or draw from the Southern California side will have them joining Phoenix in the 30-point club.

Las Vegas Lights FC are on the other side of recent luck, falling in three straight matches ahead of Friday night’s tangle with LA Galaxy II as both sides try to push their way into the top four.

Rising FC and Orange County SC face off with interdivision foes for the weekend, and a win or draw from the Southern California side will have them joining Phoenix in the 30-point club.

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC vs. Hartford Athletic

A less than satisfactory recent run of form has seen Hartford Athletic fall from the Atlantic Division playoff scene, but Athletic can change their luck this weekend against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC. Hartford are no stranger to tight playoff races this year, and find themselves in a familiar situation heading into Week 19. At 27 points, the Connecticut side are deadlocked in a three-way tie for the fourth playoff spot in the division.

Pittsburgh and Hartford have pronounced offenses, as both teams rank in the top six in the league in total goals. Individually, Danny Barrera (Hartford) and Kenardo Forbes (Pittsburgh) are two of the top three chance creators in the league. On the other side of the ball, both teams have combined for 10 clean sheets on the year.

Louisville City FC vs. Birmingham Legion FC

The top two clubs in the Central Division face off in Week 19 when Birmingham Legion FC play host to one of the league’s top sides in Louisville City FC.

Cameron Lancaster (Louisville) and Neco Brett (Birmingham) steal the headlines from an attacking standpoint, as both players are tied for second in the Golden Boot race with 11 goals apiece. In net, both teams have combined for 10 clean sheets in 2021.

Louisville City FC are riding high in the division, Eastern Conference and league. As one of two USL Championship clubs with 40 points on the season entering the weekend, City FC are seven points clear of Birmingham in the Central Division table. Despite coming off a scoreless draw with OKC Energy FC, the club are also winners of four out of their last five matches.

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC vs. Austin Bold FC

A fixture with plenty of late-game drama in 2021 renews itself on Saturday when Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC hosts Austin Bold FC as Weidner Field. Switchbacks FC scored in the 90th minute on June 22 to escape Austin with three points before Bold FC returned the favor on August 4 with an 81st-minute winner from Collin Fernandez.

Three points for a struggling Austin side on Saturday will create a three-way tie for second in the Mountain Division, as Bold FC are looking to break a three-game draw streak. A win for Switchbacks FC will give them full command of second place in the division.

Saturday will also give USL Championship fans another chance to watch the current Golden Boot frontrunner in Switchbacks FC’s Hadji Berry, who has found the back of the net 19 times this season across his club’s 19 games.

Around the Leagues: MLS All-Star Break Headlines Great Week of Soccer

The beautiful game continued to generate all kinds of storylines this week. As Major League Soccer gets ready to pit the league’s best against the top performers of Mexico’s Liga MX, USL play continues to deliver constant shuffling in the standings as the second half continues. Megan Rapinoe returned to NWSL play in dramatic fashion, while the Premier League continued its 30th season with a great slate of second week games.

United Soccer League

After falling to fourth in the Pacific Division table last week, Orange County SC secured a crucial win on Saturday, taking down San Diego Loyal SC 2-1. The victory lifted OCSC to second in the standing after a mid-season slide that saw them drop two of three to Phoenix, Tacoma, and cross-town rival Galaxy II.

The Atlantic Division continued to see shuffling at the top in Week 18. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC defeated Atlanta United after a draw with Tampa Bay Wednesday, while Miami came away victorious over Hartford Athletic. The Division now sees three squads within three points of each other for first place, and three squads all tied for fourth with 27.

Louisville City FC had their four-match win streak snapped by OKC Energy FC in a 0-0 draw Saturday. They remain ahead in the standings however, with Birmingham Legion FC’s loss to FC Tulsa on Sunday.

Premier League

Arsenal fell 2-0 for the second straight match, this time at home to Chelsea, who entered the weekend missing a number of key contributors. The Gunners now find themselves as one of just five clubs to drop their first two matches, while Chelsea finishes week two on top of the league table.

Brentford’s positive start to their first season in the Premier League continued on Saturday. The club came away with a point in a 0-0 draw with Crystal Palace, and will look to claim points for the third straight match when they take on Aston Villa, who has split their first two. The West London club is one of five clubs that has yet to concede a goal so far this season.

After the season’s first two weeks, Manchester United holds the league lead in scoring, bagging a combined six goals against Southampton and Leeds. Five of their scores have come off assists from Paul Pogba, and three have come off the feet of Bruno Fernandes, who leads the Premier League in the category. Chelsea, Liverpool, and Everton have all tallied five scores in their first two matches.

Major League Soccer

Following their tenth straight match without a loss over the weekend, San Jose Earthquakes climbed into a playoff spot after taking down LA Galaxy 2-1. The Western Conference remains crowded, however, as five clubs — San Jose, Vancouver, Dallas, Portland, and LAFC — all sit within four points of each other for the final playoff spot.

New England kept their strong season going with a 3-2 victory over D.C. United, widening their already comfortable Conference lead over Orlando, who drew with Nashville 1-1 over the weekend, to 15 points. Atlanta gained ground with a win over last-place Toronto, pushing the Georgia club into a tie with D.C. United for the East’s last playoff spot.

MLS gets a break this week as the League’s all-star festivities commence from Los Angeles. For the first time, this year’s event will feature the MLS All-Stars against their counterparts from Mexico’s Liga MX in a match sure to bring plenty of interest. Kickoff is set for Wednesday evening at 6:30 p.m. PT.

NWSL

NWSL play delivered some exciting contests over the weekend as the push for playoff position continues.

OL Regin continued their climb in the standings over the weekend with a 2-1 victory over Gotham FC. After going into the final minutes tied 2-2, USWNT veteran Megan Rapinoe converted on a penalty in the 91st minute, securing both a brace and three points for the Washington club in her first appearance since June 26.

NWSL play delivered some exciting contests over the weekend as the push for playoff position continues.

Washington took down Orlando Pride in an exciting matchup on Saturday. Orlando broke the 0-0 tie midway through the second half,but Washington wouldn’t wait around to break even, finding the net just a minute later. Spirit forward Ashley Sanchez would net a spectacular goal from 25 yards out in the 89th minute, securing the nation’s capitol a victory and a tie for third place.

Republic FC’s Cameron Iwasa Earns Team of the Week Selection

Sacramento, Calif. – On Tuesday, the USL Championship announced Republic FC‘s Cameron Iwasa was named to the Week 17 Team of the Week for his performance in the Club’s 2-1 win over Las Vegas Lights FC on Saturday.

Iwasa scored twice in the 48th and 72nd minutes to secure the Indomitable Club a comeback victory after falling behind 1-0 in the 20th minute. His brace is the third of the season for a Republic FC player, following Tucker Bone against Las Vegas on July 14 and Luis Felipe against New York on July 31, and the ninth of his career.

His offensive performance earned him a spot on the Team of the Week Bench. Iwasa recorded eight of the club’s 24 shots for the match, while also putting three shots on goal and leading all players with three blocked shots on the defensive end. His two scores, the 53rd and 54th of his career, also moved him into sole possession of 8th place on the USL all-time scoring list and fifth among active players.

Cameron’s selection is the seventh for the club this season. He last earned the honor in Week 8 last season after tallying his 50th career score in a 3-1 win over Tacoma Defiance.

Iwasa’s 72nd minute game-winner has been nominated for Week 17 Goal of the Week. Voting is open now and runs through Thursday, August 19 at 9 a.m. PT at USLChampionship.com.

The boys in Old Glory Red are back in action on Saturday, August 21, when the squad travels to Arizona for their third meeting of the season with Phoenix Rising FC. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. and the match will be broadcast locally on KQCA My58 and in Spanish on Estrella TV Sacramento, as well as streaming live on ESPN+. Republic FC return home the following weekend to host San Diego Loyal SC on “Honor our Educators Night” at Heart Health Park. Tickets are available at here.

Cameron’s selection is the seventh for the club this season. He last earned the honor in Week 8 last season after tallying his 50th career score in a 3-1 win over Tacoma Defiance.

Iwasa’s 72nd minute game-winner has been nominated for Week 17 Goal of the Week. Voting is open now and runs through Thursday, August 19 at 9 a.m. PT at USLChampionship.com.

Vote Now: Iwasa’s First Goal is Nominated for Goal of the Week

SACRAMENTO, California (August 16, 2021) – Cam Iwasa’s opening goal from Saturday’s 2-1 home win over Las Vegas Lights FC has been nominated for USL Fans’ Choice Goal of the Week for Week 17. Voting is now open and runs through Thursday, August 19 at 9:00 a.m. PST at USLChampionship.com.

The buildup started with Mario Penagos dispossessing Las Vegas in the attacking midfield before playing the ball into space on the left side to Darek Formella, who threaded the ball into Iwasa. Surrounded by defenders, Iwasa rocketed a second touch off his left food into the back of the net for the equalizer.

With the strike, Iwasa added to his all-time club goals record and found the back of the net for the first time since June 2. This marks the third Fans’ Goal of the Week nomination for the Indomitable Club in four weeks after Nabi Kibunguchy took Week 14 honors and Luis Felipe was crowned for Week 15.

Republic FC is back on the road this weekend for a Saturday showdown in the desert with Phoenix Rising FC. The 7:30 p.m. PT kickoff will be broadcast on KQCA, My58, Estrella TV Sacramento (Spanish) and ESPN+.