Match Previews

by Matthew Muren

Overview: SAC @ LV

• Date: Friday, July 4
• Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. PT
• Venue: Cashman Field (Las Vegas, NV)
• Watch: FOX40, FOX40+ Smart TV app, ESPN+

Know Your Club – Republic FC

Republic FC head into an Independence Day clash after a brief break for USL Jägermeister Cup play. Last Saturday’s match against Orange County marked the third round in the cup group stage – and another chapter in the long-running battle with the SoCal club. Both sides created opportunities throughout the night, but a late winner gave OC three points for the table and kept their cup hopes alive.

Republic FC remained near the top of the table, with one more opportunity to punch its ticket to the knockout rounds. Co-Captain Lee Desmond also marked a milestone for the Boys in Old Glory Red on Saturday. Desmond joined the distinguished list of 12 players to reach 100 appearances for Republic FC – and the 6th on the roster. 

Friday’s match up draws Republic FC’s four-game road run to a close – with two special State Fair home matches to follow. The middle-third of the season sets the stage for the Indomitable Club to climb the table with home and road matches even at four a piece. The Quails sit 4 points out of third place in a tight Western Conference, with one game in hand over most of the division.

Know Your Opponent – Las Vegas Lights FC

The Silver State side has new faces since their last showdown with Republic FC. Former head coach Antonio Nocerino parted ways after a run of shutout losses entering June: 4-0 and 5-0 to Republic FC, and 3-0 to San Antonio FC.

Stepping in on June 14, 28-years-old interim head coach Giovanni Troise is the 4th youngest head coach in USL Championship history. Troise has revitalized Las Vegas since taking the helm. The Lights are coming off three shutout victories in a row to start the Italian’s tenure, most recently taking down Spokane Velocity in the Jägermeister Cup. They turned away 13 shots to earn their 9th clean sheet in all 2025 competitions, matching their total from 2024. The Lights defense leads all USL clubs in clean sheets.

Las Vegas also acquired forward Stefan Stojanovic from FC Tulsa. The 24-year-old attacker scored 16 goals and produced 7 assists throughout his three seasons of professional play. Stojanovic brings a new energy to the Lights’ offense, but the player to watch for Friday’s matchup is Las Vegas’ leading scorer.

Forward Johnny Rodriguez leads the Lights with 5 goals and 17 shots on target in the 2025 USL Championship, including two in a 2-0 against Monterey Bay FC earlier in June. Lethal from both the penalty spot and open play, Rodriguez has given Las Vegas an offensive spark this season and is responsible for half of their goals in the USL Championship. The striker is always a threat when on the field, and his contributions have the Lights in the playoff hunt

On Saturday night, Vegas wrapped up its USL Jägermeister Cup group play with a 2-0 win over League One side Spokane Velocity. The three points put Lights at the top of Group 1, but they’ll have to wait for the final weekend of group play to see if they’ll go through to the knockout rounds. Republic FC holds the head to head advantage with a win on May 30 that featured 4 goals from four different players.

Head-to-Head

Las Vegas had Sacramento’s number last year with Former Academy Director Dennis Sanchez at the helm. Vegas swept the season series 2-0 and eliminated Republic FC in the first round of the 2024 Western Conference Playoffs. But Sanchez is now with New Mexico, and the Indomitable Club has taken the first two matches of 2025 in emphatic fashion. A 4-0 win in cup play was followed up with a 5-0 league win over the Silver State side. Friday night’s clash will close out the season series, barring any playoff action.  Sacramento is 9-4-4 all-time against the Nevada squad, and they can pick up their 10th win against Las Vegas on Independence Day.

Overview: SAC @ OC

• Date: Saturday, June 28
• Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. PT
• Venue: Championship Soccer Stadium (Irvine, CA)
• Watch: FOX40, FOX40+ Smart TV app, ESPN+

Know Your Club – Republic FC

This weekend’s match marks the third straight road contest for the Indomitable Club. Last Saturday, the squad closed out its trip to the East Coast with a 2-0 win over Rhode Island FC. After a relatively quiet first half, Republic FC found the back of the net twice in eight minutes to put the match away.

“After seven days on the road, we finished the trip well,” said Head Coach Neill Collins. “We had a difficult result in Birmingham Wednesday, but I always think it’s about how you respond, and the players responded really emphatically. Not just with the result, but with the performance.”

Cristian Parano caused havoc for Rhode Island’s backline all night and played a key role in both goals. In the 53^rd minute, he shook off two defenders before drawing the foul that set up Rodrigo Lopez’s perfect set-piece finish. Just eight minutes later, Parano found the back of the net himself as Russell Cicerone made the unselfish choice to lay the ball off for an unmarked Parano inside the box, and the Argentinian put his left-footed strike on target.

The back-to-back goals showed how lethal Republic FC’s attack can be once it gets going. Of Sacramento’s six multi-goal games this season, four have come with rapid-fire goals within 15 minutes of each other.   

Saturday’s victory was doubly special for goalkeeper Danny Vitiello, who recorded two saves to become the third player to earn his 50^th USL Championship regular season clean sheet.

Know Your Opponent – Orange County SC

OCSC is coming into the match with fresh legs following a bye week. Back on June 14, they picked up their biggest win of the year, defeating Western Conference standout El Paso Locomotive by a score of 3-0. It marked OC’s first road win and first clean sheet of the season. Just before the break, the team erupted for three goals in 10 minutes, led by Ethan Zubak’s six-minute brace. On the defensive end, El Paso fired away 24 shots, but goalkeeper Collin Shutler made four saves to secure the shutout.

Saturday could see the USL debut for new addition Stephen Kelly. The midfielder signed with Orange County earlier this week following an eight-year career in Scotland, which included stints with Rangers, Ayr United, Ross County, and most recently Livingston.

Head-to-Head

A familiar face indeed – Republic FC and Orange County SC have played 29 times since 2014, making this the third-most contested series in USL history. The Indomitable Club will be looking to flip the script from the teams’ first head-to-head this past April when two own goals set OC up for the win.

USL Jägermeister Cup – Group 1

Both teams need a win to secure their spot in the competition. For Republic FC, three points would keep the team at the top of the Group 1 standings and put the squad in prime position to advance to the knockout rounds following the final group stage match in July. Last time out in Cup play, The Quails took a 4-0 victory over Las Vegas Lights. Jared Mazzola became the first goalkeeper to record two clean sheets in the tournament and earned Team of the Round honors alongside defender Lee Desmond.

“We know that three points will put us in a good place,” said Head Coach Neill Collins. “This is about putting our destiny in our own hands. We want to get through to the next round and this will give us the best chance.”

On the bottom half of the table, Orange County has to pick up a win to stay alive in the USL Cup. They are currently 0-2 in the tournament, losing 3-1 and 3-2 to Las Vegas Lights and Monterey Bay FC, respectively.

by Matthew Muren

Overview: SAC @ RIFC

• Date: Saturday, June 21 
• Kickoff: 4:00 p.m. PT 
• Venue: Centreville Bank Stadium 
• Watch: Antenna TV 40.2 & ESPN+ 
  • Official Watch Party: 32 Brews Street @ Sky River Casino (Ages 21+) 

Know Your Club – Republic FC

Republic FC’s two-match Eastern Conference road trip kicked off in Birmingham on Wednesday night. The Quails continued their form of defensive fortitude, but when play opened up end to end in the last 120 seconds of the match, Birmingham Legion FC stole the points with a stoppage time goal.

The defensive stalemate in Alabama kept the offense quiet on both sides of the field. Stifling coverage from the back line limited the shots on target to two per half – Republic with two in the first and Legion with two in the second. Cristian Parano and Trevor Amann came off the bench in the second half and gave the Quails a new look up top to close out the match. Parano’s press created opportunities in the last 25 minutes, and Amann’s stoppage time shot nearly gave Sacramento the lead late, but goalkeeper VanOekel pushed it wide.

The last three matches included two top-three Western Conference opponents and Birmingham FC, who earned points in three of its last five contests after hiring new manager Chris Davies. Before a three-match stretch without finding the back of the net, Republic FC closed out May with nine goals from nine different players, showing what the club is capable of producing.  

Know Your Opponent – Rhode Island FC

Rhode Island is looking to carry momentum from a thrilling 2-1 victory against North Carolina FC on June 14. The back-and-forth affair went deep into stoppage time when Frank Nodarse drew a crucial penalty to give RIFC the chance to win their first victory at their new home stadium. Forward Maxi Rodriguez stepped up and buried the penalty kick, securing a historic win and cementing his name in the Rhode Island FC record books.

Despite a losing record at home this year, the club has been hard to beat at Centreville Bank Stadium, only conceding four league goals at home in 2025. RIFC sits 9th across the league in goals conceded (14) and tied for 7th with 4 clean sheets. 

Forwards Albert Dikwa and JJ Williams are the club’s biggest offensive threats, both scoring a team-leading 11 goals in the 2024-25 campaign. They are among four players leading the team with two goals apiece this season. 

For the second time on their four-game road trip, a familiar face greets Republic FC for their match against Rhode Island. Defender Aldair Sanchez, who made 68 appearances across two seasons with Republic FC, signed with Rhode Island FC for the 2025-26 season to bolster a solid defense that has produced four clean sheets so far this year. Rhode Island also ranks No. 9 in the USL for fewest goals conceded. 

Head-to-Head

Both Republic FC and Rhode Island have the chance to claim their first head-to-head victory this Saturday. The teams have only faced off once, the contest ending in a 2-2 draw last year.

Overview: SAC @ BHM

• Date: Wednesday, June 18
• Kickoff: 5:00 p.m. PT
• Venue: Protective Stadium (Birmingham, AL)
• Watch: Antenna TV 40.2, FOX40+ Smart TV app, ESPN+

Know Your Club – Republic FC

It’s a busy week as the squad kicks off a stretch of four straight road games. On Saturday night, Republic FC closed out a five-game homestand with a stellar defensive performance against San Antonio FC. The Indomitable Club claimed its third clean sheet and split the points to deny San Antonio its first win at Heart Health Park since 2021.

Sacramento came out of the gates as the more aggressive team and frequently pinned San Antonio down near their goal with the visitors seeing twice as much action in front of their own goal than that of Republic FC.

In the defensive third, the Indomitable Club made it nearly impossible for San Antonio to get anything going all night and held them to just one shot on target, which didn’t come until the 88^th minute. Since the beginning of May, Republic FC has allowed just two goals in league play, the lowest mark across USL Championship.

Know Your Opponent – Birmingham Legion FC

A familiar face awaits Republic FC on Wednesday. Former Head Coach Mark Briggs joined the Alabama club in late April after a five-season tenure in Sacramento. Briggs picked up his first win with the Three Sparks on May 24 as the team fought back from a first half deficit to defeat Miami FC 2-1. One week later, they bested FC Tulsa in USL Jägermeister Cup play to claim one of the top two positions in their group.

But heading into Wednesday the team will be looking to bounce back from back-to-back losses, first to Indy Eleven (1-0) and most recently to Louisville City (4-2). Briggs’ squad got the early lead as Ronaldo Damus netted his sixth goal of the year, but LouCity would quickly equalize before Phillip Goodrum’s hat trick put the game out of reach.

Haitian international Damus is signed to Swedish club GIF Sundsvall, but has spent the majority of the last three seasons on loan in USL Championship. Last year, he led Colorado Springs with 14 goals to claim his second league title.

Head-to-Head

Republic FC could claim its first-ever win over the Three Sparks on Wednesday night. The two clubs have only faced off on three occasions. Birmingham claimed the first-ever head-to-head in 2022, but since then the clubs have split the points.

Overview: SAC vs. SA

• Date: Saturday, June 14
• Kickoff: 8:00 p.m.
• Venue: Heart Health Park
• Tickets: Purchase now
• Watch: FOX40 & ESPN+
• Brewfest: Buy tickets now (includes match)
  • Ages 21+
  • Unlimited tastings from over 20 local breweries, live music, and more

Know Your Club – Republic FC

Saturday’s game closes out a stretch of five straight home games for Republic FC. Last weekend, the squad suffered its first home defeat of the 2025 campaign in a 1-0 battle against FC Tulsa. It was a match with few shots from either side as a plethora of fouls blocked either team from getting into a rhythm. After Tulsa cashed in on one of its lone opportunities in the 10^th minute, they opted to sit in a low block and allow Republic FC to control the possession.

The Indomitable Club pushed throughout the second half as Ryan Spaulding and Jack Gurr set the pace from the flanks, but there would be no late-match magic as time ran down.

Through the first 10 matches of the regular season, Republic FC is on pace with its offensive performance from last year with 15 total goals, while surpassing individual contributions with eight different goal scorers (compared to six at this point in 2024). Third-year club strikers Russell Cicerone and Sebastian Herrera are tied for the team lead with three goals and two assists a piece, while offseason addition Freddy Kleemann continues to put in a Defender of the Year worthy performance with a league-best 64 aerial duels won.

Across the pond, Blake Willey represented the 916 on the international stage. The Sacramento native helped the U.S. U18 Men’s National Team claim silverware in the UEFA Friendship Cup with a 4-0 record against some of the top teams across the globe. Prior to his call up, Willey had appeared in every match for Republic FC, including the Open Cup Round of 32 contest against the San Jose Earthquakes.

After Saturday’s game, Neill Collins’ squad will head out on the road for four straight contests. “It’s so important to walk away with three points in home games,” said forward Russell Cicerone. “We’re looking to do that on Saturday so that we can carry that forward on our road trip.”

Know Your Opponent – San Antonio FC

After missing out on the postseason for the first time since 2019, San Antonio FC has quickly turned things around under new Head Coach Carlos Llamosa. They opened the season on a high note with four straight wins and now sit in a three-way tie for 2^nd place in the table with 20 points.

The Texas club is coming into Saturday’s match on the heels of its biggest win of the season, a 3-0 victory over Las Vegas Lights. Andres Paredes put the team ahead with a penalty in the 13^th minute before Luke Haakenson found the back of the net in the 27^th minute. In the second half, Jorge Hernandez pounced on a blocked shot for the third goal of the night.

A finalist for USL Player of the Year, Hernandez is off to the best season of his career. He’s historically been one of the top distributors in the league, winning the Golden Playmaker award in 2023, but this year it’s his scoring abilities that are taking center stage. He leads the team with seven goals – including three in the last four matches. He’s also added two assists and a league-best 27 chances created.

Head-to-Head

The rivalry between Republic FC and San Antonio FC continues to evolve each season. Sacramento holds the edge in the series with a 7-5-3 record with six of those wins coming at home – including the last four head-to-heads. The matches are typically physical and passionate. All but two of them have been decided by one goal or less and the teams have combined for nearly 400 fouls and 80 yellow cards.  

Overview: SAC vs. TUL

• Date: Saturday, June 7
• Kickoff: 8:00 p.m.
• Venue: Heart Health Park
• Tickets: Purchase now
• Watch: FOX40 & ESPN+
• Theme Night: Pride Night presented by Western Health Advantage
  • Ticket + Scarf Package
• • Giveaway: Rainbow Flags
• • Donate to the club’s Goals for Good Campaign benefiting the Sacramento LGBT Center
  • Shop the Pride Merch Collection

Know Your Club – Republic FC

Neill Collins’ squad will be looking to capitalize on the momentum from an undefeated May in USL competitions to continue its movement up the Western Conference table. The team closed out the month with a second straight blowout win over Las Vegas in the USL Jägermeister Cup last weekend.

It was a more closely contested match than the teams’ previous first regular season meeting just two weeks prior, but the Lights were unable to answer to a pair of rapid-fire Republic FC goals in each half. Four different goal scorers found the back of the net, including Ryan Spaulding and Michel Benitez who marked their first goals in Old Glory Red and Cristian Parano who made the goalkeeper pay for a bad clearance. Russell Cicerone made his return to the pitch following an injury on May 4 and picked up right where he left off with a goal and an assist.

Goalkeeper Jared Mazzola put in a stellar performance between the sticks, coming up with five saves to earn Team of the Round honors alongside Lee Desmond. Mazzola is now the only goalkeeper with at least two appearances in the tournament who has yet to concede a goal. The win moved Sacramento up into first place in the Group 1 standings with six points and six goals scored.

Across its last two matches, Republic FC has put up impressive numbers, outscoring the opponent 9-0. Goal contributions have come from all over the pitch with nine different goal scorers and assists from eight different players.

Know Your Opponent – FC Tulsa

A third of the way through the season, FC Tulsa has emerged as a real-deal playoff contender. They currently sit in third place in the table with 17 points and a 5-3-2 record (including three wins on the road). Last week in USL Cup play, they fell to Birmingham Legion by a score of 1-2. After conceding a penalty in the 59^th minute, Kalil ElMedkhar quickly pulled Tulsa even. Defender Harvey St Clair’s free kick bounced around in the box as Birmingham tried to clear it out before Owen Damm headed it toward goal and ElMedkhar got a foot to it on the back post. But the Legion took the lead later on to hand Tulsa its first loss of the tournament.

First-year USL Championship player Taylor Calheira has lived up to the hype following his standout campaign in MLS NEXT Pro. The 23-year-old forward opened his league scoring card against Republic FC in March and hasn’t slowed down since. He leads the team with six regular season goals (nine across all competitions) and recently went on a four-game scoring streak.

Head-to-Head

Tulsa will be the first team that Republic FC faces twice in the 2025 regular season. When the Western Conference teams met in Oklahoma in March, the hosts claimed their first-ever win in 15 contests against Sacramento by a score of 1-0. But Republic FC still has Tulsa’s number in the all-time head-to-head with a 9-1-5 record and a +20 goal differential, as well as an undefeated showing at Heart Health Park.

Overview: SAC vs. LV

• Date: Saturday, May 31
• Kickoff: 7:00 p.m.
• Venue: Heart Health Park
• Tickets: Purchase now
• Watch: FOX40 & ESPN+

Know Your Club – Republic FC

After a bye week, the Indomitable Club will look to duplicate the impressive performance it put in against the Lights in league play just two weeks ago. Republic FC was dominant from the first minute and controlled the game through possession. The pressure paid off in the 30^th minute when Jared Timmer and Sebastian Herrera connected for the third time this year and Herrera’s 100^th career goal. The milestone goal opened the scoring floodgates for the Quails, who added two more before the half as Michel Benitez set up Jack Gurr and Herrera assisted fellow striker Lewis Jamieson.

On the other side of the break, Herrera continued to cause havoc for Vegas’ league-leading backline and drew a penalty in the 60^th minute. Veteran midfielder Nick Ross stepped up to the spot to score his first goal of the year, and the club’s third penalty in the last three games.  

The squad got one more celebration in the 86^th minute when Rodrigo Lopez’s cross was headed home by Trevor Amann, who has scored as a sub in each of the last three games. The victory extended Sacramento’s home undefeated streak to seven games across all competitions in 2025.

“Everything starts here at training and even when the performances weren’t excellent on the weekends, we could see it was going to click,” said defender Lee Desmond. “We could see for weeks that it was working in training, and we just needed to deliver on matchdays and we did last time against Vegas. But we don’t want to rest on our laurels there, we just want to keep going and get in a really good run of games.”

Know Your Opponent – Las Vegas Lights FC

While Sacramento is heading into the weekend rested, Vegas will undoubtedly be running on tired legs as they close out a stretch of three games in eight days. Heading into the May 17 contest against Republic FC, the Lights were near the top of the table and had not allowed a goal in two straight matches. Since then, however, the league’s clean sheet leaders have taken a turn and lost the last three matches.

At home on Wednesday night, Antonio Nocerino’s squad suffered a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Phoenix Rising despite looking like the more dangerous team throughout the match. The Lights controlled the majority of the possession and posted a season-high 20 shots, forcing Phoenix goalkeeper Patrick Rakovsky to put in a stellar five-save performance to secure the shutout.

USL Jägermeister Cup – Group 1

Las Vegas will have an opportunity to return to form in a competition that has served them well this year. They currently sit in first with six points after claiming wins over Orange County SC (3-1) and AV Alta FC (2-1). Cristian Pinzon claimed the tournament’s first Player of the Round honors with a one goal, one assist performance in the opening contest against OC.

The Indomitable Club locked up its first points of the USL Cup with a 1-0 victory over AV Alta on April 26. Jared Timmer assisted Sebastian Herrera’s go ahead score just before the half to mark his fourth straight game with a goal. Jared Mazzola got the start in goal and posted two saves to earn the clean sheet.

The 2025 tournament is still young and with the majority of Group 1 teams with just one match under their belt, the top spot is still anyone’s to claim. Six of the seven squads are in action on Saturday, creating an opportunity for plenty of movement in the table.  

“I’ve emphasized to the team that Vegas has won their first two group games, so this is an important game in order to continue in this tournament,” said Head Coach Neill Collins. “The group is competitive and to advance we need to win games, and we need to score goals. So it should make for a good game on Saturday.”

Republic FC’s five-game homestand continues this Saturday as Las Vegas Lights FC comes to the Indomitable City.

Overview: SAC vs. LV

• Date: Saturday, May 17
• Kickoff: 7:00 p.m.
• Venue: Heart Health Park
• Tickets: Purchase now
  • Know Before You Go / Matchday Guide
• • Giveaway: First 1,500 fans will receive a free Native American Heritage Night scarf
  • Drink special: $5 craft brews through the 30^th minute
• Watch: FOX40 & ESPN+

Know Your Club – Republic FC

“We’ve got to take advantage of being at home,” said Head Coach Neill Collins. “We’ve been good at home. We’ve got great support behind us, a great atmosphere, a great pitch, and the team loves playing there. So I’m looking forward to building on that over these next games.”

Last week, Sacramento closed out a busy stretch of three games in seven days with a point against Indy Eleven at Heart Health Park. Republic FC controlled the first half and drove the tempo through possession, but it was Indy who took a first-half lead on the counterattack. The visitors elected to sit back for the remainder of the match and paid for it in the final moments of the contest. After Lee Desmond was brought down in the box during second half stoppage time, Trevor Amann stepped up to the spot to secure point, his second straight game with a late goal.

Making his second straight appearance after exiting the season opener early, Desmond earned his first Team of the Week selection of the 2025 campaign. He closed out the match with 10 duels won, four possessions won, and two interceptions to help hold Indy to just six shots all night.

The Western Conference table remains incredibly tight as the first third of the season wraps up. Heading into the weekend, just six points separate first and tenth place teams. Including Las Vegas, the Sacramento’s next three opponents sit higher in the standings, giving the squad the opportunity to shake up the table.

“We know we have the quality, we know we have the players we need to win games and go far in this league,” said goalkeeper Danny Vitiello.

Fortunately, it’s a challenge that Republic FC will get to take on at home, where they have gone undefeated across all competitions in 2025.

Know Your Opponent – Las Vegas Lights FC

Following a historic turnaround season and the team’s first-ever postseason appearance, the big question surrounding the Lights this year was whether it could replicate that success under new coach Antonio Nocerino. So far, it looks like they’re up to the task, currently sitting in sixth place in the Western Conference table.

Anchored by 2024 breakout goalkeeper Raiko Arozarena, the Lights have been a difficult team to break down and have kept a clean sheet in six of eight games. It’s been a slower start than expected on the other end of the field with just six goals scored. But despite the low score count, Vegas’ roster is packed with players who can find the back of the net with ease – including Valentin Noel who led the 2024 squad team with 17 goal contributions (10 goals, 7 assists) and offseason addition Johnny Rodriguez who departed Oakland as its all-time leading goal scorer.

Coming into Saturday the Lights haven’t conceded a goal in 207 minutes and are undefeated in their last two matches. In Week 10, they played to a scoreless draw against defending champions Colorado Springs Switchbacks. It was a defensive-heavy contest as the two teams combined for just three shots on target.

Head-to-Head

Republic FC is ahead in the all-time series (7-4-4), but in 2024 the Lights would be one of the club’s most difficult opponents. They were the only team to defeat Sacramento twice during the regular season and ultimately eliminated the Indomitable Club from the playoffs in the Western Conference Quarterfinals.

At Heart Health Park, Republic FC has seen plenty of success against Las Vegas with four wins, two draws, and just one loss.

The Indomitable Club returns to league play this Saturday, when Eastern Conference side Indy Eleven comes to town.

Overview: SAC vs. IND

• Date: Saturday, May 10
• Kickoff: 7:00 p.m.
• Venue: Heart Health Park
• Tickets: Purchase now
• Giveaway: The first 1,000 fans will receive a free SRFC x UC Davis Health tote bag
• Watch: FOX40 & CBS Sports Golazo Network

Know Your Club – Republic FC

Saturday will be an opportunity for Neill Collins’ squad to build on an important win in its last league game, a 1-0 victory over NorCal rival Oakland Roots. Sacramento capitalized on an opportunity early in the second half as Russell Cicerone scored the game-winner from the penalty spot after Jack Gurr was brought down inside the box. On the defensive end, a tough defensive performance earned the club its first clean sheet of the regular season.

The team returned to the Bay Area just days later for a mid-week Open Cup match against MLS side San Jose Earthquakes. After reaching the Round of 32 for the seventh straight time, Republic FC bowed out of the tournament with a 2-1 loss against their MLS rivals. Despite the defeat, the match ended on a high note as Rodrigo Lopez added to his record-setting Open Cup career with his 13th tournament assist on Trevor Amann’s goal just before the final whistle. 

“It’s disappointing, but we’ve just got to move forward now,” said Lopez after the match. “We’re gonna have to focus on the league and Jägermeister Cup. We still have two trophies to play for, and I know we’re gonna go after them.”

Russell Cicerone leads the squad with three goals in league play, followed by Sebastian Herrera with two. Herrera, who is now just one shy of eclipsing the 100 career goals mark, saw 90 minutes of action against Oakland last week, just the second time he’s played through an entire match since joining the team in 2023. He’s also the only Republic FC player to score in all three competitions this year (USL Championship, USL Jägermeister Cup, U.S. Open Cup).

On the defensive end, Freddy Kleemann continues to put up numbers that put him on track for a Defender of the Year nomination. He leads the league with 65 clearances and 47 aerial duels won, earning him a team-best three Team of the Week selections.

Know Your Opponent – Indy Eleven

Also facing schedule congestion this week, Indy will be looking to get back on track after going winless in its last five regular season games. Last weekend, they picked up a hard fought point in a 2-2 draw against Detroit City. After conceding two goals in the first 15 minutes, Elvis Amoh led the Boys in Blue to pull one back before the break. Indy’s comeback hopes became more difficult in the 60^th minute when they went down to 10 men as Hayden White was sent off with a second yellow card, but Amoh once again delivered to take a point.

Wednesday, they made they made the trip to face off with Philadelphia Union in the Open Cup. Down a goal early, it was Elvis Amoh who once again brought his team back into the match, netting the equalizer in the 48^th minute. After neither team could find the game-winner through 120 minutes, the match was decided in penalties and Philly advanced with a 5-4 edge in the shootout.

Amoh is on a scoring tear as of late. Across all competitions, the Ghanaian international has found the back of the net in the last four games, with six total goals over that period. He’s put in strong performances against Republic FC in his career as well. With the Switchbacks in 2022, he recorded a goal and an assist in a 3-0 victory and in 2023, he added another assist for Hartford Athletic.

Head-to-Head

SACvIND is still a young series. The two clubs have only met twice before. Last year, they played to a 1-1 draw at Michael A. Carroll Stadium. In the first ever head-to-head – a 2023 contest at Heart Health Park – Russell Cicerone recorded his second career hat trick to secure a nomination for Player of the Month.