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The Indomitable club put in a dominating performance Wednesday, netting three first half scores to defeat Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. A phenomenal defensive effort kept possibly the league’s most dangerous attacking unit without a goal, moving the club into sole possession of fourth place and just two points back of the top three.

Take Advantage of It

Throughout the night, Republic FC seemed to have a step on the visitors at every turn. If there was an opportunity to be had, the club pounced on it – every inch of space, every misstep or poor touch, and every error was recognized and acted upon from the first minute to the 90^th.

“I thought it was the complete performance from start to finish. Everything we asked of the guys -with the ball, and without the ball – I thought they were fantastic,” said Mark Briggs. “From start to finish, I guess if there’s one negative, we could have scored more goals, but I thought the performance from minute one to minute 94 was exceptional. A complete performance from the team.”

Scoring First

Taking control of matches early on has been a major driver to Sacramento’s success this season. In 13 games they’ve found net first, they are unbeaten with a record 11-0-2. Maalique Foster’s 12^th minute score – putting the Indomitable Club ahead 1-0 and and moving him into the team lead in scores with five – set the tone in a big way, allowing the club to operate with a little more comfort. With an advantage in tow, the club pressed forward with frequency to dominate the remainder of the match and net two more.

Shut Down Defense

Wednesday’s performance netted Republic FC their seventh clean sheet in league play this season. However, making it more impressive was that it came against the league’s second-highest scoring team and a player in the thick of the Golden Boot race. Scorers of 12 of Colorado Springs’ previous 14 scores, Hadji Barry, Elvis Amoh, and MicheeNgalina were silent throughout the night as Sacramento’s backline put in a phenomenal effort. The trio combined for just two shots on target and was kept relatively out of the action, with Barry registering the third-fewest touches he has all season.

“That’s one of the most lethal attacks in our league,” said Matt LaGrassa after the match. “And to shut them out is a big thing for us. It shows what we’re about in our character, especially being 3-0 up at the half a lot of teams can take their foot off the gas. I think we came out and still had a good mentality. And we dealt with it really well.”

Wednesday’s mid-week matchup with Colorado Springs presents a few opportunities to Republic FC. The club knows the result in Monterey on Saturday wasn’t what they wanted, putting a rebound performance firmly on the brain of the entire squad and coaching staff, especially against an opponent that bested them earlier in the year. To challenge the Switchbacks, and move up in the standings, an uptick in intensity will be needed to return to the high standard the club’s been holding all season.

Coming back home, they’ll face off with a club that’s been among the most dangerous all season but hasn’t seen the results go their way in the last few matches. After a tough loss, it’s a great chance to get back into form with a win in their second match of the week.

“We’re motivated in every game we play, and we’ve got to keep our standards and get back to our standards,” said Mark Briggs on Monday.

“Especially being at home in front of our fans, it’s a great opportunity to bounce back,” said midfielder Luis Felipe.

Colorado Springs enters the match as one of the most potent attacking teams in the league, led by a trio of forwards that have been near automatics to find the net in recent weeks. They had their way with Republic FC in their last meeting in July, but this time, the club knows they’ll need to take the challenge head-on and put in a clean effort to emerge superior in the final match with the Rocky Mountain side.

“They’re a good team, and they beat us when we were on the back of a brutal schedule,” Briggs continued. “It’s going to be a good game. You want to test yourself against the better teams and they’re certainly one of the better teams in the league. There’s nothing for us to fear – we’ve got to come out and bounce back from Saturday.”

As the season continues, it’s almost natural to begin putting a closer eye on the standings. With matches ahead against every team at the top of the table still on the schedule, picking up points now is as critical as it will be all year – and the team knows it. With a game in hand on Colorado, Wednesday’s match is even more important.

“It’s huge. It’s something that we have to look forward to, especially the way some other games have gone in our favor [across the league],” Luis Felipe continued. “I think we have to take those chances and win games and move up the table.”

For the final time in 2022, Republic FC is set to battle with Monterey Bay F.C. The two sides’ first three meetings, including a March preseason friendly, have seen Sacramento take three wins including a gritty come-from-behind effort in their last contest.

Union’s been one of the hottest clubs in the league of late, even with their mid-week loss to San Diego Loyal SC. Between their last loss on the schedule – June 25 to the Indomitable Club – and Wednesday, Monterey went over 500 minutes without conceding a score to put them in the league history books for a debut squad. Even on an unbeaten streak of their own, Mark Briggs’ men are giving their opponents a lot of respect.

“They’re flying at the moment,” said defender Josh Bauer. “They’re going to be pushing. Going into their place, we’ll have to be super disciplined and do the little things right to hopefully come out and get a result.”

“Against a much-improved Monterey team, it’s going to be a really difficult game in a really difficult atmosphere,” said Mark Briggs on Thursday.

After a week of normal rest and preparation, the contest kicks off another congested stretch that sees Sacramento play three matches in eight days. Coming in the squad is confident, but to keep its strong form intact they know more is needed if they want to take down the tough squads on the schedule.

“We’re doing some very good stuff. I think we’ve still got to be more consistent, and we can still retain the ball better than what we have done,” Briggs continued. “There’s still more in this group – we’re not done, we’re not satisfied, and there’s still a lot more to come.”

Kicking off another busy stretch isn’t worrying anyone – through the last month the club’s battled some of its toughest foes of the season and experienced some of the biggest challenges in football. Each time, they’ve been able to fight back and not let the situation get the best of them. It shows a lot about the squad and what each player is made of, as well as the results a tremendous mentality and attitude can have.

“This group always wants to be better,” said Briggs. “It’s all about mentality, everything you do is about your mentality and the attitude you have. This group is showing a fantastic attitude and they show a great mentality.”

“Everyone’s confident, everyone trusts each other and gives each other confidence to make the right pass and the right play,” Bauer continued. “[And] we have some guys with that killer mentality that do great things for us.”

Rio Grande Valley FC came to Heart Health Park rested and well prepared to challenge the Quails on Saturday. The Toros’ put Sacramento in tough positions, but the club still managed to claim a point to close out a grueling stretch undefeated,  utilizing the entire roster to climb the Western Conference Table.

5 for 5, in 15 Days

Saturday’s match marked the end of quite possibly the toughest stretch of the season for Sacramento – five matches in 15 days, three of them being tough road assignments, and almost 8,000 miles of travel. The result against the Toros put Sacramento on the back end unbeaten, claiming draws against Phoenix and Rio Grande Valley and defeating Sporting KC, New Mexico United, and Charleston Battery. In that time, they have jumped from seventh in the table to one point out of fourth and four points from a spot in the top three.

“Five games in 15 days is not easy when you’re traveling around,” said Jack Gurr after the match. “But no excuses. These teams do the same thing as us as well. We just have that grit and determination not to lose, and we’re fighting all the way till the end to even get the win. So I think that’s just our mentality and our togetherness. We just don’t want to lose.”

When it Mattered Most

It was a tough night for Republic FC up top – the club claimed the ball just three times in the attacking third and posted their second-lowest expected goals rating of the entire season. Republic FC generated a few chances early as Luther Archimede, Ferrety Sousa, and Emil Cuello provided some fresh legs and early threats. But for a majority of the first half, the Toros had Sacramento on their heels, holding the edge in possession and keeping a majority of the action in their offensive half. When pressure started to mount late in the game, Sacramento got to work.

With stoppage time approaching, Sacramento needed a goal to salvage the night. They got just that as the clock ticked to 89 minutes, when Jack Gurr put in another fantastic cross when the moment demanded it the most. The score was the club’s ninth in the final 15 minutes of a match this season in league play and 12^th across all competitions. It also marked Gurr’s second assist of the season and first since June 25 against Monterey Bay F.C., also a cross into the penalty area.

Squad Depth

Playing their fourth straight contest on just three days of rest, Mark Briggs showed a bit of a rotated squad against the Toros. But granting 17-year-old Tiago Suarez and new loan addition Josh Bauer their first home starts, while resting a few regulars didn’t keep the club from keeping the match within reach. It’s been a theme of the past two weeks – needing every member of the squad to step up – while using over 20 unique players and seeing a few academy names get their first taste of first-team action.

“We’ve had to rotate quite a lot and we’ve had to try and keep the team as fresh as it possibly can be,” said Mark Briggs. “It’s been hard on everybody. But throughout that stretch, we’re unbeaten. So the guys have done us proud and we’ve just got to keep going.”

To close out what may be the toughest two weeks of the season so far, Republic FC returns home for a league match at Heart Health Park. Rio Grande Valley FC will line up opposite the Indomitable Club, ready to feed off the energy of a home crowd for the first time since last week’s Open Cup semifinal match.

On the heels of two big road wins where the club claimed points in tough environments, Sacramento’s looking to keep their momentum and continue their climb in the Western Conference table. Their foe coming to town won’t make things easy – the Toros are sure to play hard as they look to reverse a recent skid, and will be highly motivated against a Sacramento team they defeated at the death in their last meeting. However, Sacramento’s been aware of what’s coming all week long.

“It’s a massive game for us. It’s been a grueling two weeks with a lot of games in a short amount of time,” said Mark Briggs Friday. “So we’ve got to be as fresh as we can be and make sure the players that step on the field understand the importance of what we’re trying to do and win.”

The whole squad is thrilled to be back on their home turf – Saturday’s match marks the club’s first at Heart Health Park in league play in three weeks. They know how much the home fans help their performance and give them important energy on the field, and can’t wait to get back in front of them.

“[We’re] happy to be back – it’s been a magical week for this team,” said Douglas Martinez. “…We hope to keep winning and bring these amazing people [in Sacramento] more wins.”

“We’re excited to be back home,” said Conor Donovan. “The fans here are incredible and they help us pull out energy into the game. RGV’s a tough game.”

The tough stretch behind the club has shown a lot about the team – the club’s used 24 different players, traveled nearly 8,000 miles round trip, and still pulled out two wins in the last seven days. That kind of adversity will often result in at least one tough night for most clubs, but for Sacramento, it’s made them stronger and brought to light what makes them a unique group of players and personalities.

“It shows the attitude, togetherness, and quality of the group,” said Mark Briggs on the club’s success during the busy stretch. “We’ve utilized the whole roster and still managed to get points, which is what it’s all about. But we’ve got to continue working hard on a daily basis.”

“The team’s getting more comfortable, more confidence as a family and as a group,” said Martinez continued. “That’s one thing we’re doing well – family. We’re family and we talk like members of a family and it gives us a lot of confidence and trust.”

Three points was the result of Republic FC’s trip to Albuquerque on Wednesday night, extending the club’s win streak to three and unbeaten run to four. Just like their last match in the Carolinas Mark Briggs’ Men went down first, but reminded everyone that games are 90 minutes long with two scores in four minutes move to a second-best 17 points claimed in league this season in come-from behind results.

Bounce Back

Throughout the season, the Quails have risen to the challenge when they’ve fallen behind. Including Wednesday’s match the club has claimed five wins and two draws in those contests, a mark better than all in USL but Tampa Bay Rowdies. Just like last Saturday against Charleston Sacramento came back from a deficit, finding net to equalize only three minutes after New Mexico’s lone score and taking the lead four minutes later.

“We obviously made the mistake and the whole team knew but you looked around the team when that happened… when they scored their goal, and you saw you saw that desire,” said Mark Briggs after the match. “You saw that hunger. You saw that indomitable spirit and the boys stepped it up.”

A New Club Leader

Each of Republic FC’s scores on the night were assisted by Rodrigo Lopez – pushing the veteran midfielder ahead of Cameron Iwasa for the #1 spot on the club’s all-time assist leaderboard. The first came off a well-placed cross from the right that found Keko in the box, and the second came after an unselfish touch gave Douglas Martinez a great look on the left.

The pair of plays also inched Lopez closer to two other milestones – 5^th in league history and just five away from 50 for his professional career across all competitions. With 13 league matches, the Open Cup final, and possibly the postseason still remaining, there’s a good chance he reaches at least the latter milestone.

Movin’ On Up

Republic FC’s third straight match without a loss in league play moved them into sole possession of fifth in the table. Breaking away from El Paso Locomotive, and moving to just two back of New Mexico in fourth gives them a shot at the top three in the West – and maybe even more – before August is up. Another busy stretch from August 13-20 will pit Sacramento against two teams in the playoff race and a local rival eager to play spoiler.

Further, the win gives Sacramento a crucial tiebreaker in the standings over New Mexico – something that could easily come into play when playoff time is here. With a game in hand over all but two other teams in the West and matches remaining against every club in the top three, the club is in a good position to make some noise and dethrone a few of the league’s top-performing squads throughout the remainder of the season.

Sacramento takes to the Southwest for quite possibly their toughest road test of the season on Wednesday, continuing the club’s busy stretch of games from July into August. New Mexico United played the club tough back in May, however, this time around they enter as one of the hottest teams in the league and with the advantage of their home turf.

The trip will challenge Sacramento as much as any other match this season. Since the start of 2021 United has fallen just three times at home, and their fans are consistently among the loudest in the league. Also, it’s possible this match could have playoff implications down the line, with New Mexico entering just one place above Sacramento in the table. But Republic FC is no stranger to tough conditions or pressure, having played in possibly the biggest game for any Championship squad this year just last week.

“It’s [New Mexico] not an easy place to go into and they’re always strong at home. They’ve got a good home crowd. It’s not going to be easy, but we’ve got confidence from the last few matches we’ll be taking in,” said Nick Ross.

“Anytime you’re playing against someone close to you in the table you want to take points off them. This could be massive down the stretch,” said Matt LaGrassa.

A win in South Carolina last Saturday gave Sacramento a jolt. A few faces found the net for the first time in league play this year, providing some first half fireworks and bringing the club back from being down in the early goings. They’ll need more similar scoring bursts moving forward, with another quick turnaround ahead of them and a string of matches against strong opponents on the calendar for the rest of August.

“Hopefully we can continue with that, and start to put the ball in the net at a bit higher a rate than we have done,” said Mark Briggs on Monday. “But I don’t care if we score one goal or four goals or five goals. As long as we’re getting points that’s all that matters.

“Attackers function off confidence,” LaGrassa continued. “So hopefully a couple of our guys can take that with them. We’re happy to get goals however we can get them. It’s always great to see.”

Sacramento’s roster has shined in the past week – since facing Phoenix on July 23, 24 different players have suited up for the club and helped grab a draw and two wins. While squad rotation often results in a lower-level performance for some teams, this year it’s made Sacramento stronger.

“It builds confidence in everyone – to the whole roster,” Briggs continued. “Every player on this roster I have full trust in and fully believe in. And that enables us to rotate and rest people in the right moments and keep the team as fresh as we can to try and obtain the results we need.”

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call Wednesday’s U.S. Open Cup semifinal match one of the biggest in Club history. A sold out crowd and an opportunity to claim superiority over one of the most successful teams in Open Cup play, and a third MLS squad makes for that kind of stage. It’s set to be a thrilling night at Heart Health Park for 11,569 looking for a third win over an MLS opponent and a ticket to the U.S. Open Cup final for a shot at domestic silverware.

Mark Briggs and his men know it – but to live up to the billing of the contest, they’ll have to be at their best. After a month-long wait, Republic FC finally welcomes Sporting Kansas City to Heart Health Park for a contest against one of the most successful clubs in the Open Cup all time. Sporting boasts one of Major League Soccer’s most renowned managers and four titles in the tournament, and will be coming to Sacramento to also play what could be the biggest game of their season.

“We’re not naive in the fact that we’re coming up against a very, very good team; a very hungry team with dangerous pieces,” said Briggs on Monday. “We have to be at our best. We have to have 11 players perform at the highest level in order to give ourselves the opportunity. And we have to be able to collectively work for one another, fight for one another and do the basics.”

A major component to the club’s approach to the match is the fact they get the privilege of playing at home, where Sacramento’s lost just one match this season, is 15-1 in Open Cup play and winners of 11 straight in the tournament dating to 2017. Sacramento’s raucous fans have showed up at every stage – be it at home against USL League Two side Portland Timbers U23 or on the road against the LA Galaxy. That support has even caught the attention of the opposing squad.

“It’s a great stadium they’ve put together. It’s a really good environment,” said Sporting KC Head Coach Peter Vermes of Sacramento’s fanbase. You could see when they played LA Galaxy their fans traveled to that game and were incredibly boisterous. We [Kansas City] expect it to be a tough environment.”

The occasion isn’t getting to Sacramento’s heads – the club’s been putting an emphasis on a balance between keeping things loose while also making sure they are as focused as they’ve been all season long. This match is a big one, yes, but at the same time, it’s a game, just like the ones against San Jose and LA earlier this year.

“It’s just a game of football – 11 men against 11 men,” Briggs said. “And that’s the way we’re treating it. But you’re right, there’s no getting away from that, there’s no getting away from the occasion and what it is, but we’ve got to be able to handle that and we’ve got to be able to perform in those constraints.”

“It’s another game, you know? Obviously [there’s] just a little bit more at stake right now to fight for a final and to make it to a championship game,” Lopez continued.” But, you know, we’re preparing the same, you know, we’re not we’re not trying to get all this attention in our heads and take our focus away from the game. I think the guys are doing fairly well with that.”