News

Possibly the most highly anticipated match in recent memory has arrived for Republic FC this week. Wednesday, a regional rival in San Jose Earthquakes comes to town as both squads look to advance to the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinal round. For Sacramento, it’s the third time they’ll play this deep in the nation’s oldest tournament, and more importantly, the first time on their home turf.

The spectacle the contest provides has the whole club, from the top down, excited and ready for an opportunity to face off against the best. Republic FC has history against San Jose, falling in each of their previous three contests – but this time around, the stakes are higher. And the club knows that they’ll have every chance to win, claim NorCal superiority, and prove what they are capable of.

“We’ve got to believe – we’re going up against a team yes, of a higher caliber, but it’s a team that we’re fully capable of beating,” said Mark Briggs at training on Monday.

“For us it’s a chance to make history,” said Rodrigo Lopez. “I think the guys are up for the challenge – I think they have what it takes they know what it means to the city, the organization, and to us as players. Everyone’s excited.”

The excitement surrounding the opportunity they have has not clouded reality, however. They know that to take down one of Major League Soccer’s highest-scoring squads this season, they’ll need to be in top form and make sure that they’ve dotted every “I” and crossed every “T”. While any team is beatable, they must respect every possible outcome.

“Everyone wants to play against an opponent of a higher level,” Briggs continued. “[San Jose] is a very good team, they’ve got talented attacking players, they’ve got a lot of pace. So we’ve got to understand their strengths and weaknesses.”

“Whatever team they roll out is going to be a good one,” said Matt LaGrassa. “They’ve got a lot of depth in their roster. Every MLS roster has good players from Guy 1 to Guy 28.”

Above all, however, the club’s ready for the atmosphere they’ll be stepping into. Sacramento’s already known for being home to the best fans in the country, and it’s just the third time an MLS club will come to Heart Health Park for a competitive match. Wednesday, and the club’s counting on fans to make it a difficult place for San Jose to play just like they do for any squad.

“I hope to see a loud, raucous fans that get on every touch, that get after them and that get behind us,” Briggs said. “When our stadium gets loud there is no place like it. We need the fans and the city to get behind us and put San Jose under pressure. Let’s give everything we have to make this fairytale a good ending.”

“I know what Sacramento fans are capable of,” LaGrassa continued. “I think there’s a buzz around the city right now around this team and the opportunity we have in the cup, and everyone’s ready to take advantage of it.”

This week, Republic FC welcomes Major League Soccer’s San Jose Earthquakes to Heart Health Park in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 16. It’s the first time ever the Indomitable Club hosts the Bay Area side, and it comes in the form of an elimination match in American soccer’s longest running competition.

The all-time fixture between the two clubs – three matches in the U.S. Open Cup in 2014, 2015, and 2019, has generated some thrilling contests. Every single match was a tightly-contested affair that saw Sacramento score first, and see the eventual winner or a critical equalizer find the net with less than 20 minutes remaining. Ahead of Wednesday, which looks to be a similar type of match, take a look back at the two clubs’ past meetings:

June 12, 2014: SAC 1 – 2 SJ at Kezar Stadium

A mid-week matchup in Kezar Stadium went San Jose’s way in the two sides first-ever meeting. However, for the Quakes the contest was anything but comfortable. Sacramento put pressure on the hosts for the entire match, outshooting them 14-9. Three of those shots came off the foot of Rodrigo Lopez, making his second appearance against San Jose after facing them early in his career while a member of Chivas USA.

What looked to be a scoreless first half ended 1-1 as both teams went to the locker room. A Justin Braun score in the 42^nd minute, assisted by forward Chad Bartlome, put Sacramento up with just moments to go in the first half. But San Jose drew a penalty just before the break, and converted on the attempt to equalize. In the 73^rd minute, the hosts netted the eventual winner.

June 15, 2015: SAC 2 – 2 SJ (SAC 7:8 SJ in penalties) at PayPal Park

Just 368 days later, the two NorCal Squads again faced off in the fourth round. Sacramento traveled to the newly constructed PayPal Park for an eventual thriller between regional rivals. The Indomitable club set the tone early, taking a 1-0 lead just six minutes after the opening whistle when Rodrigo Lopez converted from the penalty spot. Sacramento took that advantage into the break, and not ten minutes after the start of the second half doubled their lead when Lopez assisted Emrah Klimenta. San Jose didn’t go down easily, however, as Chris Wondolowski scored twice in the 74^th and 79^th minutes to force extra time.

But 30 more minutes couldn’t decide the victor, sending the two squads to a shootout. Sacramento and San Jose traded scores in the opening two rounds, before a save apiece by Dominik Jakubek for Sacramento and Bryan Meredith for San Jose broke the streak. Each keeper would stop another attempt from their opponents, before Sacramento missed a score-or-go-home situation in the eighth round.

June 11, 2019: SAC 3 – 4 SJ at PayPal Park

The most recent meeting between the two clubs again went San Jose’s way – but the result wasn’t determined until stoppage time as the two squads traded punches throughout the contest. Each club netted two in the first half, with Sacramento’s scores coming from Sam Werner just two minutes in and a Villyan Bijev rocket at the 15 minute mark off a set piece.

Republic FC put in a stellar defensive performance to start the second half, keeping out nine opposing shots before San Jose pulled ahead in the 73^rd minute. Another score from the hosts put the MLS side up two in the 91^st minute of play, but Sacramento didn’t go down without a fight scoring another before the match ended 3-4 result favoring the hosts.

Republic FC returns to action Wednesday, hitting the road for the second time in three matches for a match against El Paso Locomotive FC. It’s a big contest – El Paso is the first team Sacramento will meet for a second time this season, and the Texas club has turned their season around after a slow start. Sacramento will look to make it two in a row over Locomotive, while the hosts are looking to avenge their opening night defeat at the death.

To get a win, Republic FC will need to keep going their string of excellent performances. Since April 30, the club’s allowed just one goal, tallied three consecutive shutouts, and showed patience in the attacking third. They’ve done well in every aspect, and to beat a quality team like El Paso Mark Briggs Men knows that they need to keep it up.

“It’s going to take another complete performance,” said Briggs Monday, “We’ve got to be solid defensively, and trust ourselves from an attacking standpoint.”

Solid defense is what’s allowed the club to enter this match unbeaten since April 23; last week, Sacramento shifted its defensive formation with  immediate results. Since, they’ve held New Mexico United, New York Red Bulls II, and Phoenix Rising FC – all excellent offensive teams – scoreless in the midst of a four-in-twelve day stretch. Fundamentally, every player is executing well and it’s clearly had a ripple effect on their results.

“We’re hard to break down, people are in the right areas and doing the right thing,” Briggs continued. “Individually, we’re defending properly, which makes the collective [effort] stronger.”

“We want to try to get [a clean sheet] every single game, and see how long we can keep our streak going,” said defender Jack Gurr. “We changed our system and I think it’s made us a lot more secure.”

Even though they’ve already bested the team they’ll line up against Wednesday, the club knows they can’t take them lightly. While Locomotive FC took a tough defeat last week to Pittsburgh, they entered that match on a three-game win streak and as one of the most productive offensive squads in the entire league. To beat an opponent of their caliber Sacramento will have to be at their best, and have prepared as such in each of their sessions this week.

“They’re probably one of the best teams we’ve played against,” Gurr continued. “We played them early, and they’ve picked up some good results recently. We’ll need to be ready for what they have.”

“[We’ve been] touching up on our identity, our style,” Briggs continued. “There’s a few tactical situations we felt weren’t as good as they can be, because we haven’t had a chance to work on them. “I feel like we’ve improved and it’s been a good week.”

Wednesday’s Open Cup Round of 32 action saw Republic FC turn in one of their cleanest performances of 2022, shutting out a dangerous Phoenix Rising FC squad at home. The club’s first win over the Arizona side punched them a ticket to the Round of 16 behind an excellent defensive effort and two set-piece goals.

More Defensive Excellence

Sacramento’s back line was excellent for the entire match on Wednesday. The visitors kept pressure on Republic FC throughout the match, tallying 21 shots and 12 from close range, as well as eight set-piece opportunities on corner kicks. But Sacramento dominated tight spaces in the middle and cleared out threats from Phoenix all evening to keep them off the scoreboard.

In addition, the resultant clean sheet was also the third straight shutout performance by Mark Briggs new defensive formation – the combination of Conor Donovan, Dan Casey, and Lee Desmond in the middle with Duke Lacroix and Jack Gurr on the wings.  The club has yet to allow a score since, with each player making a tremendous impact in their new roles, and Lacroix and Gurr responding well to more attacking responsibility.

On the Board Early

Luis Felipe’s 30^th minute opening score may possibly have been the biggest play of the match, and not just because it got Sacramento on the board. Scoring early set the tone and more importantly made Phoenix play from behind, something they’ve struggled with this season – they’ve won just a single match so far where they haven’t scored first. Sacramento going up 1-0 and putting Phoenix at a deficit defined the approach both squads took into the second half.

“Phoenix wanted the game to become transition. They have great athletes and clinical players,” said Head Coach Mark Briggs after the match. “And I said guys, close the game a little bit… let’s retain possession and make them run. And I thought the guys did a fantastic job.”

Danny Guessed Right

Just before the half, a Phoenix penalty awarded to Greg Hurst looked equalize things for the visitors, and change the match in a big way.

Hurst, fresh off a Week 9 brace against San Antonio, had looked to equalize for his club. But instead, Danny Vitiello’s double save with the forward at the spot kept Phoenix’s momentum from climbing too high entering halftime – the club had put more pressure on Sacramento following Luis Felipe’s opening score. The stop was also the second penalty save by a Sacramento keeper this season, following Carlos Saldana’s stop of Richie Ryan’s attempt from the mark on opening night.

Building a tight defensive core is no simple feat. This offseason, General Manager Todd Dunivant and Mark Briggs searched for components that would complement the strong foundation from 2021. Defensive chemistry is key to a stout back line and a successful campaign. The journeys for Dan Casey and Lee Desmond from the Emerald Isle to the Indomitable City vary in special ways, but their connection to home adds to the chemistry of Republic FC’s defensive front.

Between 2017 and 2020, Casey and Desmond faced off 11 times in the Irish Premier Division – Desmond then as a member of St. Patrick’s Athletic, and Casey a member of Bohemians FC and Cork City FC. Their clubs were part of a four-team grouping of cross-town rivalries in Dublin, similar to the cross-town derbies fans of all sports in the U.S. mark on their calendars ahead of every season. However, despite each calling the same city home and observing similar youth career paths in England, not once had the two shared the pitchwhile wearing the same jersey.

That opportunity wouldn’t come until this season after Desmond joined Casey, who came over from Ireland in 2021, in making the 5,000 mile (8,000 km) move to Sacramento to join the Indomitable Club.

To finally be wearing the same uniform is an experience each have been thrilled to get – resulting  in back line play emerging as an early anchor of Republic FC’s excellent start to the 2022 season. Since Desmond joined his fellow countryman in March, the pair has quickly developed a connection noticeable to themselves and others.

“With Lee being here there’s already a bit of chemistry,” Casey said. “I think we’ve got the same mentality; we want the same thing for the team. It’s only going to get better as we continue.”

“It’s really enjoyable [to play with each other for the first time],” Desmond shared. “We’re still learning each other, but I think we suit each other’s games really well. Even when we talk about the game, we want the same things.”

Through a former teammate of Lee’s, it was Casey that he initially contacted about his journey to the U.S. a year prior. Dan gladly gave him everything he needed to know and more, and connected him with a few more people who did the same. When Desmond’s signing was announced, nobody was more excited about it than Casey both due to his pedigree and because it meant having another Irishman for the defender to connect with.The latter detail has been a big thing for each of them since Desmond’s arrival. In fact, it gives them each comfort – in Desmond’s words, it’s nice to hear the accent sometimes – and has extended to their off-field relationship. They’re quite close when not on the field, and often send banter back and forth when their former clubs face off with one another. It’s been a big help in dealing with the difficulty of playing overseas.

“Just to have a few people from back home; you can’t really replicate that,” said Casey. “Lee and I will share a laugh when our former teams play each other and its sort of helps with the homesickness.”

“Talking with Dan was so important because it was a massive move,” Desmond acknowledged. “Knowing he was here, as with a few British players, helped a bunch. It’s been really easy because of that, and everyone here has been so nice.”

The duo has helped lead one of the best backline groupings in the league this season, even with little previous history. With them leading the charge, the club’s kept a few of the league’s best attacking units coming into the year in at bay, and helped threaten constantly in set piece situations. In Sacramento’s past three matches, all but one of their scores has come from defenders. Further, they simply complement each other in a way that Mark Briggs and his club just didn’t see coming – a relationship that should only grow as the long season continues.

“I think we complement each other really well,” Desmond said. “Dan’s more aggressive, and I probably cover in more behind, we’ve got a mix of both. So far it’s good, and it’s only going to get better.”

Republic FC gets back on the field this Wednesday, just a few days removed from a 1-1 draw with Las Vegas Lights FC. Lining up opposite the Indomitable Club will be New Mexico United, who after nearly two weeks without action will look to get right against a Sacramento team that’s hungry for a big breakthrough.

But amidst a busy stretch – which includes an East Coast trip and another contest in Open Cup action on May 11, Sacramento’s effort will again be a balancing act focused on keeping players healthy, while upping the intensity up top to turn those chances into goals scored. At training this week, that latter detail was on the minds of the squad, who thought they left some opportunities out there with the 25 shots they peppered on Las Vegas.

“[We showed] a lot of good stuff and a lot of pleasing things,” said Head Coach Mark Briggs about their Saturday performance. “We just have to keep the guys’ confidence and the goals will come. We just have to keep banging the door like we are.”

Maintaining confidence has been a collective effort the last three days for the squad – they know that not getting results from positive efforts can often be hard and take teams down. Reminding themselves to be patient, and that working even harder will eventually grant a reward has been a constant topic of conversation as they charge ahead.

“We’re looking to keep playing the same way,” said Jack Gurr on Monday. “The performances have been good, we’re just looking to keep creating them chances and I feel like a big result is coming for us soon.”

“It’s been really positive [this week],” said goalkeeper Danny Vitiello. “It’s been all about focusing in on us, how we play, and perfecting it.”

Briggs and his staff know that diligence will eventually pay off; they see and believe in the potential of the squad they have. However there’s one condition, and they’re already observing night in and night out – everyone needs to be on board and ready when their name is called.

“You need everyone to make plays, to push one another to create that culture, that environment and competition that gets the best out of people,” Briggs continued. “I’m not surprised that a number of guys are stepping up. But I know that this group has another 20-30% to give.”

Republic FC is back at home in league play for the first time in nearly a month this weekend, welcoming Las Vegas Lights FC. The contest will be a challenge, as the Southern Nevada club has been one of the league’s most surprising teams, but Sacramento is more motivated than they’ve been all year coming off their toughest result of the season.

A full week of training has helped the squad get back on track this week – in Rio Grande Valley, it was clear that a busy stretch had begun to wear on the club. Now fully recharged, they believe they are ready for the challenge to come.

“Obviously with the amount of games over the past two weeks, our focus was on recovery,” said Head Coach Mark Briggs. “This week we’ve been able to focus in on a few little details we think need improving.”

“The last result we had was a poor one on our behalf,” said Zeiko Lewis on Thursday. “But that’s just more motivation to come out and get a result, especially in front of our home fans. I think the loss inspired us to come out and work harder this week.”

Further, more motivation has been provided by the club’s current streak at home, currently at five straight – If the club can extend that to six, they’ll set a new mark for consecutive home wins by the club. And it’ll make the fans happy – their ultimate goal this year.

“We want to keep our home streak in front of them alive,” Lewis continued. “Them being there supporting us makes the world of a difference for us, and we don’t want to send them home upset.”

The Las Vegas team that will line up opposite the club on Saturday won’t make that goal easy to achieve, however. After entering the season with a lot to improve on from last season, they’ve unseated a few of the league’s top clubs and taken a few other strong opponents down to the wire. Through their first eight matches, the club has been one of the most dangerous offensively, both individually and collectively.

“It’ll be a hard game,” Briggs continued. “They’re a very good team with some dangerous pieces. They’ve got the player of the month playing for them, so it’ll be a difficult game.”

“It’s been a solid week of training, and we’ve gotten a lot of reps in and a couple video sessions,” Lewis said. “We know what to expect.”

Republic FC wraps up a three-in-seven-day slate this weekend, taking to Texas for their first meeting with Rio Grande Valley FC since September of 2019. It’ll be a tough match for Sacramento, but coming off a thrilling win in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday, spirits are high as ever.

The trip is certainly a change of scenery for Sacramento, who prior to the match will have played every contest this year in their home state. Hitting the road for their longest trip of the season’s first two months could add to the care needed as a result of the schedule, especially since this week’s travel itinerary is well known to be more hectic than most others. How that impacts the squad, and what changes need to be made as a result, will be looked at constantly as the clock ticks down to kickoff.

“It’s difficult to go on the road, especially this trip,” said Head Coach Mark Briggs. “Saturday morning we’ll make a decision on the lineup and nagging injuries, and try and keep everyone as fresh as possible.”

However, on the flipside, it is possible that tough travel schedule and reduced time to regenerate could be rendered a non-issue because of Wednesday night’s result. The most dangerous team is a confident one, and after a late game-winner to avoid extra time against a regional rival – possibly the best feeling in sport – every member of the squad is expecting three points.

“I think we’re very confident right now [as a team],” said Goalkeeper Danny Vitiello. “As long as we keep doing what we’re doing I think we’ll be confident we can win on Saturday.”

“The group’s in confident spirits and is feeling good,” Briggs continued. “There’s no reason we can’t go down there and get three points.”

The Toros do pose a threat, however, and even with the confidence Sacramento has they won’t be taking their opponent lightly. Rio Grande Valley hung with MLS side Houston Dynamo in their own Open Cup match Tuesday, and each of their contests has been a tight and well fought battle. Regardless of what the table says, they’ve performed well against a few strong sides this season.

“We’re facing a very strong team,” Briggs continued. “They are very strong defensively, have very good players in the middle of the part and they have dangerous forwards.”

“They’re in good form right now,” said Vitiello. “I think we’ve just got to focus on ourselves, try to score and try to get a result.”

After advancing to the third round of the 2022 U.S. Open Cup, Sacramento’s next matchup in the competition is sure to bring some high spirits. USL League One side Central Valley Fuego FC comes to town Wednesday on the heels of a blistering start to their inaugural campaign.

The squad’s tough stretch got off to a good start with a draw in Southern California on Saturday – despite only grabbing a point, Sacramento outplayed the defending USL champions on their home turf.

“It was a good point,” said midfielder Damia Viader, who netted the club’s lone score in the second minute and earned Team of the Week Honors for his performance. “We felt good about ourselves and felt that we were on the front foot.”

“We were outstanding [Saturday],” said Head Coach Mark Briggs. “Everything clicked, and the only negative was that we didn’t score as many goals as we liked.”

With Orange County in the rear view mirror all eyes are on Wednesday, since a victory punches a ticket to the fourth round draw where a matchup with an MLS club is all but set in stone. Sacramento has history with MLS teams, and Fuego FC is confident they can beat anyone, especially after upsetting El Paso Locomotive in the second round. The match also marks the club’s third all-time open cup matchup with a Fresno-based squad and a homecoming for a few Republic FC alumni who now don a Fuego FC jersey.

“Wednesday is a massive game against a very good team,” continued Briggs. “We’re focusing like we would for a league match … we’ve got to make sure we turn up and continue our home form.”

Wednesday will be Sacramento’s second contest of the week, and afterward, they’ll head to Texas to face off with Rio Grande Valley FC. With a lot of distractions provided by that schedule, the entire roster knows they need to focus only on the next thing in front of them, and if something is to divert their attention, it’s that they also need to be healthy so they can take the pitch whenever their name is called.

“We need to take one game at a time, and make sure we recover properly,” said defender Lee Desmond. “Nobody needs to be told the importance of the game and its one we certainly want to win.”

“Fortunately we’ve got a great squad, but we need to make sure we’re managing bodies and personnel to be as fresh as we possibly can be,” said Briggs.