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Notes and Quotes: “We have the talent, the belief, and the quality”

First place Republic FC closes out a busy stretch of three games in eight days this weekend in the Ocean State. The Indomitable Club visits league debutant Rhode Island FC for an inter-conference matchup, and the first contest between the two sides all-time.

A 3,000-mile journey adds to the test of playing a league debutant building its form. Rhode Island has been a tough foe early in its maiden campaign and is unbeaten in four of its last five games. With a strong showing from its fans week in and week out, Rhode Island has kept things close with six of eight games being decided by one score or less.

“We’ve just got to keep our standard, keep our level, understand it’s going to be a difficult game in Rhode Island and that we have the quality to take the points,” said Mark Briggs on Wednesday.

“We want to win every game,” said Nick Ross. “Obviously, we didn’t win in Phoenix, but we were close. And to travel away and pick up points is tough.”

Republic FC has been strong on the road this season, claiming three wins and two draws while only conceding two goals. The club’s 11 points away from home ranks first in the Western Conference, and second in the entire league. Against Eastern Conference foes, Sacramento is 8-0-6 since the start of last season.

“We’ve got to continue to impose our game, whether we’re at home, whether we’re away,” Briggs said. “We have the talent, the belief, and the quality to impose our game on any opponent.”

Sacramento’s roster depth has been key to picking up results. On Tuesday, homegrowns Rafael Jauregui and Chibi Ukaegbu – who made his pro debut – were stellar in the club’s cup victory, as were Jonathan Ricketts and Damia Viader in his return from injury.

“I’m very fortunate to have a roster where I can trust any player that steps on the field to keep the level high and keep the standards high, and I think we saw that on Tuesday night in the Open Cup,” said Head Coach Mark Briggs. “We rotated five players, and they stepped in as if they’ve played in every game so far this season.”

“He stresses the importance of needing every player,” Rafa Jauregui said of Briggs’ high expectations for every player in the squad. “He’s right about that – we’re going to need every player to step up, every player to contribute on the pitch, do their job and put out 100%.”

Notes and Quotes: “We have to be at our best from minute one”

In first place and coming off consecutive victories, Republic FC sets back out on the road this week. The club kicks off a busy stretch of three games in eight days Saturday – including two away from home – starting against Phoenix Rising FC in the desert.

Both clubs enter their first meeting of the season in good form. Republic FC is unbeaten in eight games to start the season, sitting atop the Western Conference table. Rising FC has won two of its last three contests, and secured points in three of its last four.

“Phoenix away is always a hard game,” said Conor Donovan on Thursday. “It’s a different environment and the weather is a factor with how hot it is. They’re a good team, they’re starting to find form and are coming off a big win in Rhode Island. So it’s going to be a tough one.”

Republic FC heads to Arizona after a stellar April where the club led the West in scoring with eight goals, six of which came in the first half of games. On the backline, Sacramento allowed just two scores from opponents, and only eight shots on target from opponents reached Danny Vitiello between the sticks. All month, the bench contributed to the results, helping keep opponents from threatening late in matches.

“If we can come out with intensity, that’s good for us,” Donovan continued. “One of our strengths from last year, and this year, is our hot starts. If we can do that, we always put ourselves in a good position to win.”

“We’re doing a good job out-possessing teams. We’re winning individual duels, we’re winning the ball back after a certain number of passes,” said Head Coach Mark Briggs. “The group is doing a lot of things right and we’ve just got to continue down this path.”

There’s always a rivalry-type atmosphere when Sacramento and Phoenix face off. The all-time series is tight, with Sacramento claiming eight wins, Phoenix claiming nine and the two clubs splitting points eight times. Republic FC has outscored Rising eight goals to five in their past six contests across all competitions, securing three clean sheets.

“I think we have to come and play a complete 90-minute performance and be at our best from minute one,” said Russell Cicerone. “It’s a difficult environment to go to against a really strong team, and we’re going to have to have to prove ourselves.”

“When the two clubs meet, there’s always an intensity, there’s always a rivalry,” Briggs continued. “There’s always high competition and I think that this weekend will be no different.”

Notes and Quotes: “We’ve got to be focused and continue to trust one another”

Following a big result on the road, the Indomitable Club returns home this week as the last remaining unbeaten team in the Western Conference and one of four undefeated in USL Championship. The squad welcomes Loudoun United FC to Heart Health Park this Saturday for an inter-conference contest – the first between the two squads in Sacramento since 2022 and only the third all-time.

Republic FC’s last result was a big one, securing the top spot in the Western Conference standings. The club showed strong defensively again and found the net first, earning a league-best fourth clean sheet and the fastest goal in club history along the way.

“I thought Saturday was the best performance of the year so far,” said Head Coach Mark Briggs on Thursday. “I thought we were dominant in every phase of the game, so hopefully we can bring that form into Saturday’s game and put on a good show at home.”

Loudoun United comes to Sacramento this week after a strong start to the season. Through six games, the club boasts the second-best conversion rate in the league at 21%. They showed well defensively last week in a tight match with Eastern Conference heavyweight Louisville City, keeping the club without a shot on target until the final ten minutes.

“Loudoun’s started the season well, and they’re a different team than what they were last year,” Briggs continued. “They’ve brought in some experienced players. It’s a game I’m looking forward to.”

“It’s going to be a tough game,” said forward Trevor Amann on Loudoun United. “I think they’re a well-organized team defensively. We just need to continue to do what we’re doing. This week at training we’ve continually gotten better and better every day, so I think it’s going to be a good match.”

Sacramento’s defensive form has hit its stride in recent weeks. The club has recorded a clean sheet in three of its last four games, and only let by one goal in that span. Republic FC now leads the league in shutouts and has conceded the fewest goals of any team in the league as a result. Goalkeeper Danny Vitiello leads his positional group once again with a league-best 0.33 goals against average mark through six appearances.

“When you have a hunger and a desire to keep the ball out of your own net, and then you have the quality we do to put the ball in the opposition’s net, you’re always in for a good chance to get the points,” Briggs said on the club’s defense. “We’ve got to continue on this path, be focused on a daily basis and continue to trust one another.

“When you have eleven guys on the field that want to defend and get behind the ball, it makes it hard for the other team to break you down,” said Vitiello of the club’s defensive efforts. “Credits to the staff, they put out a good game plan, and every week we work towards getting the clean sheet. This week is no different.”

Notes and Quotes: “If we add that ruthlessness then we’ll start to see points pile up”

Republic FC heads south to face off with Orange County SC this Saturday in a contest between the top two teams in the Western Conference table. It resumes a long-standing fixture – the match is the 28th all-time between the two sides.

Sacramento and Orange County have already faced off this season, playing to a 2-2 draw on opening night before a sellout crowd at Heart Health Park. Six weeks later, the stage is set for another competitive matchup. Each enters the game unbeaten and tied atop the Western Conference table with 12 points.

“It’s a difficult game, and I think you saw on opening night, it’s two very good teams, two very well-coached teams with quality players going at it,” said Head Coach Mark Briggs on Thursday.

“It’s a big game for us,” said Jack Gurr. “It’s two teams at the top of the league. We were disappointed the first time we played them to not get all three points, but we’re excited coming in.”

Going up against Orange County for the second time in six weeks is a bit of a quirk in the schedule. Not frequently do you play a team twice in such a short span, but it adds another competitive element to the match.

“We imposed our game the first time, which was good, but we know the small details cost us,” Gurr continued. “So that’s something that we’ll be looking to get right this time.”

Through six games, Republic FC remains in strong form. Sacramento is the only team in the league that hasn’t trailed yet this season, a nod to its backline play and having scoring first in every match. The club continues to win the possession battle – last week, they held a season-high 74% of the ball vs. FC Tulsa, the highest mark recorded by any team in any match in 2024.

“We’ve got to be more ruthless,” said Mark Briggs of what he wants to see from his squad. “We’ve been in control of every game. I think if we continue with our performances, continue with the level we’re playing at, and if we add that ruthlessness then we’ll start to see even more points pile up, which is the goal for this group.”

“It’s just putting in a complete 90-minute performance,” said Jared Timmer. “We’ve had good stretches, but we need to have a full, complete 90-minute performance.”

Notes and Quotes: “It’s about us and it’s about what we do.”

After a second straight clean sheet victory, Republic FC is back at home this week as the squad welcomes FC Tulsa to Heart Health Park. It’s the first of two contests between the clubs this season as the Oklahoma side returns to the Western Conference. All-time, Sacramento and Tulsa have played 12 matches, with Sacramento going unbeaten on nine wins and three draws.

This week’s foes have kicked off 2024 in good form. Through its first three games, FC Tulsa has scored six goals – including the fastest goal of the 2024 USL Championship season, scored just 53 seconds into the club’s 3-3 draw against Phoenix Rising FC last week.

“We’ve got to respect them,” said Head Coach Mark Briggs on Thursday. “They’ve got experienced players, two forwards that are regularly scoring goals, and a backline that’s hard to break down. They’re a good outfit, a good club, a good team.”

“There’s no easy games in the league,” said Nick Ross. “They’ve brought in a few players that are well known, and they are good with possession. So we know it’s gonna be tough.”

Through five weeks this season, Republic FC’s performances continue to stand out among the best in the league. Trevor Amann’s score last week was his fourth of the campaign – good for third in the Golden Boot race. Russell Cicerone and Lee Desmond each earned Team of the Week honors for their performances in Colorado Springs, and Danny Vitiello took home Save of the Week honors for the second consecutive week. Sacramento has been the best in the league on defense, allowing only three goals through five games.

“I think we are really starting to find a rhythm and feel the confidence and the belief that we should have,” continued Briggs. “Now it’s just about continuing to do the basics to the level that we want to and continuing to have trust and belief in one another.”

Saturday’s match at home means the club comes back to where it’s the strongest. Since the start of 2023, no team has been better on its home ground than Republic FC, claiming a league-best 14 wins and 47 points. In that span, Sacramento has outscored its foes by 25 goals and recorded 11 shutouts on home turf.

“We love playing at home, and we want Heart Health Park to continue to be a fortress,” Briggs went on. “We’ll respect the opponents, understand their strengths and their weaknesses, whoever we play, but it’s about us and it’s about what we do.”

Notes and Quotes: “We’ve got to play our football and impose our game”

Republic FC is back on the road this week, heading to the Rockies to face off with Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. It’s the first meeting between the two clubs this season, coming after an exciting victory in Week 4 for Sacramento vs. Memphis 901 FC. All time, Republic FC and Switchbacks have each claimed six wins, and over the last two seasons, the two sides have split their head-to-head results in the regular season.

The match is Republic FC’s third road contest in four weeks. Sacramento secured a win and draw in its previous two away games this season, dominating possession at a near 60% clip and completing over 80% of its passes. Despite the challenge playing on the road presents, the club is unbeaten in its last three away contests and has one of the best away records in the league since the start of 2023.

“Being on the road is difficult, no matter where you go and no matter who you play,” said Head Coach Mark Briggs of Saturday’s match. “But the guys are the guys are in a good headspace. As long as we stick to the game plan, as long as we remain together, we give ourselves an opportunity for success.”

“They’re obviously a very dangerous team,” defender Conor Donovan said of Switchbacks FC. “They have some good attacking players and it’s a tough place to go and play. They’re a good team at home. It’s going to be a challenge, but we’re looking forward to it.”

Through the first four games, Sacramento remains one of the league’s best defensive teams, allowing just three scores – ranked third in the league. Sacramento showed well in its last outing, securing three points behind a late winner and a clean sheet performance, it’s second of the season to tie them for the league lead.

“Clean sheets are always important. It’s part of our DNA as a team to defend as 11 players,” Donovan said of the team’s mindset. “We found a way to win [against Memphis] and I think that adds confidence.”

“Every win is good, and every win with a clean sheet is even better,” said Trevor Amann. “Confidence is high right now and I think we’re in a good place to keep it rolling.”

Overall, Sacramento’s form to open 2024 has been strong. The club completed the first month of the campaign as one of just seven undefeated clubs with two wins and two draws. The squad has scored first in every contest this season and is one of just two sides that haven’t trailed through four weeks to open the campaign.

“We’re confident,” Briggs continued. “We understand the abilities we have, and the qualities we have. We’ve got to get our heads right, our mentality right, and then play our football and impose our game no matter who we play.”

Notes and Quotes: “It’s great to come back home and get that energy from our fans”

Following two straight East Coast trips, the Indomitable Club returns home to face off with Memphis 901 FC at Heart Health Park. Republic FC takes on the Beale Street Boys after a trio of strong performances to open the campaign, putting the club in a share of first place in the Western Conference table.

The contest marks the second all-time between Sacramento and Memphis, who met last July for the first time. Now part of the Western Conference, the two sides will become a lot more familiar. The Tennessee side kicked off their new conference membership with a pair of good performances in Weeks 1 and 2, and returns a bulk of its strong core from last season.

“We’ve got a very difficult game ahead,” said Lee Desmond on Thursday. “They came here last year and gave us a really tough game. We know they’re a tough team and we need to we need to get our first home win of the season.”

Through three weeks, the Quails have been strong in their execution. Republic FC remains one of the toughest clubs to break down in the entire league and have consistently threatened teams offensively from across the pitch. Trevor Amann continues to lead the Golden Boot race with three goals in as many games, and the squad has been very strong with the ball at their feet, holding nearly 60% of possession.

“We’ve performed well,” said Head Coach Mark Briggs. “But I feel we should have four more points than we do right now. So I’m happy with the performances and where we’re at, but we’ve got to be more ruthless in our own box and in the opponent’s box.”

“We’re happy with the way that we’ve moved the ball. Our possession has been good, touches have been good, passing has been good,” said defender Jonathan Ricketts. “We’re getting in good spots, getting in behind. We just want to continue that and use that to beat Memphis on Saturday.”

Returning home provides a boost for the Quails. In Week 1, the energy of a sellout crowd as the club hosted Orange County made for a memorable night. Sacramento remains one of the best teams in the league at its own groud, with 13 home victories since the start of last season – tied for most in the league.

“The last few years like we’ve created such a fortress there,” Desmond said of the club’s home pitch. “When we’re at home, confidence immediately goes up. And we’re going to have a strong atmosphere with the fans, which they always bring. They’re our 12th man.”

“We’re very fortunate that Heart Health Park is our home environment, and we get to play in front of those fans on a weekly basis,” Briggs said of playing at home. “There’s no other place like it in our league. It’s great to come back home and get that energy from our fans, that excitement, with the game approaching again on Saturday night.”

Notes and Quotes: “We’re going into the weekend as one unit”

This Saturday, Republic FC kicks off its 2024 road campaign with a trip to East – the first of back-to-back interconference matchups on the road. The club’s first-ever trip to South Florida will pit them against Eastern Conference side Miami FC, who emerged victorious over Switchbacks FC in a Week 1 Home Opener.

Despite missing five regular starters, Sacramento showed well against last year’s Western Conference Regular Season runner up. It took a desperation attempt in the final moments of the match – a feat that has only happened three times in league history, just to pull even and split the points with a 2-2 draw.

With last week behind the club, the focus is squarely on building on the successes of opening night and perfecting the game plan for game two of the season.

“We analyzed the game Saturday, and the performance was good other than 10 minutes at the end,” said Head Coach Mark Briggs. “So it gives us a positive step to move forward.”

“There’s a lot of positives to take from the game, and a lot of things that we need to improve on,” Jared Timmer noted. “It’s early, so we can learn from that and keep working towards getting ready to go for Miami.”

Last year’s top goal scorer is set to make his 2024 debut, and pair with the Player of the Week Trevor Amann for the first time in league play. Cicerone and the squad are looking at week two with a wide lens. “This week’s a little different because we’re traveling across the country, and it always makes things a little bit interesting,” said Cicerone. “But as far as mindset is concerned, every week is the same for us that we’re going into the weekend as one unit, and we’re looking to get three points.” Cicerone’s 2024 debut is an opportunity to build on his career numbers against Miami FC – eight goals in six matches all-time – and start the season on the right foot.

Behind a new manager and a bevy of new young players, the South Florida team Sacramento will face is hungry and confident coming off a victory in its first match of 2024.

“They have a new coach who had a fantastic playing career and is implementing a new style,” said Briggs of the South Florida side. “We’re fortunate that we’ve got one game to look at and see their tendency, shape, different players, different things they’re trying to do. That gives us good information going into Saturday.”

Notes and Quotes: “We love playing at home, our stadium is electric”

Opening night of the 2024 USL Championship season has finally arrived. Republic FC hosts Orange County SC in the first match of 2024 where points are on the line, and the result has an impact on the standings.

The match is set to be a stellar one as the top two teams in last year’s Western Conference standings square off. “I think we’ve had a good training week, preparing for the big game against Orange County,” said Rodrigo Lopez. “The guys are really excited to open up the season, and especially after how we ended last season, I think the guys ready for yet another good run.”

Behind the anticipation of the first game of the year, a rowdy atmosphere is expected as soccer returns to the Capital City.

The club enters with confidence after a strong preseason, going unbeaten vs. a pair of MLS squads, seeing its young players shine and nine different players find the back of the net. Last week, the club closed out training camp with a victory at home vs. local rival Monterey Bay F.C. behind constant pressure, excellent defense, and strong play in possession.

“It’s exciting. It’s the end result of what we’ve been preparing for the last two months,” newcomer Trevor Amann said of the result against Monterey Bay. Saturday will mark Amann’s USL Championship debut, coming after a Player of the Year and Golden Boot-winning campaign in USL League One in 2023.

The home crowd is expected to have a big impact on tomorrow’s match. Last season, Republic FC’s fans came out in record numbers for their squad, leading the league in attendance – including five straight sellouts to close out the season – and pushing the Indomitable Club to post a record-high 13 home wins.

“We love playing at home,” continued Lopez. “For the new guys, I think they’re going to see that atmosphere and see how good our fans are, how electric our stadium is, and how the crowd gets behind us and pushes us to do better.”

“Opening night every year is incredible, and I’m sure this year will be no different,” said Head Coach Mark Briggs on Thursday. “For our new players, I’m sure their eyes are gonna be pulled wide open when they hear our crowd, when they see the atmosphere when they feel the environment. Heart Health Park is a special place and I’m sure tomorrow night will be just as special as always.”

Notes and Quotes: “It’s a preseason friendly, but it’s the final tune-up for everybody”

Republic FC is back on the pitch at Heart Health Park this weekend, welcoming local rival Monterey Bay F.C. to Sacramento for its final exhibition match of preseason.

The match marks the final tune-up for the club ahead of the season opener on March 9, when Orange County SC comes to town. Head Coach Mark Briggs will be looking for his side to make their final adjustments, as well as fine-tune their fitness and help kick off the season on a positive note.

“Obviously leading into the home opener, you want to start off on a positive foot. So you want to get the right result,” said Briggs at Thursday’s training session. “But I want to see what we’ve worked on throughout preseason, some of the some of the things that we’ve asked of them differently come out and put us in a good spot to then open up with Orange County.”

Of course, playing the first match of the season before fans at Heart Health Park offers excitement as well.

“It’s been a long preseason, there’s been a lot of hard work put in and I think you’re starting to feel more like the season’s coming around and it’s a proper game,” said Nick Ross. With fans here, it’ll be good to see everyone again and be back at home.”

Republic FC has performed well in each of its eight exhibitions to help the club prepare. The club’s young players have stood out, with their performances proving they belong on the first team roster. The club’s veterans have continued where they left off, performing at a high level just as they did last season.

“The young boys – Chibi [Ukaegbu], Blake [Willey], Da’vian [Kimbrough], they’ve been excellent. Nick Ross has just carried on from last year, hasn’t missed a beat and he’s been phenomenal throughout preseason,” said Briggs. “Jared Timmer has been excellent as usual, just Mr. Consistent, performs at a high level. Jared Mazzola’s come in and he’s had a fantastic preseason and Rafa Jauregui – I think he’s scored four and got four or five assists – he’s hit the ground running.”

“We’ve been able to make the chemistry a bit stronger,” said Jauregui of training camp. “[And develop] a strong mentality – we never want to settle for a draw. We want to score goals, and we want to keep the ball out of the net.”

Although points aren’t on the line on Saturday, the contest will have all the feel of a regional derby. Monterey Bay bested Sacramento in their one regular season visit in 2023, and since their entry to the league have always been a tough team to play against.

“They’re always very organized, they always come here and are excited to play,” Briggs said of the Seaside club. “So we have to get used to handling teams coming in here with the excitement of playing on this field and playing in front of a good crowd. It’s a preseason friendly, but it’s the final tune-up for everybody. So we want to make sure first and foremost we get through the game healthy and then secondly, we get the right result.”

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