Dariusz Formella’s Sacramento story all started on an August night in 2019. The Polish playmaker officially signed with the Indomitable Club on July 18, but it was August 7 at home when supporters of the boys in Old Glory Red first got a glimpse of an attacking player who continues to make his mark in the USL Championship. That match may have ended in a draw, but Formella will forever tie Lights FC to his first Sacramento moments.
Ahead of the club’s 2021 home opener against Las Vegas, Formella sat down to tell the tale of the first night he donned the kit of the Indomitable Club.
Dariusz Formella’s Sacramento story all started on an August night in 2019. The Polish playmaker officially signed with the Indomitable Club on July 18, but it was August 7 at home when supporters of the boys in Old Glory Red first got a glimpse of an attacking player who continues to make his mark in the USL Championship. That match may have ended in a draw, but Formella will forever tie Lights FC to his first Sacramento moments.
Ahead of the club’s 2021 home opener against Las Vegas, Formella sat down to tell the tale of the first night he donned the kit of the Indomitable Club.
Did you know in the days leading up to the match that you might feature?
Did you know in the days leading up to the match that you might feature?
Dariusz Formella: “No, I didn't know. I was at the club, maybe three or four days already, and I remember that it was a Wednesday game, but I knew that I'm not going to start. But one day before the game, I knew that I was going to be on the bench. You never know, when you're on the bench if you will go on, but in that game I played 10 minutes.”
Dariusz Formella: “No, I didn’t know. I was at the club, maybe three or four days already, and I remember that it was a Wednesday game, but I knew that I’m not going to start. But one day before the game, I knew that I was going to be on the bench. You never know, when you’re on the bench if you will go on, but in that game I played 10 minutes.”
Were you given any hints this was likely going to be your debut?
Were you given any hints this was likely going to be your debut?
DF: “I knew that I was on the bench and maybe before the game we had a little chat, a little talk about maybe at the end I would go on the pitch. [Late in the game] we needed a goal so [the coach] wanted me to do something for the last ten minutes but at the end of the day it was zero-zero. And that was a positive, I remember that was a positive for all those people in the stadium. I was surprised in the middle of the week, we play on a Wednesday and there was, I don’t know, around 10,000. So, I was excited, that was the first time when I saw some fireworks before the game and a little bit of a different culture – before the game the national anthem and all these things – I thought it was all very nice and I remember that very well.”
DF: “I knew that I was on the bench and maybe before the game we had a little chat, a little talk about maybe at the end I would go on the pitch. [Late in the game] we needed a goal so [the coach] wanted me to do something for the last ten minutes but at the end of the day it was zero-zero. And that was a positive, I remember that was a positive for all those people in the stadium. I was surprised in the middle of the week, we play on a Wednesday and there was, I don’t know, around 10,000. So, I was excited, that was the first time when I saw some fireworks before the game and a little bit of a different culture – before the game the national anthem and all these things – I thought it was all very nice and I remember that very well.”
First time playing in a new league abroad, were you nervous at all?
First time playing in a new league abroad, were you nervous at all?
DF: “No I wasn't nervous, but I was in the club only like three or four days and to be honest, I didn't know all the guys, the names, I didn't know all of them. But [when I came on], that was just 10 minutes, so I knew what I'm going to do. He wanted me to score, or create some opportunity to score, but I wasn't nervous. That was a situation when nobody was expecting nothing from me so I could just make a difference but if I didn't, that was okay. There wasn’t a lot of big pressure on me that game.”
DF: “No I wasn’t nervous, but I was in the club only like three or four days and to be honest, I didn’t know all the guys, the names, I didn’t know all of them. But [when I came on], that was just 10 minutes, so I knew what I’m going to do. He wanted me to score, or create some opportunity to score, but I wasn’t nervous. That was a situation when nobody was expecting nothing from me so I could just make a difference but if I didn’t, that was okay. There wasn’t a lot of big pressure on me that game.”
How were you feeling the day of the game, were you thinking a lot about it?
How were you feeling the day of the game, were you thinking a lot about it?
DF: “The whole day I was fixing a lot of things around football … stuff you setup when playing in a new country. And I basically didn't have time to think about the game, but it's okay, I fixed it! I fixed everything, at like two or 3pm, I came back home and took a nap and then I was ready for the game.”
DF: “The whole day I was fixing a lot of things around football … stuff you setup when playing in a new country. And I basically didn’t have time to think about the game, but it’s okay, I fixed it! I fixed everything, at like two or 3pm, I came back home and took a nap and then I was ready for the game.”
In that game, Jaime Villarreal went head-to-head against his brother Jose. Do you remember that brother against brother battle?
In that game, Jaime Villarreal went head-to-head against his brother Jose. Do you remember that brother against brother battle?
DF: “Bro, I’m not sure if I knew that Jaime was Jaime! I just knew that somebody was playing against their brother!”
DF: “Bro, I’m not sure if I knew that Jaime was Jaime! I just knew that somebody was playing against their brother!”
What else do you remember from that first game playing for Sacramento?
What else do you remember from that first game playing for Sacramento?
DF: “I remember the atmosphere around the stadium, and I was surprised because of all the people. It was the middle of the week, so I was thinking ‘I'm in a good place and people love football here, and it’s a nice place to be’.”
DF: “I remember the atmosphere around the stadium, and I was surprised because of all the people. It was the middle of the week, so I was thinking ‘I’m in a good place and people love football here, and it’s a nice place to be’.”
