At a Glance: #RGVvSAC
- Saturday, July 20
- 5:30 p.m. PT kickoff
- H-E-B Park, Edinburg, Texas
- How to Watch: KQCA My58, Estrella TV Sacramento, ESPN+
What’s the latest on the team?
Republic FC (8-7-2, 26 pts) have rediscovered their winning form following a 1-0 win over a strong Portland Timbers 2 team at a sold-out Papa Murphy’s Park on Saturday night. Midfielder Hayden Partain, making his second consecutive start, scored the lone goal of the game in the 41st minute of the match, his second of the season. The build up began when Tyler Blackwood settled the ball in the central midfield before spotting Juan Barahona surging down the left flank. The striker placed a perfectly weighted pass into space for the 23-year-old left back, making his first start of the season, to curl a dangerous left-footed cross into the T2 box. Partain calmly chested the ball down and buried his shot past Portland goalkeeper Jake Leeker. Barahona was credited with the assist, his first of the season.
One of the more intriguing aspects of Saturday’s contest was the 3-4-3 formation head coach Simon Elliott debuted for the first time this season. The gamble paid off, especially with SRFC’s leading goal-scorer Cameron Iwasa initially omitted from the starting eleven, as Republic FC successfully honed in on stretching out the T2 backline by pushing Jordan McCrary and Barahona up the sides to allow wingers Sam Werner and Villyan Bijev to flank Blackwood up front. A total of six offsides showed SRFC’s persistence in trying to capitalize on Blackwood’s speedy pace behind the Portland backline, who lined up as the lone frontman to start the match.
Saturday’s clean sheet was the seventh this season for the boys in Old Glory Red, tied for fifth-best in the USL. The win also elevated SRFC to eighth place in the Western Conference standings through only 17 games, compared to most Western Conference clubs that have already played 18 or 19 matches.
At a Glance: #RGVvSAC
- Saturday, July 20
- 5:30 p.m. PT kickoff
- H-E-B Park, Edinburg, Texas
- How to Watch: KQCA My58, Estrella TV Sacramento, ESPN+
What’s the latest on the team?
Republic FC (8-7-2, 26 pts) have rediscovered their winning form following a 1-0 win over a strong Portland Timbers 2 team at a sold-out Papa Murphy’s Park on Saturday night. Midfielder Hayden Partain, making his second consecutive start, scored the lone goal of the game in the 41st minute of the match, his second of the season. The build up began when Tyler Blackwood settled the ball in the central midfield before spotting Juan Barahona surging down the left flank. The striker placed a perfectly weighted pass into space for the 23-year-old left back, making his first start of the season, to curl a dangerous left-footed cross into the T2 box. Partain calmly chested the ball down and buried his shot past Portland goalkeeper Jake Leeker. Barahona was credited with the assist, his first of the season.
One of the more intriguing aspects of Saturday’s contest was the 3-4-3 formation head coach Simon Elliott debuted for the first time this season. The gamble paid off, especially with SRFC’s leading goal-scorer Cameron Iwasa initially omitted from the starting eleven, as Republic FC successfully honed in on stretching out the T2 backline by pushing Jordan McCrary and Barahona up the sides to allow wingers Sam Werner and Villyan Bijev to flank Blackwood up front. A total of six offsides showed SRFC’s persistence in trying to capitalize on Blackwood’s speedy pace behind the Portland backline, who lined up as the lone frontman to start the match.
Saturday’s clean sheet was the seventh this season for the boys in Old Glory Red, tied for fifth-best in the USL. The win also elevated SRFC to eighth place in the Western Conference standings through only 17 games, compared to most Western Conference clubs that have already played 18 or 19 matches.
What about the other guys?
Rio Grande Valley FC Toros (5-9-5, 20 pts) host their third straight league match at H-E-B Park, however, the Texan club haven’t scored a goal at home since a 3-0 mid-June victory over Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. Since that win over one month ago, RGVFC have lost three of their last four matches, with three of those contests being held at home. The other was a 0-0 draw against Sounders FC 2, a team that is dead-last in the league in points and has allowed a USL-worst 49 goals.
Just because RGVFC has struggled to find the net as of late, does not mean the team lacks the goal-scoring prowess to do so. Leading the team in goals is Michael Salazar with eight in only 12 appearances while Carlos Small is hot on his tail with seven scores in 15 games. Maalique Foster’s four assists are a team-best but Isidro Martinez is the offensive architect with 43 chances created (sixth-best in USL) and 106 crosses (seventh-best in USL).
Head-to-Head
The Indomitable Club has never lost to Rio Grande Valley FC Toros in seven matches since the Texan club joined the league in 2015. Republic FC’s lone win against Toros in Texas was a 2-1 stoppage time thriller in September of 2017. After surrendering the opening goal, SRFC’s Villyan Bijev tied up the game in the 72nd minute before stoppage time substitute Carlos Rodriguez netted the winner in the closing moments of the match.
This particular series has a rich history of creating classics. The most recent was a 2-1 come-from-behind win that was headlined by Cameron Iwasa’s 61st minute equalizer, making the Sacramento-native Republic FC’s all-time leading goalscorer. Jeremy Hall headed home the game-winner seven minutes later to seal all three points for SRFC. Earlier in the season in late-March, the boys in Old Glory Red trailed by two scores until an 80th minute Iwasa strike followed by a Toros own goal in injury time solidified the comeback for Simon Elliott’s men and rescue a point.
- Overall: 4-0-3
- Home: 3-0-1
- Away: 1-0-2
How to Watch & Follow
Saturday’s match will be broadcast live on KQCA My58, Estrella TV Sacramento (Spanish) and ESPN+ (online). Updates online will also be provided via Twitter at @SacRepublicFC or by following #RGVvSAC.
What about the other guys?
Rio Grande Valley FC Toros (5-9-5, 20 pts) host their third straight league match at H-E-B Park, however, the Texan club haven’t scored a goal at home since a 3-0 mid-June victory over Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. Since that win over one month ago, RGVFC have lost three of their last four matches, with three of those contests being held at home. The other was a 0-0 draw against Sounders FC 2, a team that is dead-last in the league in points and has allowed a USL-worst 49 goals.
Just because RGVFC has struggled to find the net as of late, does not mean the team lacks the goal-scoring prowess to do so. Leading the team in goals is Michael Salazar with eight in only 12 appearances while Carlos Small is hot on his tail with seven scores in 15 games. Maalique Foster’s four assists are a team-best but Isidro Martinez is the offensive architect with 43 chances created (sixth-best in USL) and 106 crosses (seventh-best in USL).
Head-to-Head
The Indomitable Club has never lost to Rio Grande Valley FC Toros in seven matches since the Texan club joined the league in 2015. Republic FC’s lone win against Toros in Texas was a 2-1 stoppage time thriller in September of 2017. After surrendering the opening goal, SRFC’s Villyan Bijev tied up the game in the 72nd minute before stoppage time substitute Carlos Rodriguez netted the winner in the closing moments of the match.
This particular series has a rich history of creating classics. The most recent was a 2-1 come-from-behind win that was headlined by Cameron Iwasa’s 61st minute equalizer, making the Sacramento-native Republic FC’s all-time leading goalscorer. Jeremy Hall headed home the game-winner seven minutes later to seal all three points for SRFC. Earlier in the season in late-March, the boys in Old Glory Red trailed by two scores until an 80th minute Iwasa strike followed by a Toros own goal in injury time solidified the comeback for Simon Elliott’s men and rescue a point.
- Overall: 4-0-3
- Home: 3-0-1
- Away: 1-0-2
How to Watch & Follow
Saturday’s match will be broadcast live on KQCA My58, Estrella TV Sacramento (Spanish) and ESPN+ (online). Updates online will also be provided via Twitter at @SacRepublicFC or by following #RGVvSAC.
