USL PRO Game Report
Saturday, April 26, 2014
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Sacramento Republic FC set a new USL PRO regular-season attendance record, but the Harrisburg City Islanders claimed all three points as they took a 2-1 victory at Hughes Stadium in front of 20,231 fans on Saturday night. Robbie Derschang and Morgan Langley both scored for the Islanders, who took their first win of the season.
Harrisburg came out quickly and scored in the 5th minute when Yann Ekra found Dershang, who was able to get past his defender and finish to put the Islanders ahead 1-0. The goal was the former Austin Aztex player's first as a professional.
Republic FC seemed to take the early goal as a spark and pressured the Islanders' defense. Midfielder Max Alvarez harassed the defense and eventually was fouled setting up a 32nd-minute free kick. Alvarez took the free kick that was bent beautifully in front of the goal, where Davis, Calif. native Adam Jahn headed home his first Republic FC goal.
The score remained knotted at one going into the break, but Harrisburg again came out strongly to start the half and scored again in the 52nd minute. Langley found the back of the net after he showed fancy footwork to get around his defender and shoot the ball past an advancing Dominik Jakubek.
Republic FC again came alive following the goal, but was unable to convert any of its chances. Sacramento's best look came in the 90th minute when defender Nemanja Vuković whipped a ball into the penalty area where substitute forward Chad Bartlomé chested the ball down but was unable to get a free look.
“We need to get sharper,” said Jahn, on loan from Sacramento's MLS partner the San Jose Earthquakes. “We had a lot of good build up plays but quality was not good enough and finishing wasn’t good enough either.”
The sell out crowd at Hughes Stadium helped create an electric atmosphere felt by all.
“To get 20,000 people is incredible,” Jahn said of the fans. “It shows the following and it is really exciting going forward”
Republic FC will continue its three-match home stand on Saturday, May 3 against Orange County Blues FC. Match is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. PT and will be held at Hughes Stadium.