Sacramento Republic FC -- www.sacrepublicfc.com
Friday, June 6, 2014
SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Sacramento Republic FC (6-3-1) hosts Arizona United SC (3-5-1) in USL PRO play on Saturday, June 7 at Hughes Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. PT with gates opening at 6 p.m. The match will mark the third sellout of the season for Republic FC and their fourth match with more than 17,000 people in attendance. Republic FC now holds each of the top four spots in the record book for largest attendance in USL PRO regular season history.
Republic FC will look to extend their four-match USL PRO win streak and increase their overall win streak to seven matches. Arizona started the season strongly, winning four of their first seven matches overall. Recently, Arizona has hit a rough patch, dropping three of their last four overall and their last three USL PRO matches.
Arizona won the only matchup between the two sides on April 19. Republic FC’s Rodrigo Lopez scored first in the 27th minute, but Republic FC could not hold the lead. Forward Brandon Swartzendruber equalized for Arizona in the 37th minute and Jonathan Top put Arizona ahead in the 85th minute. The loss was the second on the year for Republic FC.
Republic FC enters the match having played last on Wednesday, May 28 against the Fresno Fuego in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Republic FC won 6-0 in a match that featured five second-half goals. The margin of victory was the largest of any U.S. Open Cup match this year.
Forward Thomas Stewart continued his hot streak, scoring his team-leading fifth goal in all competitions against Fresno while also recording an assist. Stewart has scored in each of his last three appearances in USL PRO play.
Lopez is also heating up; he scored his third goal and recorded his fourth and fifth assists in all competitions against Fresno. Lopez leads Republic FC with five assists in all competitions and has either scored or assisted in three of his last four matches.
Goalkeeper Dominik Jakubek saved a penalty kick and the rebound shot to preserve his third shutout of the season against Fresno. Jakubek has allowed just one goal in his last four appearances and that goal came in the form of a penalty kick against Dayton. Jakubek’s record on the year is 6-2-0 and his goals against average stands at 0.78.
Arizona is led by Swartzendruber, who leads the club in scoring with two goals and is tied for the lead in assists with one. Swartzendruber scored the first of his two goals against Republic FC on April 19.
Arizona will feature six loan players including former Republic FC loan player Bryan Gallego as well as Schillo Tshuma and Rodney Wallace (Portland Timbers), Jalen Robinson (DC United), Benji Lopez (Real Salt Lake), Jonathan Top (FC Dallas). Gallego was a member of Republic FC from March until being recalled by the Timbers in late April.
The match will be broadcast on KHTK Sports 1140 AM and on SacRepublicFC.com/matchday. Updates will be also provided via Twitter @SacRepublicFC and by using #SRFCvAZU.