Sacramento Republic beats Phoenix, moves to round of 16 in U.S. Open Cup
Sacramento Republic FC has a chance to reach new territory following its 2-0 win over Phoenix Rising FC Wednesday night in the U.S. Open Cup.
The victory at Heart Health Park pushed Sacramento to the round of 16, where its record is 0-2, and in two weeks will likely play an MLS side for just the eighth time in 10 seasons. That opponent will be announced Thursday afternoon.
“That’s what we want to do,” Republic FC manager Mark Briggs said. “That’s what we want to play in this competition for. It’s been a goal of this club to do well in this competition. And now we wait to see what draw we get tomorrow and see which MLS team, hopefully, comes to Heart Health Park.”
Republic FC could play one of its neighboring California MLS teams. In the round of 32, the San Jose Earthquakes beat the Seattle Sounders in penalty kicks Wednesday while the L.A. Galaxy beat California United Strikers, 3-2.
The U.S. Open Cup is a midseason tournament that calls itself the “national championship” of American soccer, featuring teams from four leagues in the United States Soccer federation. Sacramento Republic FC is one of two teams from the USL still alive, joining Louisville City FC, while Union Omaha is the last remaining team from the lower division, League One. MLS and NISA (National Independent Soccer Association) also participate in the tournament.
Sacramento is 2-5 against MLS teams since its inception in 2014. The two wins came against Seattle in 2018 and Real Salt Lake in 2017. The club could get a boost if it draws a home game in the next round. It’s 9-1 in U.S. Open Cup games at home and 2-5 on the road.
“That’s the goal, trying to make as far as possible. And play top opponents, that’s it,” Republic FC goalkeeper Danny Vitiello said after holding Phoenix Rising to a clean sheet. “If we get an MLS team, good. If we don’t, we’ll go in and put in the same fight no matter what.”
Vitiello was responsible for one of the key sequences of Wednesday’s victory. He guessed correctly by diving right on a penalty kick in the 41st minute from Greg Hurst, who had a chance at a follow but was again stonewalled by Vitiello. Those were two of Vitiello’s six saves on the night.
“I do my research,” Vitiello said when he asked about his decision to dive to his right on Hurst’s penalty attempt. “But it’s just a feel. I felt that there was a good chance he goes that way. Obviously it’s a lottery, you just dive one way and hope he goes that way and get a hand on it. Lucky enough I did that.”
Vitiello’s save preserved a 1-0 lead Sacramento had after a goal in the 30th minute from Luis Felipe. It came on a pass from midfielder Matt LaGrassa, an Elk Grove native, to the left corner of the box. Felipe rifled it to the lower right corner of the net.
“It was great to go ahead,” Griggs said. “And it just gives you momentum. I thought at times we were too anxious to step our and create space between lines. And I thought in the second half (we did that) extremely well and (Phoenix) didn’t really create anything, to be honest. Hopeful balls into the box, yes, but I thought we defended extremely well.”
The game stayed at 1-0 until the 88th minute when Douglas Martinez Jr. hit a well-placed header off a corner kick from Emil Cuello into the net to seal the win for Sacramento. It was Martinez’s team-leading third goal of the season.
The win improved Sacramento to 7-2-3 overall and 3-0 in the U.S. Open Cup. Republic is 5-0-2 on its home field this season and 5-0-1 when scoring first. It was the third straight game Sacramento held opponents without a goal.
Republic FC will return to league play in its next game Wednesday, May 18 against El Paso Locomotive FC in Albuquerque, N.M.
This story was originally published May 12, 2022 at 5:46 AM.
