Sacramento Republic, devastated by U.S. Open Cup final loss, still has chance at USL title
On the night of July 27, Rodrigo Lopez experienced one of the highlights of a lifelong career in soccer. He banged home a game-winning penalty kick to lift Sacramento Republic to the U.S. Open Cup final, giving his second-tier team a chance to win a tournament that’s more than 100 years old. Only one time in the tournament’s history has team from outside America’s top league in in the sport hoisted that trophy.
Naturally, Lopez was overcome with joy. His career had a full-circle moment. He was Republic F.C.’s first signing when the team began play in 2014 — and on his third stint with the team. Sacramento beat an MLS team for the third straight time thanks to a storybook finish by way of his right foot.
“I wanted to make history. But most importantly, I didn’t want to let my team down,” said Lopez said that night.
And then Wednesday in Orlando happened.
This time, instead of unadulterated joy, Lopez was on the other side. He was stunned, gloomy and almost reluctant to reflect after watching his team battle to a scoreless stalemate for 74 minutes until all the olives came pouring out of the jar late in the second half.
Orlando’s budding star, Facundo Torres, took advantage of a defensive gaffe by Sacramento’s Dan Casey to break the scoreless tie with a left-footed smack to the top corner of the net, hit too hard and too well-placed for goal keeper Danny Vitiello to stop. Then came another Torres goal off a Casey penalty in the box, and then another score by Orlando’s Benji Michel in extra time.
3-0. The dream U.S. Open Cup run for Lopez and Sacramento Republic was over. Which led to Lopez being asked what he’s going to remember most about this almost-iconic run.
“That we were close,” he said, shoulders slouched. “But at the end of the day, we have to be proud of ourselves. We made history that no one thought we could do, or put ourselves in a situation to play in a final. That’s something that everyone should hold on to. Not everyone gets to play finals. You always want to win finals and win rivalry games.
“But I’ll remember this because hopefully — and I know this team’s very capable of winning the USL Championship — so we’re going to work super hard, extremely hard to get there. If that’s the case one day, we’ll remember this moment, how we feel right now, learn from it and hopefully we’re able to lift the cup in league.”
Sacramento’s improbable run through the U.S. Open Cup proved the team is capable of punching above its weight and rising above others in its class.
The team’s payroll for the 2022 season is roughly $1 million while Orlando’s is roughly $9.5, which is not unlike the disparity Republic overcame when they beat MLS clubs San Jose, L.A. Galaxy and Sporting Kansas City to get to Wednesday’s final.
Torres, responsible for two of Orlando City’s goals in their victory, signed for a four-year contract worth up to $9 million in July, and is expected to play for Uruguay in the World Cup in Qatar starting in November.
Republic manager Mark Briggs, who shared Lopez’s emotional tenor, was asked what he told his team after the game.
“To be proud of what they achieved,” he said, “and to keep their heads held high. Because this is only the beginning for this group. This is the first year this team has been together, this is the first year this group of players has been together. And so they need to hold their heads extremely high and puff their chests out, be proud of what they’ve done and understand we can achieve things if we keep this group together and keep the right mentality.”
That message went to players who were in tears on the field after suffering their first and only defeat of the tournament.
Orlando S.C. manager called Republic a “very tough rival. It was a very competitive match that until the 50-60th minute, it looked like a really tough final.”
The season is not over for Republic. The U.S. Open Cup was a midseason tournament similar to what the F.A. Cup is to the United Kingdom, albeit with less fanfare. Sacramento has seven regular season games remaining on its schedule and currently holds the No. 4 seed in the USL Championship’s Western Conference. A similar run in the USL playoffs is possible, particularly now that the team has been hardened by this tournament experience against MLS clubs.
Which is to say, this team is capable of recapturing that feeling of July 27, when Lopez gave Republic and its Sacramento fans that sense of euphoria, jubilation and optimism. This club’s story isn’t written yet.
This story was originally published September 8, 2022 at 8:09 AM.
