This is it—our final post on Substack.

After plenty of consideration, we’ve decided to move Quail City Soccer to a new platform. The biggest reason is simple: Substack wasn’t built for where we’re trying to take this publication. We have some exciting plans over the next year, and we needed a home that can grow with us.

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Republic FC traveled across the Bay on Saturday night and produced one of their most complete displays of the 2026 campaign, defeating Oakland Roots 3-1 at the Oakland Coliseum. The final score reflected Sacramento’s superiority, but even that hardly captured the extent of their control. Republic outshot Oakland 14-10, forced six saves from Kendall McIntosh, limited the Roots to just one shot on target, and finished the night with a 1.50 expected goals total compared to Oakland’s 0.42.

In a season where consistency has often been the biggest question surrounding Neill Collins’ side, this was the type of road performance supporters have been waiting to see.

Sacramento looked sharp from the opening whistle, controlling possession and moving the ball confidently through midfield. Memo Rodríguez nearly opened the scoring after ten minutes when Blake Willey’s volley fell kindly to him at the top of the box, but the midfielder’s effort sailed over the crossbar. He would not have to wait long for another opportunity.

In the 19th minute, Jack Gurr burst forward down the right flank before delivering an excellent low cross into the area. Rodríguez timed his run perfectly, slipping between defenders to guide a first-time finish beyond McIntosh for his first Republic FC goal. After waiting months for his first goal contribution in Sacramento colors, Rodríguez would finish the evening with both a goal and an assist.

The lead, however, lasted barely two minutes. Oakland responded immediately when Keegan Tingey found Florian Valot at the top of the penalty area. Valot turned quickly and fired beyond Danny Vitiello to bring the Roots level at 1-1, threatening to erase Sacramento’s bright opening spell.

Instead of unraveling, Republic settled back into the match.

The visitors continued dictating possession, circulating the ball patiently while forcing Oakland to defend for long stretches. Pep Casas nearly restored the lead before halftime, and Sacramento entered the break feeling unfortunate not to have more than a single goal to show for a first half they largely controlled.

Head coach Neill Collins felt his side handled the setback exactly as they needed to.

“It was disappointing to concede straight after we got ourselves ahead in the game. I thought we started fantastically, but one thing that this team has shown is just a great resilience… we came on strong, and I thought in the second half we even stepped it up another level, and deservedly got the two goals in the end.”

The second half belonged almost entirely to Sacramento. The Republic consistently pinned Oakland inside its own half, finishing the night with 21 touches inside the Roots’ penalty area while completing passes in the attacking third at a 77% success rate. Their patience finally paid off in the 75th minute.

After sustained pressure and consecutive corner kicks created chaos inside the Oakland penalty area, the ball fell kindly to substitute Kyle Edwards. The winger reacted quickest, smashing home from close range to restore Sacramento’s advantage only six minutes after entering the match.

As Oakland pushed numbers forward in stoppage time searching for an equalizer, Republic found space on the counter. Rodríguez slipped a perfectly weighted pass into Edwards’ path, and the substitute calmly buried his second goal of the evening into the bottom corner to remove any remaining drama and seal the derby victory.

For Edwards, it was another reminder of the impact he can have off the bench, while Rodríguez enjoyed his best night in a Republic shirt with three direct goal contributions.

“Yeah, I think the team had a very good game tonight. I think everybody contributed in their own way… It was a complete performance from everybody, so it’s a credit to everybody from all the hard work that we’ve been putting in.”

The statistics only reinforce what the eye test suggested. Sacramento edged possession, completed passes more accurately, created nearly double the touches inside the attacking box, earned seven corners to Oakland’s three, and held the Roots to just a single shot on target all evening. It was arguably one of Republic’s most balanced performances of the season, combining defensive discipline with the attacking efficiency that has too often been missing throughout 2026.

Beyond the quality of the performance, the result carries real significance in the Western Conference race. Sacramento now sits just eight points behind first place while still holding two matches in hand. It also marks the club’s sixth consecutive result in Oakland dating back to 2022 and gives Republic its eighth victory in the all-time NorCal Derby series. Whether this becomes a turning point remains to be seen.

The inconsistency that has defined Sacramento’s season will only disappear if performances like Saturday become the norm rather than the exception. But for one night in Oakland, Republic FC looked every bit like a club capable of climbing the Western Conference table, and they left the Coliseum with three points that felt every bit as convincing as the scoreline suggested.

104 games over 39 days and now it’s over.

La Furia Roja of Spain lifted the World Cup in what was a masterful display of controlled soccer. It was not as thrilling as Argentina’s 3-2 extra time win over Cape Verde or England’s 3-2 victory over Mexico’s El Tri in the fabled Azteca or even the 6-4 goal fest between England and France in the 3rd place game that begged the question, would England have possibly fared better with Bukaya Saka in their line-up against Argentina?

Even without a ton of flair, the final had some history of its own. Spain managed to get through the whole tournament conceding just one goal. They were never behind in a game throughout the tournament and their win in the final was their 38th consecutive match without a loss. There are Spanish players who have won the European Cup and the World Cup without ever tasting defeat even once, a truly remarkable run that looks poised to continue for the foreseeable future.

The 2026 World Cup was many things: record-breaking attendance, number of games, and ticket prices. But as a lifelong fan of the beautiful game, the memories I take are much more special to me than any statistics.

I had the good fortune to attend knockout games with both my son (U.S. vs. Bosnia and Herzegovina) and my daughter (Spain vs. Austria). I felt the collective pride of almost 70,000 United States supporters when Malik Tillman slammed in a free kick to secure their win and advance to their unfortunate loss to Belgium in the following round.

Though my children have been to many soccer games throughout their lives, my daughter chose to support the team of her football crush/idol, Lamine Yamal’s Spain. Wearing Spain shirts, I was quickly reminded that my Spanish is mediocre at best, but as I found throughout the World Cup, there was a kindness and acceptance pervasive everywhere we went.

Even during the team warm-ups, seeing Yamal juggle, I wondered if it was anything like a generation before me watching Maradona do his famous warm-up. That is one of the truly beautiful parts of the game, you never know when you are going to see a little magic or see an incredible talent do something few people on this earth have ever been able to do. There is always a thread that connects the current to the past.

Like many, I am conflicted about Argentina. I have loved watching Leo Messi play since he was a teenager in Barcelona and while he and his team have seemed to get the benefit of more than their fair share of calls historically, it seems the blame Messi gets for this is misplaced.

This is no excuse for what took place during the final. If you have watched even a little South American soccer, you know that teams that are down or overmatched often resort to fouling, diving, time wasting, antagonizing opponents and any other form of shit-housery (a real term you may not be familiar with). Books could be written about Argentina’s abandonment of strong play in support of the negative tactic of doing anything and everything to disrupt Spain’s play.

The scenes after the final whistle tarnish what was likely the last time we will see Leo Messi on the World Cup stage. He deserved more from his teammates and we as fans deserved more. Unfortunately, we don’t always get what we want.

Throughout the World Cup, I had several friends and family members text me about games. Most were curious and had reasonable questions about what they were watching, but I did get a few of the stereotypical U.S. sports fan questions about the lack of scoring, players rolling around after fouls, etc.

I had to remind them that unlike the NFL, soccer has a running clock, so you don’t need three replays of every play and five announcers to explain to you what just happened, you just need to pay attention. I hate the embellishment of fouls as much as the next person, but when the reigning NBA MVP has made a career out of flopping, the historical reasons why soccer has not caught on in the U.S. just don’t hold weight with me.

To be totally honest, I don’t care all that much. It seems kind of cool to me that the most popular sport in the world is almost seen as a niche thing here. It reminds me of the music I love the most, typically trending toward indie, left-of-center bands and artists who may have a passionate following but never break into big stadium or arena acts.

Having a friend group of fellow soccer heads helps and as much as I want others to find the beauty I have in the game, it’s okay if they don’t.

Now that it’s all behind us, what do I take away from the 2026 World Cup?

My new friend Ivan, an immigrant from Ukraine whose pedicab got me out of Levi’s Stadium and back to my hotel quickly enough to grab my daughter and get to San Francisco International Airport in time to make our flight to Los Angeles for the Spain game the following day. The flight was the last one leaving San Francisco, so we needed to be on it if we were going to make the noon game the following day. I gave him a $100 tip because it seemed like a small price to keep the dream alive.

Elias from Austria, who was friendly with my daughter while waiting in a beverage line at SoFi Stadium. Knowing a lot of visitors for the World Cup probably have views of the U.S. based on our current leadership, I have tried to adopt the role of being the best host I possibly can be to visitors from other countries. I paid for his beer since we were in line ahead of him, but when I looked back, my daughter was holding the giant can of Stella Artois I bought for him, so I had to have her run it back to him and ruin the surprise.

More than anything, I’ll take my children who separately thanked me for taking them in ways that conveyed what an incredible and memorable experience they had. For 39 days my world got a little bigger and I am better for it.

Now that it’s over, what do I do? I breathe normally for a little while and check the calendar for the next Sacramento Republic home game and for the start of the English Premier League where my Arsenal will start defense of their first league title in 22 years with three newly-crowned World Cup winners.

Like most sports, soccer can be heartbreaking, but since you never know when you will witness a moment of magic, I’ll keep attending games and following my teams.

The Lineup:

It’s been a few weeks since our last tactical look, where we asked a very important question: Where are all the goals? Since then, Republic has won, lost, and drawn in their last 3 matches, and the goals haven’t been much better, scoring just 3 goals in that time period. The results have been mixed. On one hand, Republic took 4 points from 2 league games, including an away game in Charleston, one of the hottest teams in the league. On the other hand, an ugly, ugly loss to USL-1 side AC Boise knocked Republic out of the USL Cup, and the Charleston match felt like more points were there for the taking. So while there are some positives, especially in the league, the general feelings around the club have been… poor. We discussed part of that on this week’s Quail Call:

But just how did each of these games go? Let’s rapid fire take a look at all three:

Home vs Rhode Island:

Due to the World Cup, a bye, and a stormy day in Tulsa, Republic’s match at home against Rhode Island was their first in 18 days. It appeared that Collins had given the boys one of the prior weeks off—multiple players were spotted on social media traveling far and wide to attend World Cup games. Nonetheless, with one mistake withstanding, Republic turned in a fairly complete performance. Four players, Kaye, Edwards, Malango, and Arturo, put in player ratings 7.3 or higher, and Kaye’s 2-assist game was his first for the club—and capped probably his best performance of the season.

Realistically, this game should have ended 1-0, still in Republic’s favor. Edward’s goal in the 19th minute was off a terrible mistake from the Rhode Island keeper, and Rhode Island’s goal just 5 minutes later was off a cross that alluded 4 different Republic players in the area. Even so, this was a good performance for Republic to come back to. Collins shone a spotlight on the players who played well:

“We need consistency in our team selection, and that’s obviously down to injuries at times and performances. But when they perform like how they did tonight, it’s much easier to pick them again… ”

However, this Collins’ quote is a bit baffling, especially when we look at the following match…

Away at AC Boise:

…where Collins rotates the squad. Timmer, who was one of the few players to play poorly against Rhode Island, was completely dropped from the squad. That’s fair. But Casas, Arturo, and Spaulding were dropped in favor of Crisostomo, Wolff, and Willey, and it just didn’t work. Keep in mind that to advance, the Quails just simply needed a draw. A single point had them advancing through to the knockout rounds. Meanwhile, AC Boise had already been eliminated before the match even started and had nothing to play for!

The most confounding thing to me is the positions. First of all, Mark-Anthony Kaye started at left back over Spaulding. As far as I can tell, MAK has never played left back in a club match. He’s done so just 3 times in his entire professional career—all for the Canadian National Team and most recently in 2019. Why put him in at left back in a game where you need a point? His lack of experience at the position showed with a 6.2 player rating, especially jarring coming off of his 7.8 and a 2-assist performance against Rhode Island.

It very much feels like Collins has reached the “throw it against the wall and see what sticks” stage of things. He can’t find a striker who can stay hot—Edwards showed out against Rhode Island, and then struggled against Boise, leading to Collins to sub in Ajago on for him in the 60th minute… only for Ajago to not record a single shot over 30 minutes while Republic had the vast majority of the possession. The rest of the attackers aren’t much better; Wolff hasn’t scored a goal or made an assist since the goal in his debut, and currently has the lowest-average player rating on the team out of players who have made more than one appearance. Willey is averaging 3rd worst on the team, and Ajago is just ahead of him. In fact, if you break down the average rating per positional group for the season, it’s really easy to see that Republic gets worse the further up the field you look:

To rub salt in the wound for the loss, Spaulding was hurt after just subbing on, and only 2 Republic players came and thanked the traveling fans for visiting. No player or coach talked to the media either—Republic’s post match quote sheet was completely missing, the first time I’ve seen that following a loss. Just terrible optics for the club on every single front.

Away at Charleston Battery:

If you had offered me a draw going into the Charleston game on the road, I would have happily taken it. In Charleston’s last 5 league games, they have 16 goals for, 8 goals against, and they haven’t lost a home league game since last year’s USL Quarterfinals, where they lost on penalties. You have to go back even further to find their last league loss in regulation—all the way back to March 8th of *2025*, a streak of 23 matches. Patriots Point has been an absolutely stronghold.

So a draw on the road in Charleston is yes, fine, at least on paper. What stung is that this was a match Republic could have easily won. In typical Republic fashion, they had just one (1) shot on target the entire match, Ajago’s bicycle kick goal. That goal is actually up for goal of the week, by the way, and you can vote on it HERE.

Republic had 5 shots in Charleston’s box alone, but only one of those being on target led to a game where Republic frustratingly just couldn’t convert their chances despite largely made Charleston look like a mid-table team and not a team second in the USL Power Rankings. As we’ve come to expect from this club, Republic’s build up and defense were fantastic—and the finishing couldn’t reward them.

That being said, the product on the field was not an appealing one. Charleston Battery were founded in 1993, making them older than MLS, and apparently plays on a field that is in this state in multiple locations:

With a camera pointing directly at the sun:

Multiple sequences in the far corner were just completely impossible to see.

All this is made even worse with 2 major missed calls. First off, Memo Rodriguez fairly clearly hits a Charleston player in the face in 31’ of the match—which the ref completely misses. His solution was to reward a yellow card instead, but I’m pretty confident that would have been turned into a red card if USL had VAR. Second, Blake Willey had a fantastic goal disallowed in the first half for a handball, due to the ball jumping off the erratic playing surface, despite the ball quite clearly hitting his shoulder. Again, probably overturned with VAR.

Add in Ajago’s red card in the 75th minute for 2 hand punching at a Charleston player for, what I can tell, nothing, and you really get the true USL experience. This is… not the product that USL will want to launch into USL Premier with. Republic will take the point, but missing out on the 3 points that were there for the taking after the dreadful Boise match leaves a bad taste in the mouth.

So What’s Next?

Republic at least gets to come back to the west coast for a few weeks, first for a showdown with old rivals Oakland. With the Roots moving stadiums next season, this is likely Republic’s last ever match in the Oakland Coliseum, and with both teams vying for playoff positioning in the West it should be a fun one. They follow that up by hosting one of USL-C’s newest teams, Sporting Jax, who are absolutely dreadful. Their 13 straight matches without a win to start club history is the 4th longest winless start in USL-C history. They finally had their first win this last weekend at home against Pittsburgh, but make no mistake: a loss to them would be more embarrassing than losing to Boise.

But going into these West Coast matches, Republic has far more questions than answers on the field. The team is suddenly looking very shallow in depth. The most glaring question is who is going to play left back? Benítez is MIA, with no report from the club that he’s injured, on personal leave, or something else, and the natural backup there would be Spaulding… who ended up hurt off the ball just 6 minutes into subbing on in Boise, and hasn’t been seen since. In the mean time, we’ve seen both MAK and Essel start there, and both have put up below average numbers at best.

Striker doesn’t look much better. Ajago will be missing at least one match due to this red card—but likely more due to it being for violent conduct. That leaves Edwards to start, but Edwards has only played a full 90 minutes once this season, against amateur-side Valley 559. If he needs a sub, who will fill in at that role?

The roster in general has been slowly trimmed down. Already just this season, Republic have lost Wanner, Reedy, Kimbrough, Cambridge, and Rivas to either releases, sales, or retirement, and have replaced them with just 2 signings. The first was Joshua Moya, a goalkeeper on a 30 day contract, who hasn’t made an appearance. The assumption is he was signed because Randolph, who also hasn’t made an appearance, was injured, but as with most Republic injuries, all we can do is shrug our shoulders. The second is Midence, who was just signed and made his debut as a late sub in Charleston. But look at how the roster sits at the moment:

Goalkeeper - 4 (1 on 30 day contract, 1 on youth contract, only Vitiello has played)

Defenders - 11 (Benítez, Kleemann, and Spaulding injured, 4 other players on youth contracts with a combined 3 appearances and 57 minutes of play)

Midfielders - 7

Strikers - 2 (Ajago suspended)

So going into the Oakland match, you have just 4 non-injured, non-youth defenders to fill 4 spots, 7 midfielders to fill 5 spots, and 1 striker to fill 1 spot. That doesn’t leave much room for injuries, tactical adjustments, or subs, does it? Barring an injury return, the Starting XI practically writes itself. Republic desperately needs quality depth, especially if they are going to keep getting injured, and the injuries haven’t seemed to slow down.

We’ll have to see what the front office does over the next few weeks, but a lack of movement could lead to a very ugly end of the season. There is still time for the Republic to get back into the fight for the top of the West though, especially with so many teams dropping points, so I’d call myself “cautiously optimistic”—and hoping for a strong second half.

Sacramento Republic FC’s struggles on the field are only part of the conversation this week.

The Quail Call takes a closer look at the club’s recent run of performances and asks whether the bigger issues extend beyond the final score. From inconsistent results and questions about priorities between competitions to the growing disconnect between the club and its supporters, the panel discusses why frustration among fans continues to build.

The conversation also explores Republic’s communication strategy, leadership, community presence, broadcast quality, and the importance of transparency and accountability from a club that has long prided itself on its relationship with supporters.

Has Sacramento Republic lost touch with the community that helped build it? What needs to change on and off the field? And what does the club need to do to restore confidence as the season enters its most important stretch?

The QCS Team has a candid discussion on the biggest stories surrounding Sacramento Republic FC.

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Sacramento Republic FC made two roster moves Friday that appear to tell the same story.

Just 30 minutes after announcing that Dominik Wanner had mutually agreed to part ways with the club, Republic FC unveiled Alfredo Midence as its newest signing. While the club did not explicitly link the two transactions, the timing makes it difficult to view them as unrelated.

With 16 league matches remaining and Sacramento still searching for consistency in the attacking third, Friday’s announcements feel less like routine roster business and more like an acknowledgment that something needed to change.

Wanner leaves Sacramento after a season and a half with the club, making 43 appearances across all competitions with five goals and four assists. Those numbers tell only part of the story. There were flashes of the direct, exciting winger Republic hoped they were signing ahead of the 2025 season, but injuries, inconsistent form, and competition for places meant he never fully cemented himself as a week-to-week starter.

A mutual termination also suggests the move benefits both sides. Republic opens a roster spot while Wanner gets the opportunity to find regular football elsewhere.

His departure comes as Sacramento continues to look for answers in front of goal.

Coming into this weekend, Republic has scored just 14 goals in 14 USL Championship matches, among the lowest totals in the Western Conference. It’s a problem that has followed the club throughout the season. Good defensive performances have often been undermined by an inability to consistently create and finish chances, leaving little margin for error every weekend.

Whether Wanner was solely responsible for those struggles would be unfair to suggest. Sacramento’s lack of production has been a team-wide issue, not one that can be pinned on a single player. But when a club struggles to score, attacking players are inevitably the first to come under scrutiny.

Enter Alfredo Midence. The 24-year-old arrives with a reputation as more of a creator than a finisher. His breakout 2024 campaign with Central Valley Fuego saw him lead USL League One with eight assists, earning both the league’s Golden Playmaker Award and Young Player of the Year honors. His ability to create chances quickly made him one of the division’s most promising young attackers.

That form earned him a move to Lexington SC, where he spent the last two seasons in the USL Championship while also making a productive loan appearance with Charlotte Independence earlier this year.

Republic President and General Manager Tim Holt described Midence as “a young, dynamic player who can contribute in multiple attacking roles,” and versatility may be just as valuable as his creativity. Whether he plays out wide, underneath the striker, or in another attacking role, Sacramento is clearly adding a player capable of offering something different in the final third.

It’s also another example of the club’s willingness to continue reshaping the roster under Neill Collins. Republic has not been afraid to make changes throughout the season, and with the Western Conference standings as congested as they are, waiting for results to magically improve was never likely to be the preferred approach.

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Of course, signing one player won’t suddenly solve Sacramento’s scoring issues. The Republic attack has at times lacked movement, confidence, and clinical finishing, problems that extend well beyond any individual. But adding another creative option gives Collins another tool as the club tries to build momentum over the final two months of the regular season.

There is, however, an important caveat. While Midence’s breakout season in USL League One showcased his creativity, that production has yet to consistently translate at the Championship level. Across 22 USL Championship appearances between Lexington SC and Charlotte Independence, he has recorded one goal and no assists in 1,111 minutes. By comparison, Wanner leaves Sacramento having produced five goal contributions (four goals and one assist) in 1,379 Championship minutes—roughly one every 276 minutes. On paper, the move is not a straightforward upgrade in production, but rather a bet that Midence’s skill set and potential are a better fit for what Republic is trying to build.

Midence is expected to be available as soon as Saturday’s road match against Charleston Battery, pending league and federation approval. If selected, he could make his debut less than 24 hours after being announced.

For Republic, Friday wasn’t just about saying goodbye to Dominik Wanner or welcoming Alfredo Midence. It was about recognizing that the attack has not produced enough through the first half of the season and making an attempt to change that before the playoff race reaches its defining stretch.

Whether Midence proves to be the answer remains to be seen. But after scoring just 14 league goals through 14 matches, it’s clear Republic believes standing pat was no longer an option.

Nearly halfway through the 2026 USL Championship season, Republic FC sits fifth in the Western Conference with 16 league matches remaining. On paper, that’s a solid position. In reality, it’s anything but. Republic are separated from falling outside the playoff places by just a single result, and with clubs packed tightly together in the middle of the table, every dropped point feels increasingly significant.

Before the season even kicked off, I argued on The Quail Call that my biggest concern wasn’t the defense or the midfield—it was where the goals were going to come from. After watching Neill Collins reshape the roster during the offseason, I wasn’t convinced the club had brought in enough proven goalscorers to consistently win matches. Nearly halfway through the campaign, that concern hasn’t disappeared. If anything, it has become one of the defining storylines of Sacramento’s season.

The week following the club’s bye perfectly summarized where Republic stand today. Sacramento returned home and earned one of its more complete performances of the season, defeating Rhode Island 2-1 in league play. Four days later, they traveled to Idaho and suffered a 2-0 defeat to USL League One side Athletic Club Boise in the USL Cup. One performance inspired optimism. The other immediately erased much of it. That has become the defining characteristic of Sacramento’s season—every positive step forward seems to be followed by another frustrating setback.

The standings reflect just how fragile Republic’s position really is. While Sacramento currently occupies fifth place, clubs sitting fifth through eighth are level on 19 points, with tenth place only two points behind. Every weekend feels like a balancing act. A victory can move Republic comfortably into the playoff positions, while a single loss could see them fall outside the top eight once again.

That inconsistency has extended well beyond the standings and into nearly every conversation surrounding this club.

Following many of Sacramento’s losses this season, the messaging has remained largely the same. Injuries disrupted continuity. The team created enough chances to deserve more. The result didn’t reflect the performance. Looking strictly at the analytics, there is truth to those arguments. In the five matches leading into the Rhode Island fixture, Republic averaged 1.51 expected goals while conceding just 1.43 expected goals. Despite creating more quality opportunities than their opponents over that stretch, they finished with a negative-three goal differential.

Matches against San Antonio and New Mexico are perfect examples. Sacramento generated more than enough opportunities to earn points in both contests but came away with just one goal and no points combined. The underlying numbers suggested the Republic were competitive. The standings only remember the results.

At some point, though, bad luck stops being an explanation and starts becoming a pattern and that brings us to perhaps the biggest question surrounding Sacramento’s season.

Quail City Soccer’s Valor Nash has argues that Neill Collins’ tactical approach remains fundamentally sound, and it’s difficult to completely disagree. Sacramento generally controls possession, progresses the ball effectively through midfield, limits opponents to relatively few quality chances, and often finishes matches with underlying numbers that suggest they deserved more. Even in the loss to Boise, Republic controlled 65.2 percent possession, completed 688 passes, outshot Boise 14-7, finished with a higher expected goals total, and still failed to score while conceding twice.

If the tactical blueprint is consistently creating enough opportunities to win matches, perhaps the tactics themselves aren’t fundamentally broken. But this game isn’t played on expected goals charts.

At some point, every tactical system has to be judged by the only statistic that ultimately matters: the table. If the same approach continues producing performances without consistently producing victories, then Collins has to ask whether adapting his system gives this group a better chance to win. If the answer is no, then the conversation naturally shifts toward recruitment. Did Sacramento simply fail to assemble the right players for the style Collins wants to play?

Last season there was a reasonable explanation for many of these growing pains. Collins inherited a roster that had largely been assembled before his arrival, and it was widely understood that implementing a new philosophy with players recruited for a different style would take time. That explanation carries far less weight this season.

Following Todd Dunivant’s departure, Collins had significantly greater influence over roster construction. Whether every signing was solely his decision is beside the point. This is now his project. The personnel is much closer to the profile he wants, the style of play reflects his philosophy, and ultimately the results are becoming increasingly tied to him.

Which makes another question impossible to ignore. If this is Collins’ squad, built to execute Collins’ ideas, why do so many of the same problems remain?

Republic continue to dominate stretches of matches without putting opponents away. They continue to control possession without consistently creating enough clear-cut finishing moments. They continue to leave points on the table despite producing performances that, statistically, should have earned more. Most importantly, they still struggle to score goals consistently.

That concern from February hasn’t gone away. It has simply been reinforced over four months of football. Sacramento has yet to develop a dependable goalscorer capable of carrying the attack, and while goals have come from throughout the squad, no player has emerged as the reliable finisher supporters expected.

Is the issue simply poor finishing? Are the players not the right fit for the system? Does the system itself need to evolve to better suit the players Collins assembled?

Those questions don’t have simple answers, but they’re becoming increasingly difficult to avoid.

Following the victory over Rhode Island, Collins spoke about patience and continuity:

“We need consistency in our team selection, and that’s obviously down to injuries at times and performances. But when they perform like how they did tonight, it’s much easier to pick them again… We are two or three games behind a lot of teams… we’ve got more than half the season left. With more performances like tonight, I think we’ll be where we need to be at the end of the season.”

He’s right that there is still time. Sixteen league matches remain, and Republic still control much of their own destiny. They also have games in hand that could help them climb the table if they capitalize on those opportunities. The problem is that the margin for error has become incredibly small.

If Sacramento ultimately misses the playoffs, it likely won’t be because of one disastrous month or one catastrophic collapse. It will probably come down to a single result somewhere along the way. A draw that should have been a win. A missed opportunity in front of goal. A night where Republic controlled possession, won the expected goals battle, and still walked away empty-handed. Those moments have accumulated throughout the first half of the season, leaving Sacramento fighting to remain above the playoff line rather than establishing themselves among the Western Conference’s elite.

Is this team actually better than the one that reached last season’s USL Cup Final? Has the roster improved enough to justify the significant changes made over the offseason? Should Collins continue trusting a process that often produces encouraging underlying numbers, or is it time to adapt before more valuable points slip away?

Reasonable people can disagree on those answers. In fact, we already do. Valor Nash believes the tactical foundation is there and that the personal is more of a personnel one. I look at the same performances and keep coming back to the same conclusion: whatever the underlying numbers may say, this team simply isn’t getting enough results. Whether that means changes in tactics, personnel, or both, something eventually has to give.

There is still enough quality in this squad to make a run over the final 16 matches, and there is plenty of time for this conversation to look very different by October. But if Sacramento misses the playoffs for only the second time in club history, it likely won’t be because they were miles away from being a postseason team. It will be because they left too many points on the table in matches they should have won.

The New Mexico loss wasn’t just another disappointing result—it opened the door to a much bigger conversation.

This week, the crew breaks down Sacramento Republic FC’s frustrating performance, the missed opportunities that continue to define the season, and the growing debate surrounding head coach Mark Briggs’ replacement, Neill Collins, and the club’s overall direction. Is this team living up to expectations, and what exactly is Republic FC’s identity in 2026?

From there, the conversation shifts to the club’s culture, corporate ambitions, and what an eventual move toward MLS could mean for Sacramento. The episode wraps up by turning to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, discussing the atmosphere, patriotism, and why this tournament continues to bring people together in a way few sporting events can.

Whether you’re frustrated with Republic FC or fully immersed in the World Cup, there’s plenty to unpack in this week’s episode of The Quail Call.

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The group stage is behind us, and now the fun really begins.

Throughout the opening round of the FIFA World Cup, the Quail City Soccer team has been competing against one another in a private prediction pool. It quickly became one of our favorite ways to follow the tournament, celebrate the surprises, and argue over the matches long after the final whistle.

So for the knockout rounds, we’re opening it up to everyone.

Join the Pool!

Whether you’re a daily reader of Quail City Soccer, a listener of The Quail Call, or you just love the World Cup, we’d love to have you join us. The more predictions, the better the banter.

Here’s how scoring works:

• 3 points for correctly picking the winning team.

• 7 points for predicting the exact final score.

Unlike a traditional bracket challenge, the bracket resets after every round. That means even if you have a rough Round of 32, you’ll still get to make fresh predictions for every remaining round of the tournament. No one gets eliminated, and everyone stays involved all the way through the Final.

A few things to know before you join:

• Lock in your predictions before kickoff of each match.

• The pool will remain open to join throughout the remainder of the World Cup, so don’t worry if you’re getting started after the first knockout matches.

• We’re using Pool Cup, a secure and free app developed by an independent developer, to run the competition.

• This pool is for entertainment purposes only.

Most importantly, there is no purchase necessary to participate, and there are no prizes on the line. The only thing you’ll win is the satisfaction of finishing above the Quail City Soccer staff—and, of course, the bragging rights that come with it.

We’ll be keeping an eye on the standings throughout the knockout rounds and may even give a few shoutouts on The Quail Call. Good luck, trust your instincts, and enjoy what should be an incredible finish to the 2026 World Cup.

Join the Pool!

Welcome to a special edition of the Quail City Soccer Tactical Analysis, where this week, we will be taking a little break from our normal weekly recap. As most of you know, we usually deep dive into the most recent match to break down what happened—what formation did Republic use, what did the opposition use, and what did the numbers say? This week, we’re going to do things a bit different. Coming out of Republic’s 1-0 loss to New Mexico, in which Republic put up 18 shots and still struggled to hit the broadside of a barn, it seemed more prudent to try and answer a very important question:

Where are all the goals?

The “Collins Out” calls have been increasing fairly rapidly on social media due the recent results. Usually, the calls start on Reddit and the edges of Twitter before slowly leaking out to Instagram and then Facebook—once folks on Facebook are calling for a manager to be fired, that’s around when you know that the hot seat is really getting hot. But I’m actually going to make the argument that Collins’ *tactics* have been generally… good. Not great. Not spectacular. But good. You can still very easily argue that the players he has signed to match these tactics were poor choices, and I don’t disagree in many cases, but the actual tactics themselves are certainly better than the run of results suggest, and I’m going to make that argument by looking at some numbers. Let’s dive into some stats!

No Problems Creating Chances
To get to the crux of the issue, look at what Captain Lee Desmond said right after the New Mexico match:

“...we’re halfway through the season now, and we just haven’t scored enough goals. We’re getting into fantastic positions tonight, and we need to score goals. It’s as simple as that, and it’s cost us the game… We’re working hard. I’m not questioning anyone about that, but we need to show the quality in the box.”

Lee’s frustration is obvious here, especially as a defender that does his job damn well week in and week out. The “getting into fantastic positions” is the part I want to focus on first though as we try to solve this problem. Because Lee is right—Republic genuinely are making plenty of chances. Over the season, Republic are 2nd in the league in possessions won in the final 3rd, a sign of that occasional high press that Republic utilize. Turn overs in the oppositions half are usually an easy way to generate chances and are, at the very least, a way of quickly earning the ball back in dangerous positions. Last season, many of those up-field turn overs turned into those “6 second goals” that we discussed last season, where Republic forced a turnover up field, laid the ball off, and shot on goal, all within 6 seconds of gaining possession. We really broke down that full press the last time Republic played New Mexico:

Republic hasn’t scored any goals like that this year, despite the high rate of winning possession in the opposing half. A big part of this is that this team is a much more possession heavy team than last year, with this year’s team averaging a 52% possession rate vs. last season’s 47%. But even so, Republic isn’t exactly starved for chances. A good way to measure quality chances at goal is expected goals (xG). We’ve discussed this before but for a quick refresher, xG assigns every shot a value between 0 and 1 based on how likely it is to be scored, using historical data from similar shot situations. Factors like shot location, angle, type of assist, body part used, and whether it’s a rebound or not all contribute to that probability. In short, it’s a lot of math.

When you sum those values across all shots, you get a team’s xG over a certain time period, which estimates how many goals they should have scored over that time based on chance quality rather than actual finishing. So a higher xG means more high quality chances—a lower xG means fewer. Compared to the rest of the USL-Championship, Republic is actually in a pretty good spot:

Tenth overall, with an xG of 19.95. If Republic had ~20 goals on the season, they’d be tied for 3rd on goals for in the Western Conference. But let’s go a bit deeper than just basic xG. Republic has generated this high of an xG despite being 4th lowest in the league in total shots taken with 133. The 2 teams at the top of the list, Louisville and Tampa Bay, have over 200 shots already this season with 234 and 211 shots respectively. In fact, when you break down the numbers, Republic actually has the highest average xG per shot in the entirety of USL. Take a look at the top 10 teams:

First place to look on here is the xG / Shot column—this is where we are looking at the aforementioned xG per shot statistic that Republic is leading. But now we are starting to get into why Republic’s goal total is so much lower than their chance creation suggests. The next column over is GF (goals for) / Shot—and Republic is far far lower than their xG suggests they should be. In fact, every team on this table is under-performing with the exception of Charleston, and Republic is the team under-performing the most! It takes Republic just over 10 shots to score a goal, but the data suggests they should be scoring a goal every 6.7 shots.

A Finishing Problem
So Republic is generating chances at a pretty decent rate—they’re 10th in the league in xG, lead the league in xG per shot, and are second in the league in turnovers in the opponents half. But the goals just aren’t there, and the biggest factor is Republic’s inability to finish. Let’s dig into some metrics to prove that.

First, as we all know, Republic is not scoring enough goals. Ok, fine, but how far behind are they? Well the league average right now is at just over 17 goals scored—Republic have just 13, tied for 2nd worst in the league with New Mexico and only ahead of Hartford who have just 10. With 13 goals scored, Republic have a conversion rate of 9.8%, which is the 5th worst in the entire league. This brings us back to the xG conversation from earlier. The average Republic shot has the highest statistical chance in the league to be a goal, but Republic are 5th worst in the league at converting those chances despite those chances being of higher quality than the rest of the league. Look at each team’s total Goals For compared to their Generated xG:

The trend line here shows the number of goals the xG says a team should have, i.e., an xG of 20 would result in 20 goals if you’re on the line. Above the line, you’re overperforming with more goals scored than expected, which means your finishing is fantastic. Below the line, you’re underperforming and the finishing is below the expected rate. Below the line a lot… and that’s a sign of trouble. Note though that this is just referring to a teams performances in goals. Teams like Tampa Bay and Louisville are underperforming their goal totals, sure, but that doesn’t mean they still aren’t winning games. Republic themselves are hanging around still due to their league 3rd-best defense. What becomes alarming for Republic is that they are a team that is drastically underperforming their goal total. Their 13 goals and 19.95 xG means that Sacramento has 6.95 goals fewer than the stats say they should—the 2nd-worst rate in the league and worse than the 3rd-worst team by almost an entire goal.

One thing that is causing this is Republic’s inability to put away so-called “big chances.” A “big chance” is a stat that tracks a situation where a player should reasonably be expected to score, usually in a one on one scenario or from very close range when the ball has a clear path to goal and there is low to moderate pressure on the shooter. Penalties are always considered big chances. Republic have the 11th most big chances created in the league, but are 2nd to last in the league in goals per big chance, scoring on just half of them. And that includes penalties, where Republic have 3, 2 of which they’ve scored from. From open play, they’re scoring only around 40% of their big chances.

To top it off, Republic are 4th in the league with shots off the woodwork with 7 and they lead the league in offside calls with 37 compared to a league average of just 21. Both of those contribute to a lesser number of goals than expected; the shots of the woodwork are half luck/half lack of finishing, and the offside calls are just poor communication within the team.

Players, Not Tactics
I hate to call guys out, but this is a player problem, not a tactical one. Collins has set up the team well to create chances that should be finished. The players are just not finishing them. Look at Republic’s attacking options:

The only 2 players that are “over-performing” are Edwards and Arturo, both of whom are substitutes. And this table leaves out MAK and Benítez, both of whom play more defensive roles—yet still have the 2nd- and 4th-highest xG on the team respectively. Every other attacker I’ve left out doesn’t have an xG high enough to be worth discussing. Ajago’s -2.88 difference between his goals and his xG is particularly glaring considering he starts as a forward. I’ve talked in the past about how his role is not to score goals, but rather to open up space for others to score, but that doesn’t mean he can just throw goal scoring chances away. He needs to finish the chances that he gets.

Some of this blame certainly lies on Collins’ shoulders, especially this season—this roster is almost entirely of his creation now, there aren’t any hold over players to use as an excuse. But I also have to wonder if there is a club philosophy or training issue somewhere that’s adding in to all this. Republic has never been a high scoring team, but season after season the team has been able to create a higher number of chances and yet is consistently unable to finish them. What astounds me is that this has been carried over between several coaches, players, and tactical systems, and players that leave go on to instantly make impacts elsewhere. Khori Bennett is 4th in the league in goals with 8 in Colorado Springs. Russel Cicerone has 3 goals in just 9 starts in Tampa Bay despite picking up an injury and playing as a winger rather than a striker. Cristian Parano has a goal and 4 assists in San Antonio despite injury. The list goes on.

Republic need to start finishing their chances if they have any hope of winning silverware anytime soon. Frankly, the current roster has shown it’s not good enough to do that, and so Republic needs to start looking at the transfer market to see who they can bring in. The new stadium opens up in 2028 (as we are continuously reminded through mid-game ad reels…), and what better way to hype up that excitement than a big summer signing? With 1 win and just 3 goals in the last 5 games, Republic needs to act quickly before things start to further fall apart.

Republic FC’s frustrating run of missed opportunities continued Saturday night at home. Despite controlling possession, creating the better chances, and limiting one of the Western Conference’s top sides for much of the evening, Republic FC fell 1-0 to New Mexico United after a second-half mistake proved the difference.

Despite controlling large stretches of play, creating the better chances, and outshooting New Mexico United 18-9, Republic FC fell 1-0 after a second-half mistake allowed the visitors to steal all three points. Sacramento finished with 55 percent possession, generated 1.64 expected goals to New Mexico’s 1.11, and recorded 29 touches inside the opposition penalty area, but once again were left searching for a finishing touch.

The hosts started brightly and nearly found an early breakthrough just four minutes into the match. Memo Rodriguez forced Kristopher Shakes into a save before Jack Gurr narrowly missed the target on the rebound. As the first half progressed, Sacramento continued to push forward. Ryan Spaulding came closest when his effort slipped underneath Shakes, only for a New Mexico defender to clear the ball off the line before it could cross.

Republic FC carried that momentum into much of the evening, forcing Shakes into four saves and consistently finding dangerous positions around the box. Memo Rodriguez led the team with four shots and four chances created, while Gurr added three attempts of his own and remained a constant threat down the right side.

For all of Sacramento’s attacking pressure, New Mexico nearly struck first shortly after the hour mark. Danny Vitiello produced an excellent save to deny Dayonn Harris before Lee Desmond made a crucial goal-line clearance moments later to keep the match scoreless.

The breakthrough eventually arrived in the 73rd minute, and it came against the run of play. A long ball forward caught Sacramento exposed and Harris capitalized, scoring what would prove to be the match winner. It was a costly moment in a match where opportunities had otherwise been limited for the visitors.

Republic FC threw numbers forward over the final stages, introducing Arturo Rodriguez, Aaron Essel, and Kyle Edwards in search of an equalizer. The pressure mounted, but New Mexico held firm and Sacramento’s night ended with another frustrating home defeat.

Head Coach Neill Collins struggled to hide his disappointment afterward.

“It’s a really difficult one to digest. We had multiple opportunities, and their goalkeeper pulled off two or three fantastic saves, but also when we look back, we gave him the opportunity to make those saves,” Collins said. “I thought we were well in control of the game, and it’s quite strange to be standing here on the back of defeat.”

The result continues a trend that has frustrated Sacramento throughout the first half of the season. While the club remains among the Western Conference’s strongest defensive sides, goals have been difficult to come by in key moments.

Captain Lee Desmond pointed directly to that issue after the final whistle.

“We’re halfway through the season now, and we just haven’t scored enough goals,” Desmond said. “We’re getting into fantastic positions tonight, and we need to score goals. It’s as simple as that, and it’s cost us the game.”

The loss sends Republic FC into the league’s bye week knowing the margins remain razor thin in the Western Conference. A victory would have strengthened Sacramento’s position near the top of the table. Instead, the club enters the break searching for answers in front of goal.

The performance offered plenty of positives. Sacramento controlled possession, created quality chances, and largely limited one of the conference’s top teams. But as Collins and Desmond both emphasized afterward, those positives mean little without goals to show for them.

For a Republic FC side with postseason ambitions, the time for encouraging performances is running short. This team has shown it can control matches and create chances, but unless those displays start producing results, the club risks letting valuable points slip away in an increasingly crowded Western Conference race.

The Lineup:

On a night that saw Republic on the backfoot for large portions of the match, a Jack Gurr strike from the middle of the box gave Republic the upper hand. In fact, other than the goal, it was somewhat of a dull match—both teams combined for 3 shots on target and an xG of just 1.05. But those numbers don’t reflect just how one-sided this match was. Stat for stat, Colorado Springs dominated Republic. The Switchbacks had 13 shots to Republic 5, 4 corners to Republic’s 1, and 27 touches in Republic’s box to just 11 for Republic in Colorado’s box.

Colorado Springs came into the game with a game plan that looked to duplicate what the Rising had done to Republic just 2 weeks ago—overload the right side of the pitch to attack Benítez’s side. Let’s compare the attacking areas of both sides:

Colorado is on the left here, Sacramento is on the right. As usual, a longer arrow indicates more attacking movement on that side of the pitch, and brighter colors mean a higher concentration of play. A few things immediately stand out. First, Colorado attacked almost exclusively down their right side of the pitch, and largely kept the ball to the central 3rd of the field. The stats back this up too—their 60.4% possession rate meant that they were hardly ever in their own half.

On the other side of things, Republic basically abandoned the middle of the pitch. Most of their attacking is up the wings and, when they do have possession of the ball, it’s mostly in the defensive 3rd. Republic really struggled to get anything moving forward. Look how pinned into their own half they are:

Things improved a bit when Malango and Spaulding (both not shown) came in on the wings in the 70th minute, but Republic didn’t even sit back this deep while down a man against Monterey. The real question is whether or not this is an intentional tactical tweak or not. Gurr’s post games comments made it sound like it was:

“It was a tough game in a difficult environment, we knew we had to be organized and defend with 11 and take our chance when it came.”

And that shouldn’t be a surprise; tonight’s 39.6% possession was the 4th lowest of the season in all competitions and all 4 of those instances appeared to be specific tactical choices. I have to give credit to Collins here—Republic is 2-1-1 in those 4 matches, with the one loss being against MLS side Minnesota United on penalties and the one draw being last weeks’ game against Monterey while down a man from a red card. When he’s chosen to have the team sit back, it’s gotten results.

The Good:

Defensive Rigidity
It’s not much of a surprise that Republic’s defensive unit put up some impressive player ratings. Gurr and Desmond put up the 2 highest-rated performances on the pitch of either team, and the entire Republic backline and Vitiello averaged a 7.5 player rating—that’s a whole point over the “average” player rating of a 6.5.

The underlying reason for those high numbers is just as impressive. We mentioned earlier just how under pressure Republic was all game—13 shots, 4 corners, and 27 touches in Republic’s box. Despite those values, Republic’s defense held the Switchbacks to just 2 shots on target all match and blocked 5 of the remaining 11 shots before they could reach goal.

Lee Desmond, Jack Gurr, and Danny Vitiello were stars as always, combining for 22 of the back lines’ 36 defensive contributions and Gurr had the teams only shot on target and goal, but we really should shout out Benítez and Timmer here. Benítez hasn’t missed a single match since he joined Republic, and the number of poor matches he’s had could be counted on one hand—his performance tonight while his side of the pitch was regularly under attack is a large part of the reason that this wasn’t a repeat of the Phoenix match and it’s what enabled Gurr to get so far forward. And Timmer had his first game of the season where he played more than a half—and he rewarded that choice with easily his best game of the year. Last week we talked a bit about how he was still finding his sea legs after his surgery and this performance could be a big indicator that he has. Collins shouted out a few guys post game:

“I really think it’s no coincidence we get our first away win of the season, and a clean sheet in a really difficult place when you look at Jared Timmer. He’s starting to find his feet… Lee Desmond and Danny Vitiello, of course, I’ve been playing all season, but when you look at all that experience, I think that’s the thing that really told the story in the second half for us.”

The Bad:

The Front Four
A simple fact continues to dominate Republic discourse, one that has continued to dominate over the past few years: Republic simply can’t find an all out goal scorer. The current lead goal scorer on the team is Benítez, a left back. But who else is scoring?

Just as expected, it’s the defense. Wait… what? Let’s break that down a bit. This is separated into 2 categories—one for all competitions, and one looking at just USL-C games. This felt like an important distinction. Republic scoring 4 goals against League 1 Spokane and UPSL Valley 559 is very different from scoring against teams on their level. In fact, Republic strikers only have 3 goals in USL-C play. That’s outrageous through 11 matches.

Now, this does come with a caveat—per match, there are 6 players in the defensive category, 3 in the midfielder category, and only 1 forward. But even then, I would not expect the Republic defense to be leading in the goal scoring department, nor should they be. But this isn’t to remark that the defense should have fewer goals—rather, it’s a sign of how poor the offense has been. Compared to the defense’s average player rating of 7.5 tonight, the offense averaged a 6.4. They didn’t have a shot on target—in fact, of the starting 4 forward players, only one (Memo) recorded a single shot.

The offense is simply not working and hasn’t been for a while. And it’s not really on account of the tactics. In the previous 5 matches, Republic has put up an xG of 6.60 for an average of 1.32 a match, yet have scored just 4 goals in those 5 matches. The chances are, once again, there for the taking—they just aren’t finished.

Faltering in the Air
This is going to be a stat to look for over the next few matches, as Republic’s aerial dominance has fallen off a cliff. Tonight, Republic went 11 for 35 when challenging 50/50 balls in the air, good for a win rate of just 31%. And that’s not a one-off; over the last 5 matches, Republic is averaging 10.6 wins a game for just a 41.7% win rate. Compare that to the rest of the season where, prior to these 5 matches, Republic was averaging 21.8 wins a game and a 58.9% win rate.

So not only has the win rate faltered, but Republic is missing, on average, just over 11 aerial duals a game. Those are corners not being won, possessions in the midfield not being taken. That it is such a drastic fall off from the rest of the season, during a period when Republic has struggled to control the ball, tells the story.

What Stood Out:

A win, as nervy and non-controlling as it was, puts Republic immediately back into the playoff race. Despite being 6th in table, Republic is actually tied for 4th in points per game with Tulsa, due to several teams having played a match or 2 extra than the rest of the field. And outside of San Antonio and Orange County, both of whom have more games played than Republic, just four points separate 9 teams in the West. Collins commented on the club’s need to find form in a crowded Western Conference:

“I think for us, can we allow consistency in our lineup? That’s going to be important. I think teams that are successful are able to keep key guys fit... There’s not a lot of teams with loads and loads of wins. So, I think if we can keep picking up points on the road and then winning at home, that’s going to put us in a really good spot.”

The real question will be if Republic can keep these guys healthy—here’s to hoping that the injury bug bit early, and will stay away the rest of the year.

The World Cup is the greatest sporting event in the world and unless you happen to be able to attend the European Championship or the African Cup of Nations, it’s a fair distance to the second. A bold declaration, I know, particularly coming from a guy who didn’t learn the game on gravelly lots with taped-up balls. I even call it soccer (unless I am with those as passionate as I am who call it football). I wasn’t given an Arsenal (or Barcelona, or Bayern Munich, or Juventus) shirt at birth, and I didn’t have a father or big brother who influenced my support.

Truth be told, I am a fan of almost all sports. I don’t watch them all weekend or anything like that anymore, but I will find myself glued to Olympic curling as much as the Masters golf tournament, all exciting in their own way. But soccer is different to me. You can pick up the game in about five minutes and, if you can run, you have the basic requirements to play. A book could be written about all the crazy, life-impacting experiences I have experienced around the beautiful game, but I’ll cut to the chase.

In 1994, the father of a girl I was going out with asked if I would take him to the World Cup. All I had to do was drive; he would take care of everything else. Sounded good to me.

We attended Brazil’s opening game at Stanford Stadium against Russia. We got there three hours early because I was assured that the environment would be special. El Camino was blocked off and there were Brazilian women in… not very much… hugging people and dancing with police officers. Upon entering the stadium, you could feel the energy as it was filling and when a slow roar became deafening, I realized the Brazilian team, El Seleção, was coming to the pitch for warmups.

They entered the field of play in a chain, holding hands, and the place erupted. These were their heroes, Romário, Leonardo, Bebeto, and Dunga, all in the flesh. I won’t bore you with the details, I’ll just say it was the most electric sporting event I had ever been to and it made me the passionate supporter I am to this day and will be until my dying day.

I was there on the famous Fourth of July game when the plucky United States faced the mighty Brazil in a knockout game. We hung tight until Brazil finally broke through and won on their way to the World Cup title that year. I don’t recall being too disappointed, but rather proud of our boys for putting up a fight and going toe-to-toe with the best in the world.

Now that the World Cup is back in the United States again, I am excited to be going to a couple of games in person and following the rest on TV and in the Quail City Soccer group chat, where we discuss everything from the infamous hydration breaks to our picks in the coming games. If you have followed this year’s tournament, you are undoubtedly aware of the made-up Peace Prize, a referee not being allowed into the U.S. for the tournament, and even Iran’s national team not being able to stay in the United States despite having games here. And that isn’t even bringing up the ridiculous price of tickets.

Even taking all of that into account, I find myself kind of romantic about the game and the tournament. You have a German tourist, Freddy, touring Southern states and documenting his experiences on his way to cheer on his beloved home team. Along the way, he discovered Buc-ee’s, country singer Ella Langley, and Bass Pro Shops, but even more so the hospitality that many forgot we had.

You may have seen the Japanese fan experiencing chips and salsa or the Koreans experiencing friendly banter by having “Gangnam Style” played at a restaurant where they were eating. To their credit, they laughed along with everyone else and even did the horse dance. It’s moments like this that remind us how much we really have in common and that, at our best, we aren’t all that different.

I saw several red, white, and blue-clad Americans interviewed and asked their opinions about how the Iranian national team would be received in Los Angeles. To a person, every one of them said they hoped the team would be welcomed with open arms, that they were athletes, not politicians or soldiers. I might be soft-hearted, but these are not inconsequential things to me. At its best, this game builds bridges.

I have a friend who made an offhand complimentary comment about Turkish club Beşiktaş and it went viral. He received team merchandise and seemed destined for Turkish citizenship. That’s just how it works with this sport. We will banter (generally friendly put-downs) with our opponents’ supporters, but that doesn’t mean we can’t welcome them to our tailgate before a game.

There is a good chance I’ll be seeing Spain play in Los Angeles. As part of my preparation, I am brushing up on my Spanish, learning the names of all the players (most I already know), and even boning up on my Spanish geography in case I happen to be sitting next to some Spanish fans or run across any during my adventure.

I do want my USMNT to do well, but that won’t keep me from cheering when a team like Curaçao scores against four-time champion Germany or from jumping on the Tartan Army bandwagon. The Scottish know how to throw a party.

For those of you who have not yet experienced a World Cup, I hope you have the opportunity to see a game live or at least attend a watch party. They are everywhere. In my humble opinion, you too just might find the beauty in this incredible game.

Sacramento Republic FC climbed the crowded Western Conference standings Saturday night, grinding out a 1-0 victory over Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC at Weidner Field. Jack Gurr’s second-half goal proved the difference in a match where Sacramento’s defense stood tall under sustained pressure.

Entering the weekend with the Western Conference table packed from top to bottom, Sacramento knew the challenge awaiting them in Colorado. The Switchbacks controlled much of the possession and territory throughout the evening, but Republic FC delivered one of its most organized defensive performances of the season, limiting the hosts to just two shots on target despite facing 22 crosses and 28 touches inside their penalty area.

The opening half offered little rhythm as both sides battled through a physical affair. The teams combined for 35 fouls and five yellow cards before halftime, with Sacramento’s Mark-Anthony Kaye, Dominik Wanner, and Danny Crisostomo all entering the referee’s book. While Colorado Springs enjoyed more possession, Republic FC remained compact and difficult to break down, frustrating the hosts and keeping the match scoreless heading into the locker room.

Colorado Springs looked to raise the tempo after the restart and nearly found an opening through former Republic FC forward Khori Bennett. In the 64th minute, Bennett met a cross inside the box and forced Danny Vitiello into one of his two saves of the evening. The Republic goalkeeper reacted quickly off his line to deny the opportunity and preserve the deadlock.

Two minutes later, Sacramento delivered the decisive blow.

The sequence began with Lee Desmond switching play into space on the right side. Tyler Wolff helped advance the attack before delivering a dangerous ball into the area. Kyle Edwards got the first touch and redirected the ball into a dangerous area. Waiting at the far post was Jack Gurr, who unleashed a powerful finish into the upper corner for the only goal of the match.

“It was a tough game in a difficult environment, we knew we had to be organized and defend with 11 and take our chance when it came,” Gurr said following the victory.

The goal proved enough because Sacramento’s defensive unit continued to answer every challenge. Led by Desmond, Jared Timmer, Kaye, Crisostomo, and Vitiello, the visitors absorbed pressure throughout the final stages while limiting Colorado Springs to few clear opportunities. Although the Switchbacks held 60.4 percent possession and outshot Sacramento 12-5, Republic FC kept the hosts from generating many dangerous looks on goal.

Substitutes Forster Ajago, Ryan Spaulding, Aaron Essel, Blake Willey, and Mayele Malango provided fresh energy as Sacramento saw out the final minutes. Ajago and Spaulding helped stretch the field in transition, while Essel added another layer of defensive stability as Colorado Springs pushed numbers forward in search of an equalizer.

Head coach Neill Collins credited the team’s composure and growing experience for the strong second-half display.

“I really think it’s no coincidence we get our first away win of the season, and a clean sheet in a really difficult place,” Collins said. “We’ve got Danny [Crisostomo], we’ve got MAK [Mark-Anthony Kaye], we’ve got Memo [Rodriguez], and a lot of experience through the middle of the pitch. I think that was the thing that really told the story in the second half for us.”

The victory extends Sacramento’s positive run of form and provides another example of the club’s ability to grind out results in difficult environments. In a conference where points are proving increasingly difficult to come by, Republic FC showed that organization, patience, and defensive commitment can still be enough to earn a statement road win.

On a night when chances were scarce and margins were thin, Sacramento capitalized on its one shot on target and leaned on a complete team defensive effort to leave Colorado Springs with all three points.

The Lineup:

A 1-1 draw with Monterey, and then the extra point for winning the PK’s, gave Republic the 2 points they needed to keep their destiny in their own hands for advancing out of their USL Cup group. But those 2 points did not come easy. A 30’ red card to Jared Timmer completely wrecked Republic’s tactics, as they quickly made subs and shifted the squad around to compensate. That shift was almost exclusively defensive—in the 30 minutes before the red card, Republic had managed 5 shots. After the red card? Just 2, one of them a penalty.

Republic came out in their now familiar 4-2-3-1, but had a host of changes to the starting side compared to the lackadaisical side that we saw in Phoenix. Collins made 4 changes to the starting XI, switching out Essel for Timmer, Malango for Wanner, Arturo Rodriguez for Memo Rodriguez, and Edwards for Ajago. And after 30 minutes, Republic looked good! They even had that all-so-elusive goal from a corner that’s been missing for a year now, even if it was disallowed due to a (very soft) foul in the box.

But we never really got to see this set of players get going. In the 30’, Timmer committed a DOGSO foul, or a “denial of an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.” We’ll get into that foul later, but it changed the course of the game. Edwards, making his first start since April 11th, was the unfortunate substitution casualty who came off for Chibi Ukaegbu, who was brought in to replace Timmer on the backline. Other than one breakthrough by Wolff, this left Republic completely without an attacking threat up top until Malango came on in the 67’. I mean, look at Republic’s average positioning after the subs came on:

Malango (#7) is the highest positioned player, and Republic didn’t even have him until the final ~23 minutes of the match. And this isn’t a critique of the substitutions at all—this is just what happens when you go down a man. At half, Willey came on for Memo and Republic was able to apply a little bit more of a press. Willey played as sort of a roaming 10, completely given the freedom to press and move where he wanted to. After Monterey go up a goal, he’s the only one pressing up:

Ultimately, Republic equalized despite dreadful possession (27.6%, a season low) because they sat back and absorbed pressure, forcing Monterey to commit numbers forward, before Republic quickly countered over the top. They had a few chances to break in the second half, but ultimately had zero shots from open play. But sometimes, just creating a few chances is enough, especially when you’re down a man. Just put the ball in the box and see what happens. And sure enough, a handball call in the 60’ off a cross gave Republic a lifeline.

I’m going to be honest here—I just don’t see the handball. This is the moment of the supposed handball here:

Blurry picture, but that’s the best shot we have. Adam Moffat on the Republic broadcast likewise agreed, saying “That is nowhere near a handball.” I guess in the grand scheme of things, Republic should have been up a goal already but for the “foul” called on the corner in the first half, so it washes out. But for the umpteenth time this season… USL needs VAR if it wants to be a serious product.

Either way, a PK call was given, Benítez knocked home his 5th goal of the year, and Republic spent the entire last 30 minutes absorbing pressure while only allowing 3 shots—none on target.

The Good:

New Roles, Shifting Positions
Due to the red card, the positions of many of the Republic players shifted dramatically over the course of the game. Most notable was Benítez, who moved from his usual left wing back role up to center defensive mid around the 67’. This was part of a larger series of changes; Spaulding came in for Wanner and took over the left wing back role and Malango subbed in for Crisostomo but took over the left wing role, moving Benitez to Crisostomo’s position in the midfield. And we already talked about Willey’s press.

Most of these positional adjustments required some pretty on the fly changes. The biggest risk when this happens is not that the offense doesn’t work, it’s that the defense falls apart as assignments get lost on the fly. But that didn’t happen, and nearly every sub had an above average player rating. We even got a debut from Reedy, who came into the right wing role with 10 minutes left in the match and played as well as you can ask on a 10-minute debut.

I do want to look in at Benítez again too; look at his heat chart:

He’s literally all over the pitch. Every week that goes by, the more convinced I am that this is Benítez’s team. Over and over, he’s the most important player on the pitch; Republic’s poor performance in Phoenix was largely because Benítez had a rough game, one of his first rough games in Old Glory Red. But Benítez is so regularly consistent, that relying on him in this way is hardly ever a risk. Collins acknowledged his importance post-match, saying:

“He's so important. I think he'll be the first to say that last week, by his standards, was not his best, but we know that he's always going to come back stronger and better for it.”

“Fight and Character”
Republic is going through a rough stretch. It’s not a secret. The fans know it, the players know it, and I’ve seen far too many “Collins out!” posts over the past 2-3 weeks. But tonight showed that the club still has some fight in it, the first we’ve seen in several matches. Going down to 10 men, then down a goal, and crawling back to win on penalty kicks is a hell of a shot in the arm. Captain Lee Desmond acknowledges it hasn’t been good enough… but the fight and character are there:

“Look, we’re just going through a spell at the minute where we’re not playing particularly well… It happens, we’re making life a little bit difficult for ourselves, but we showed so much fight and character tonight, which maybe we didn’t in the last couple of weeks, and so I’m proud to see us show that side of the game again.”

The 2 points tonight were nice, and borderline mandatory to advance past the group stage, but the bigger story here is that Republic didn’t show the quit they showed the last few weeks. Here’s to hoping we won’t see that quit again.

The Bad:

Defensive Instability
Republic defensive woes over the past 5 matches have not been fun to watch. They’ve allowed 8 goals in those 5 matches, and a large reason is the back and forth switching of center backs. While Lee Desmond has played in all 5 of those matches, averaging a 6.94 player rating, he’s been paired off and on with Essel, Timmer, and occasionally Chibi, who are combined averaging a 6.26 player rating in games that they start. Republic is sorely missing an injured Freddy Kleemann.

Part of the problem with filling Kleemann’s role while he’s out is that Essel is a different sort of defender and Timmer is still returning from injury. Essel’s defensive style is much more mobile than Kleemann’s is—realistically, he’s more of a center defensive mid who can fill in at center back when needed.

And Timmer is quite clearly not fully up to speed yet. He has yet to play more than a single half in a match, and last week I questioned if he would even be playing at all if Kleemann wasn’t injured. Now, I think he will get there—he is coming off of post-season surgery after all. But for the time being, he consistently is just a step behind where he should be. That step behind ultimately led to a red card in this match, when he grabbed and clearly fouled a Monterey player who was through on goal. If you haven’t listened to the Quail Call yet, we broke down the foul and explained why it’s a red card:

Everything being said, this was a solid defensive performance from the boys while down a man. But playing solid defensively against a bottom of the table team should be the expectation.

What Stood Out:

Even within a tournament with weird rules, saying “2 points” still sounds odd. But it was a good 2 points. Republic are certainly going through a rough patch, but they are by no means down for the count. Their USL Cup fate is in their hands, needing simply a point in Boise to advance, and while they are out of playoff position in the USL table, they’re only 6 points out of 2nd with a game or 2 in hand over most of the opposition. There is still time to turn things around as the dog days of summer roll in.

Coming up are some very winnable games—starting with a weekend match up in Colorado, against a beatable Colorado Springs team. I know some folks are on the “Collins out” train already but I think he’s earned just a little more time, especially given all the injuries to start the year.

Side note, speaking of the Switchbacks, they will be missing former Republic player Duke Lacroix, who was called up to the Haitian national team for the World Cup—best of luck to Duke!

Republic FC suffered a disappointing defeat in Phoenix, and the Quail Call crew breaks down what went wrong in what may have been Sacramento’s toughest performance of the season. The conversation dives into player performances, tactical decisions, pre-planned substitutions, and how injuries continue to impact the squad.

The crew also examines the turning point created by a red card vs Monterey Bay, the adjustments that followed, and how Republic FC managed the match from that point forward. Plus, a closer look at Michel Benítez’s leadership, positional flexibility, and growing influence on the team, as well as evaluations of recent player performances and debuts.

To close out the show, the conversation shifts to the 2026 FIFA World Cup as excitement builds for the tournament’s opening matches and the storylines fans should be watching.

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After all of the anticipation, the 2026 FIFA World Cup will finally kick off tomorrow. The expanded 48-team tournament will bring together nations from every corner of the globe for the biggest World Cup ever staged across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

The opening round of group stage matches is often where the tone of a World Cup is established. Favorites can announce themselves, underdogs can capture the imagination of fans worldwide, and host nations can either build momentum or immediately find themselves under pressure. While every match will carry significance, a handful stand out as essential viewing.

Here are five matches to circle on your calendar as the tournament gets underway.

1. Mexico vs. South Africa

June 11 | Mexico City Stadium

The first match of a World Cup always feels bigger than the tournament itself. Billions of eyes will be watching as Mexico and South Africa step onto the field at the legendary Estadio Azteca to officially kick off World Cup 2026.

For Mexico, the occasion carries additional significance. El Tri will become the first nation in history to host opening matches in three separate World Cups, adding another chapter to one of the sport’s most iconic venues. The atmosphere inside Azteca should be electric as Mexico begins its quest to make a deep run on home soil.

South Africa enters as the underdog, but opening matches are often unpredictable. Nerves, pressure, and emotion have a way of creating drama, especially against a host nation carrying the expectations of an entire country.

2. United States vs. Paraguay

June 12 | Los Angeles Stadium

If Mexico carries the pressure of opening the tournament, the United States carries the pressure of expectation.

The Americans have spent years building toward this moment. Hosting the World Cup for the first time since 1994, the U.S. enters the competition with one of the most talented player pools in its history and a manager in Mauricio Pochettino tasked with elevating the program on the global stage.

Paraguay may not generate the same headlines as some of South America’s traditional powers, but they remain one of the continent’s toughest opponents. Organized, physical, and difficult to break down, Paraguay represents exactly the kind of team that can make life uncomfortable in a tournament opener.

The atmosphere in Los Angeles should be among the best of the opening week, with American supporters eager to see whether this generation is ready to deliver on its potential.

3. Netherlands vs. Japan

June 14 | Dallas Stadium

From a pure footballing standpoint, this may be the best match of the opening round.

Japan has established itself as one of the most respected tournament teams in the world, earning victories over Germany and Spain at the last World Cup and proving it can compete with anyone on the international stage. The Samurai Blue arrive in North America with legitimate ambitions of another deep run.

Standing across from them is a Netherlands side that continues its pursuit of a first World Cup title. The Dutch remain one of Europe’s elite nations, boasting technical quality throughout the squad and a style of play that consistently makes them one of the tournament’s most entertaining teams.

The clash of styles should make for a fascinating tactical battle and could ultimately decide who tops the group.

4. Germany vs. Curaçao

June 14 | Houston Stadium

Every World Cup produces a story that transcends the sport itself. Curaçao may already be that story.

With a population of just over 150,000 people, the Caribbean nation becomes the smallest country ever to qualify for a FIFA World Cup. Simply reaching the tournament represents one of the most remarkable achievements in modern international football.

Their reward is a daunting opener against four-time world champions Germany.

For Germany, the match is about avoiding complacency and demonstrating they remain among the world’s elite after a difficult run of recent tournaments. For Curaçao, it is an opportunity to represent an entire nation on the biggest stage in sports.

World Cups are remembered for their underdog stories. If Curaçao can remain competitive deep into the match, they may quickly become one of the tournament’s most beloved teams.

5. England vs. Croatia

June 17 | Houston Stadium

Few opening-round matches feature as much history and quality as England versus Croatia.

The memory of Croatia’s dramatic victory over England in the 2018 World Cup semifinal still lingers for supporters of both nations. Since then, England has continued to establish itself among the favorites in every major tournament, while Croatia has repeatedly demonstrated an ability to outperform expectations when the stakes are highest.

Neither side will want to begin the tournament with a defeat, creating a level of urgency rarely seen this early in a World Cup. The result could go a long way toward determining who controls the group moving forward.

Honorable Mention: Haiti vs. Scotland

June 13 | Boston Stadium

Not every compelling World Cup story involves a traditional power.

Haiti’s return to the World Cup is one of the feel-good stories of the tournament, and Sacramento Republic FC supporters have a personal connection to the squad. Former Republic FC defender Duke Lacroix is expected to represent Haiti after helping the Caribbean nation reach the world’s biggest stage.

Lacroix made more than 60 appearances for Republic FC during the 2021 and 2022 seasons, becoming a fan favorite through his work rate, versatility, and consistency. For Sacramento supporters, watching a former Republic player compete in the World Cup adds an extra layer of intrigue to an already compelling matchup.

The beauty of the World Cup’s opening round is that every nation begins with the same dream. Some will take the first step toward a championship run. Others will create memories that endure long after the final whistle. These matches offer some of the best storylines, atmospheres, and opportunities for history as the tournament gets underway.

If you’re looking for a place to catch the action, Sacramento Republic FC’s Sac Soccer Guide is the go-to resource for World Cup watch parties, local events, and soccer gatherings happening throughout the tournament. Whether you’re following the United States, Mexico, Haiti, or just looking for the best atmosphere in town, the guide makes it easy to find where Sacramento’s soccer community will be watching. Be sure to check back throughout the World Cup as new events and watch parties are added.

After a difficult stretch of results and another obstacle arriving just 30 minutes into Saturday night’s USL Cup clash with Monterey Bay FC, Republic fought back to level in regulation ahead of penalties.

Playing more than an hour with 10 men following Jared Timmer’s red card, Republic FC battled back from a second-half deficit, earned a 1-1 draw through Michel Benitez’s penalty kick, and then converted all five attempts in a penalty shootout to secure the extra point in a 5-4 shootout victory at Heart Health Park. The result keeps Sacramento atop Group 1 and within touching distance of a place in the knockout rounds.

Before Timmer’s dismissal changed the complexion of the match, Sacramento looked the stronger side. The hosts thought they had taken an early lead when Timmer powered home a header from a Michel Benitez corner, only for the goal to be disallowed for a foul away from the ball. Sacramento continued to create dangerous moments and appeared poised to control the evening before the red card forced a complete shift in approach.

Monterey Bay enjoyed over 72 percent possession on the night, but Sacramento limited the visitors to just five total shots and a single effort on target despite being down a man for roughly 60 minutes. In many ways, the performance reflected the grit that has defined some of the club’s best moments under pressure.

“I thought in the first 30 minutes prior to the red card, we were excellent,” Head Coach Neill Collins said afterward. “When the red card happens, you always fear the worst for 10 men. It’s a long time, but the players were fantastic, and I think the least we deserved was a point.”

Monterey Bay finally found a breakthrough in the 54th minute when a loose ball inside the six-yard box fell to Riley Bidois for the opening goal. It was the first goal Sacramento had conceded during this year’s USL Cup competition.

Just six minutes later, Republic FC earned a penalty after a Monterey Bay handball in the area. Benitez stepped to the spot and calmly buried the attempt into the corner for his third penalty goal across all competitions this season, leveling the score at 1-1 and reigniting the crowd at Heart Health Park.

The equalizer seemed to energize Sacramento rather than simply rescue them. Despite being down a player, Republic continued to find moments going forward. Substitutes Blake Willey, Ryan Spaulding, Mayele Malango, and club debutant Pierre Reedy all contributed energy and fresh legs as Sacramento refused to settle for merely surviving.

The match ultimately moved to a penalty shootout, where Republic was flawless.

Mark-Anthony Kaye, Benitez, Lee Desmond, Malango, and Spaulding each converted from the spot, while Danny Vitiello produced the decisive save against Ilijah Paul to send the home crowd into celebration.

For captain Lee Desmond, the performance was about more than the two points earned in the standings.

“We showed so much fight and character tonight,” Desmond said. “Sometimes those types of performances where you have to really stick together and grind, you can actually learn more about each other as a team, and that’s what happened tonight.”

The result moves Sacramento to eight points atop Group 1 heading into the final group-stage match against AC Boise on July 11. The path forward is straightforward: avoid defeat in regulation and Republic FC will secure advancement to the knockout rounds regardless of other results. Even in several loss scenarios, Sacramento remains positioned favorably thanks to its head-to-head victory over Spokane and a strong goal differential within the group.

After two frustrating weeks, Republic FC rediscovered its defensive resolve, received another influential performance from Benitez, and showed the resilience that has long defined the club’s identity. The soccer was not always pretty, but with a man down for an hour, perfection was never the objective.

Advancement now sits one result away.

Sacramento Republic FC announced Thursday that homegrown forward Da’vian Kimbrough will join North Texas SC on loan, giving one of American soccer’s most promising young prospects an opportunity to earn regular professional minutes in one of the country’s most respected development systems.

While Republic FC did not disclose the terms of the agreement, FC Dallas has reported that the deal includes an option to make the move permanent. The loan sends Kimbrough to North Texas SC, the MLS NEXT Pro affiliate of FC Dallas, a club widely regarded as one of the premier developers of young talent in the United States.

“Da’vian is a bright, young talent and providing him an opportunity to earn regular pro game minutes is essential for his continued development,” Republic FC President and General Manager Tim Holt said in a club statement. “At North Texas SC, he will compete with and against other young professionals as he builds upon a period of recent successes at the youth national team levels.”

Kimbrough’s path has already been historic. In August 2023, he signed his first professional contract with Republic FC, becoming the youngest professional athlete in American team sports history. He made his professional debut later that year in a 2-0 victory over Las Vegas Lights FC and has since appeared eight times for Sacramento across all competitions, including earning his first professional start earlier this season.

His development has extended beyond the club level. Kimbrough has earned more than 20 call-ups between United States and Mexican youth national team programs and recently represented Mexico at the Canteras de América tournament, where he led the team with three goals in three matches.

Before reaching the first team, Kimbrough established himself as one of the nation’s top academy prospects. After joining Sacramento’s academy in 2021 at age 11, he scored 61 goals in 81 MLS NEXT appearances while consistently playing above his age group. His performances helped Sacramento’s academy teams post some of the best records in the country and quickly attracted national attention.

For years, FC Dallas has been viewed as the gold standard for player development in the United States. The organization has produced a long list of professionals, including Weston McKennie, Ricardo Pepi, Jesús Ferreira, and Tanner Tessmann. North Texas SC serves as a critical bridge between academy soccer and Major League Soccer, providing young players with consistent professional minutes while keeping them within the FC Dallas development pathway.

There is also a Sacramento connection within the organization. Former Republic FC Head Coach Mark Briggs joined FC Dallas as an assistant coach ahead of the 2025 MLS season following his successful tenure with the Indomitable Club. While Briggs is not directly involved with North Texas SC, his presence adds another familiar link between the organizations.

The reported purchase option suggests FC Dallas sees more than short-term value in the Sacramento native. The club has built a reputation for identifying elite young talent, and the opportunity to enter that environment could be a significant step in Kimbrough’s development.

For Republic FC, the move reflects a continued commitment to player development. Kimbrough became the sixth academy graduate to sign a professional contract with his hometown club, and he is part of a pathway that has seen more than 40 academy players train with the first team and over 25 sign professional contracts.

Whether Kimbrough ultimately returns to Sacramento or earns a permanent move into the FC Dallas system remains to be seen. What is clear is that one of the brightest young talents ever produced by Republic FC’s academy now has an opportunity to continue his development in one of the most proven player pathways in American soccer.

The Lineup:

On a warm Phoenix night, Republic were played off the pitch both tactically and physically. Phoenix, to their credit, came in with a well-scouted and efficient plan: using Ihsan Sacko as a focal point, punish Sacramento’s often over-extended left side. And Republic, again and again, had no answer. Coupled with this emphasis on the right side of the field, Phoenix pressed high into Republic’s midfield and backline, forcing the Quails to play either over the top or through the midfield, which they were completely unsuccessful in.

It worked wonders the entire match. Republic appeared completely helpless as Rising threw numbers down the right wing; I mean, just look at Phoenix’s attacking map:

The arrows indicate the number of attacks into that zone, while brighter greens indicate a higher concentration of play in that area. Phoenix would bat the ball around the midfield, find a way to ping it to the right side, and then drive in at goal from there. And this is where Republic appears to have been out-coached or, at the very least, out-scouted. Republic’s tactic heavily relies on their wing play. So, often this season, that has involved relying on the wing backs, Gurr or Spaulding on the Republic right and Benítez on the left, to get forward, create attacking chances, and overload the opposing defense.

But Phoenix took that tendency and turned it on its head. Taking advantage of Benítez’s oft seen forward progression, they simply pressed Republic into the midfield, won the ball, and then countered down the right side where Benítez was out of defensive position and Republic’s defense was outnumbered. To make this worse, Malango, who plays in front of Benítez on the Republic left, went 5/15 on duals, lost possession 14 times, and went 3/7 on dribble attempts. So not only was Benitez pushed forward, but Malango’s inability to hold on to or win the ball meant that Phoenix far too easily gained possession and were able to counter. As soon as Phoenix won a turnover, they were off to the races—and the Republic midfield duo of Kaye and Crisostomo were unable to slow down the Phoenix attackers before they reached an increasingly disorganized Republic backline. John Morrissey with USL tactics highlighted this over on twitter:

Ideally, in Neill Collins’ system, the 2 CDM’s function as forward “sweepers,” able to push towards attacking players to slow down the opposing attack. But Kaye and Crisostomo are just completely unable to do so, not helped by a subpar performance on duels, where they went a combined 5/12. This goal was called offside, but it’s a great example of what happened over and over throughout the match.

When not in possession, Phoenix pressed Republic fairly high. But because Republic was too slow on the ground and terrible in the air (more on that later), they just couldn’t get out of the press. Look at the 2 clubs’ average positioning:

Not only is most of the Republic attack mired in the midfield, but the one player who plays higher is Malango… which further opens up space for Phoenix to attack that side of the pitch.

Republic came into this match against a Phoenix team who appeared well prepared to tactically counter a Collins system that has become stale and predictable, and Republic showed a complete inability to adapt and deal with it.

The Good:

A Few Individual Performances
We’re not going to spend long in the “Good” section here—this match doesn’t deserve it. But, I still think there are a few individual performances to shout out if you want something good to look at. Collins himself had the same sentiment post-match:

“I think Danny is like the only player that comes out with a “pass” mark. A couple lads that came on definitely injected a bit of energy and enthusiasm, but still I think Danny kept it respectable.”

And, post-match emotions aside, I mostly agree with that sentiment. Danny Vitiello single handily kept this to a 2-goal affair. Without his performance, Republic easily give up 3 or 4 goals. It’s why he has a match rating of 9.2, tied for the highest of all players on the pitch. A keeper getting a 9.2 despite giving up 2 goals is a bit insane, but it’s because both goals were from penalties, and Vitiello had 7 saves total, 5 of which were from shots inside the box, was 2 for 2 on run outs, and had some real save-of-the-week type theatrics. One save is nominated for that by the way, go vote for him here.

I will say though that Gurr and Memo at least had respectable showings of their own. Gurr created Republic’s best chance on the night and had 2 passes that directly led to a teammate’s shot. And Memo returned to the pitch for the first time since late April and played well—he had 6 of the Republic attack’s 19 duel wins despite playing only one half, and was the second highest rated Republic player on the night.

The Bad:

Defensive Chaos:
Republic’s defense was in chaos all night—the match ending 2-0 is something of a Vitiello-caused miracle. But much of this chaos was a result of the Republic attack and midfield getting beat, which overexposed the backline.

Let’s take a closer look at that play from above. When Phoenix have possession here, Republic is lined up in some sort of… weird 3-2-4-1? 4-1-4-1? We haven’t seen this look from a Collins’ side before, and frankly, it doesn’t make much sense. Look at this snapshot:

Crisostomo (right circle) is traditionally the other CDM with Kaye, so I’m not sure why he’s sitting in a line of 4 with the other 3 Republic forward midfielders and why all of them are just sort of… watching. There is one player pressing, none of the 4 are really marking anyone at all, and this is less than 15 minutes into the game so it’s not like anyone has tired legs yet.

Behind this bizarre line of 4, Kaye is giving chase to a Phoenix player running free, which leaves the entire back right side of the Republic formation completely open (see: the large red circle of empty space). What this means is that Jack Gurr (off screen) is forced to stay more to the right side than he normally should—which will become important in a minute. The only other movement going on is Benítez (arrow) making the decision to crash the free man on the outside that, arguably, Malango should be guarding. And that leads to this:

In between these 2 shots, Kaye is too slow to guard his man, who receives and then lays off the ball to the man Benítez is crashing… but Benítez gets beat. The entire right sideline becomes free real estate. This causes Desmond to have to step in (top defender), but this leaves his man unmarked, so Essel (middle arrow) now gets caught between the runner behind him and the free man in front. But the snowball gets even bigger; remember that we said that Gurr had to stay more to the right side to cover all that open space? Well, because of that, he’s now too far out of the play to catch up. Even if he does get there in time, Phoenix’s #20 is wide open on the far side from the ball.

Ironically, Essel’s stutter step of hesitation is what makes this offside, saving Republic from giving up an early goal, but this pattern of bizarre positioning, poor tracking, and just straight up getting beat on the dribble continues all game.

Now, let’s take a look at this play 7 minutes into the second half:

Again, Benítez is pushed up, so when Phoenix win the ball back, they can just send it down the right side of the pitch. No one pressures this pass either, which is shocking with 4 Republic players in the area. Someone has to step into this. And then, neither center back is fast enough to get to the ball, and Phoenix is through on goal. Danny is, again, the hero here but this is just far too easy. And this is 7 minutes into the second half - after the half-time adjustments should have taken place.

Bad Decision Making
Both goals that Republic did concede were, somehow, not from open play but rather from terrible defensive decision making in the box. In neither case is the attack a direct threat on goal that calls for a do-or-die attempt at the ball. Let’s look at the first one:

Republic lose the ball in the midfield far too easily due to Phoenix’s high press, that same high press gives Phoenix the numbers going forward, and then Desmond makes a poor decision to go in hard for the ball, and there’s no reason for it. The attacking player has his back to goal, has no way to turn, and is isolated because of Gurr’s positioning. You can certainly argue it’s a soft pen, but you can’t risk this sort of foul in the goal box.

Whenever penalties are called, I always find it’s worth checking the reaction of the other players who didn’t commit the foul… and nearly every Republic player has no argument with the referee on this one. Now let’s look at the second, where Phoenix again very clearly target the right side of the field and Benítez gets beat:

I have no idea what Benítez is thinking here. Not only does he commit the foul from behind, but Desmond is right there in front of the attacker! Again using the “how do the other players react” test, no Republic player complains about this call. Crisostomo even starts yelling at the Republic forwards for not closing down the cross, and he’s absolutely right—the Republic front 4 are just walking and watching the game, without much urgency or intent, something that happened time and time again.

Duels
One major factor I want to look at is Republic’s inability to win the ball in the air in this match, something they are usually very good at. To do that, we’re going to look at the “duel” stat, which tracks how often a player or team wins a 50/50 ball - the term “aerial” and “ground” being self-explanatory. Over the first 12 matches of the year (all competitions), the Quails have averaged out to winning 21.8 aerial duels a game out of an average of 37.1—for an average win rate of 58.9%. That’s pretty damn good—they’re winning the majority of 50/50 balls in the air, allowing them to clear dangerous balls defensively and advance the ball offensively.

But that number has slowly started to fall off a cliff. Over the last 3 matches, which includes a narrow 1-0 win over Oakland and last week’s loss to San Antonio, that number has dropped to an average of 10 won a game on only 22 contested attempts, for an average of 45.5%... with this Phoenix match being by far the worst performance of the season. Republic went 9/24 (38%) tonight—that’s terrible. And the lower number of contested aerial duels is not a sign of the ball being in the air less. Phoenix played 55 long balls and both clubs combined for 22 crosses; Republic just often didn’t challenge them. And their rate on the ground wasn’t much better—just 47.7%. That’s just a touch below the season average, but doing slightly below average on the ground while failing in the air means Republic hardly ever won those 50/50 balls, making it difficult for them to move out of Phoenix’s press or stop the counter.

The Entire Offense
The offense continues to struggle, with just 2 goals in the last 3 games. But what’s more shocking is the underlying numbers. Republic managed just 7 shots against Phoenix; only 2 were on target. The other 5? Complete misses. Not a single Republic shot was blocked by a Rising player. Phoenix had more shots on target than Republic had total shots, even in the second half when Republic started to gain more possession!

Over the season, Republic’s shot on target rate is 31%. That’s not… great, but it’s further compounded when you have the lowest number of shots you’ve had in a game all season. A further issue is that the shots that have been on target haven’t been good. Over the season, Republic has 23 goals on 57 shots on target, good for 40.4%. The last 3 games? Two goals on 10 shots on target for 20%. And look, I hate calling specific guys out, but the entire reason we signed Ajago in the offseason was to have him be a tall physical body—he just can’t miss this chance at this level:

It’s a great ball from Gurr that beats everyone, but like so many Republic sequences, the chances are there and the finish is not.

The even more concerning thing is that the offense has no idea what to do when they have the ball in possession. Republic had 20 more final 3rd entries than Phoenix, over 30 more passes in the final third, and… were out-shot 23 to 7. This is largely because Republic just pass the ball around and can’t do anything with it. There’s no offensive creativity. Malango, over the last 5 league matches, is averaging a 6.08 player rating with 0 goals. He’s only played well in USL Cup matches. Ajago has only been slightly better, with 1 goal and a 6.52 player rating over the last 5 matches. Wolf hasn’t helped at all either —in 3 league matches with Republic, he has 0 goals and a 6.25 player rating. None of the 3 have any assists over that time period. That’s not even close to good enough, and one has to wonder what Kyle Edwards has to do to get a start.

What Stood Out:

Republic, for a long while now, have regularly entered matches in a sort of “my way or the highway” tactical approach. That is, they have their way of playing, and they’re going to force that way of playing on the opponent, whatever the opponent is doing be damned! What Collins has then tended to do is to then adjust at halftime to what the opponent is doing, when needed.

And to be fair to Collins, he has been fairly good at these mid-game adjustments. ~65% of Republic’s goals this season have come after half time, largely due to those tactical adjustments that are made at half. And what about defensively? Yup, same pattern, where Republic have only conceded 2 total goals after half:

It’s a shocking contrast, and it very much seems that Republic’s game plan coming into games just doesn’t work. And as brilliant as many of the mid-game adjustments can be, Republic is not going to be able to overcome a one or two goal deficit in the second half every single match.

I don’t know what sort of scouting Republic does going into games; whatever it is they do, it needs to change. The team is regularly exposed and beaten in the first 45 minutes and it’s not good enough. It becomes even worse when those second half adjustments don’t work, like tonight—Republic may have avoided giving up a 2nd-half goal, but that’s only because of Vitiello. Instead, you went from a stale and stiff first half to a disjointed and chaotic 2nd half, which didn’t exactly solve the tactical problems as much as it made new ones.

And, as if Republic wasn’t stiff enough, at least 2 of the 5 subs tonight were pre-planned—Timmer on for Desmond and Memo on for Arturo. Both Timmer and Memo are returning for injury and are on limited minutes, but the substitutions did not meet the state of the game. Arturo was the best rated of the 4 offensive players, why bring him off instead of Malango or Ajago?

I also suspect that the subbing off of Kaye and Crisostomo were pre-planned; both are also returning from injury. Neither was playing amazing as we discussed before, but getting Kyle Edwards and Ryan Spaulding on to the pitch for Ajago and Malango, the 2 worst-performing players on the pitch on either side, would have likely been preferable. The team needs goals, and you’re going to leave Edwards on the bench? To me, this has to have been pre-planned. If it wasn’t, then I’d argue this was negligent game management.

Collins, to his credit, acknowledges that it wasn’t good enough. Post-match he says:

“I think we were just totally second-best all over the pitch. It was so self-inflicted. Both penalty decisions were just poor decisions. Our defending was poor all over the pitch, and even though we had opportunities at times to get back into the game, we didn’t take them, and we could have given up more goals. So it was a severe, massive off-night for everybody.”

I’m assuming that “poor decision” comment is about Republic players, not the officiating crew. But the real question is, what is Collins going to do about it? Republic now faces a Monterey Bay team in the USL Cup that has largely been the 2nd-worst team in all of USL thus far—but who are now on a 2-match winning streak where they outscored their opponents 6 to 1. And let’s not forget that Monterey’s first point of the season was a 1-1 draw at Heart Health Park.

Whether Collins sticks with his guns this coming week or not is going to be a massive tell on where Collins thinks the problem is. If he keeps with the same starting XI, then one can assume that he thinks tonight was just an “off-night.” If he switches things up... we’ll have to see if the “next man up” mentality can apply to guys trying to win starting spots. Let’s just hope for a better showing next week, because the Republic fan base is getting impatient. I don’t blame them.