By the Numbers: Republic FC’s U.S. Open Cup Run
September 9, 2022 – United Soccer League Championship (USL) – Sacramento Republic FC News Release
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As Sacramento made its way to the Open Cup final last Wednesday, the club had the eyes of the soccer world. Their run through the nation’s oldest tournament captivated fans and pundits alike they punched above their weight with conviction to a deserved spot in the Final. From an impressive streak of minutes without trailing to a few notable milestones and statistical leaders, look back through the club’s Open Cup run by the numbers:
645 consecutive minutes without a deficit.
From the first kickoff in April, up through the first 75 minutes of the Final, the Indomitable Club never trailed. In 6 matches to reach the final, no opponent held an advantage over the Quails, a nod to the club’s impressive defensive performance throughout the tournament and control of every match. It was the longest streak through this year’s tournament by 235 minutes – nearly three whole matches – besting the New York Red Bulls 410 minutes without trailing.
16 straight Cup wins at home
Republic FC’s run included five matches on home turf – with the club winning all of them. At the outset of the tournament, Sacramento already had a history of home dominance in Open Cup play, winning 10 of 11 contests. Loud and boisterous Indomitable fans pushed their club forward each time they played in the River City, filling Heart Health Park to capacity twice. The club’s home success in the cup bettered their all-time home record in the tournament to 16 wins and just a single loss since debuting in 2014.
14 goals scored
Republic FC would finish the tournament matching the eventual winners with 14 goals – and just one of 12 clubs with an average of 2 goals per game played. From the beginning of the competition, Sacramento got right to work converting six to tie the club record for largest margin of victory. Following the opening match, Sacramento netted two apiece in each of the next three rounds against Central Valley Fuego, Phoenix Rising, San Jose Earthquakes, against LA Galaxy.
8 -The captain’s contributions
RoRo finished the tournament with four goals earning a share of the Golden Boot award (three-way tie). He also finished with four assists, putting him in sole possession of first place and one ahead of the next player on the list. His eight combined scoring involvements ranked first in the entire tournament, two higher than his closest challenger.
7 games played
No team from any division played more games than Republic FC – even their opponent in the final. As a USL Championship club, Sacramento entered in the Second Round as the entry of MLS clubs was staggered between the Third and Fourth rounds. As a result, the Final marked Sacramento’s 34th game of the season – the total on the docket just for league play at the outset of the season in March.
5 perfect penalties
When it came to the tiebreaker, Sacramento was perfect. All five attempts in the penalty shootout to decide the semifinal were converted.
After 120 minutes had gone by with no score, the pressure was on. But it was no match for Sacramento’s grit. Damia Viader, Luis Felipe, Luther Archimede, Maalique Foster, and Rodrigo Lopez all stepped to the spot for the club and delivered with the bright lights on them. In a situation where high heart rates often get the best of players, it made Sacramento better as they answered every make by Sporting KC.
4 clean sheets
Statistically, Republic FC was the best defensive team in the entire competition with double the clean sheet tally of the next-highest challengers, a group of eight sides all with two. Danny Vitiello lead the tournament with three and fellow netminder Carlos Saldaña picked up a second-round clean sheet. Entering the final stage of the tournament, Sacramento had conceded only two scores, one from an upstart Central Valley Fuego FC squad, and the other being a tough-luck own goal. Republic FC conceded only five scores for the entire competition, tied for the fewest with their Final opponent with one more game played by Boys in Old Glory Red.
3 MLS clubs bested
Sacramento’s run through the Cup ended with three victories over upper-division foes. Entering the year, the club had beaten an MLS opponent just twice all-time – Seattle Sounders and Real Salt Lake in 2017 and 2018. Two of those matches, against San Jose and LA Galaxy, avenged past results as Sacramento had never beaten either side in previous meetings.
3 LFGs
From the Round of 32 through the Quarterfinal, Sacramento’s wins all came courtesy of goals by Luis Felipe. Luis Felipe opened his Open Cup scoring account 30 minutes into his club’s Round of 32 win over Phoenix Rising FC – the eventual winner – and continued to deliver heroics in the ensuing rounds. He netted the opening and deciding score against his former club, the San Jose Earthquakes in the Round of 16, and with the score tied 1-1 against LA Galaxy in the Quarterfinal, sent a low shot through traffic and into the net in the 70th minute.
1 honorable action
Following the club’s loss in the Final, the club didn’t put their heads down. In a great show of sportsmanship, Sacramento lined up to congratulate their opponents as they took the stage during the postgame medal ceremony- a gesture lauded by a soccer world already amazed by their reaching the point they had. Said the USL Championship’s Nicholas Murray, “If there was a gesture that summed up Republic FC’s historic run, and what the club is made of and stands for, its last act before departing the stage was the perfect illustration.”
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