From Stalled to Unstoppable Republic FC Turns the Season Around

Photo Courtesy of Daniel Tyree

In early June, Sacramento Republic FC looked stuck. The goals had dried up, the attack lacked rhythm, and three straight league matches had gone by without finding the net. Fast forward a month, and the picture could not be more different. Under Head Coach Neill Collins, the Indomitable Club has gone from grinding through matches to dictating them—winning five of their last six USL Championship fixtures and stretching an unbeaten run to six.

During this streak, Sacramento has scored 11 goals—more than triple their rate from the prior month—and conceded just once, recording five clean sheets. Saturday’s 1-0 win over Monterey Bay FC was simply the latest in a string of results that have transformed the season’s trajectory.

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A Diversified Attack

One of the most striking changes in the past six matches is the variety of scoring threats. Earlier in the campaign, the team leaned heavily on Russell Cicerone and Sebastián Herrera for end product. While they remain joint top scorers with four each, July and early August have seen a rotation of contributors:

• Cristian Parano – three goals during the streak, driving play from the flanks.

• Rodrigo López – scored Saturday’s winner, his first home goal since April 2024.

• Khori Bennett – immediate impact after signing, with a debut goal against San Antonio.

• Lee Desmond & Michel Benítez – adding scoring threats from defense.

• AJ Edwards – chipping in from midfield with a crucial strike in Las Vegas.

In the six-game run, goals have come from set pieces, patient possession sequences, and quick transitional bursts—making Republic FC a much tougher side to game-plan against.

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A Defense That Sets the Tone

Republic FC’s attack may have caught up to their ambitions, but it’s the defense that’s kept them in every match. Anchored by Lee Desmond and Freddy Kleemann in central defense, and supported by the tireless fullback duo of Jack Gurr and Michel Benítez, Sacramento has become one of the most disciplined defensive units in the league.

Goalkeeper Danny Vitiello has been in commanding form, now boasting seven clean sheets on the season with a 7.11 average match rating. In Saturday’s win over Monterey Bay, the visitors didn’t manage a single shot on target until the 71st minute—a sign of just how smothering Sacramento has become without the ball.

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The Collins Effect

The turnaround hasn’t happened by accident. Collins has implemented:

• Higher Pressing Lines – putting pressure on opponents deep in their own half, leading to more turnovers in dangerous areas.

• Quicker Ball Circulation – moving the ball with purpose, keeping defenses off balance.

• Commitment in the Box – sending more numbers forward, which has increased rebound and second-chance opportunities (like López’s goal against Monterey Bay).

• Rotational Depth – integrating new signings and bench players into meaningful roles without losing cohesion.

It’s a shift not only in results but in the team’s identity—less reactive, more proactive, and far more dangerous in transition.

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Momentum for the Playoff Push

With the playoff race heating up, timing is everything. Sacramento’s improved form has them climbing the table and looking more like a contender than a hopeful. The next challenge is a Northern California derby against Oakland Roots SC, where a win could push the unbeaten run to seven and further solidify their status as one of the USL’s form teams.

For a side that not long ago was searching for its spark, Republic FC now carries the swagger of a team that believes every match is there to be won. If this version of the Quails can sustain their balance of defensive solidity and attacking fluidity, they won’t just make the playoffs—they’ll enter them as a team nobody wants to face.

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