Malango Announces Himself as Republic Cruise in Preseason Opener
Sacramento Republic FC 5 – 2 San Jose Earthquakes II
Sacramento Republic FC opened their preseason in emphatic fashion, delivering a 5-2 win over San Jose Earthquakes II in a performance that, for long stretches, looked far more polished than a typical February outing. From the opening whistle, Republic set the tone being assertive in possession, sharp in the final third, and organized at the back.
Neill Collins opted for a starting group that blended continuity with new attacking pieces, and it showed almost immediately. The chemistry in midfield and the movement in the final third looked fluid, with new additions seamlessly fitting into the structure rather than disrupting it.
That cohesion translated quickly into goals.
Republic opened the scoring through Lee Desmond, who headed home a corner kick in an early signal of both attacking intent and set piece sharpness. It’s worth noting that Republic hadn’t scored from a corner in competitive play since 2024, so seeing one go in even in preseason stands out. From there, the momentum never dipped. Mayele Malango, one of the club’s key offseason additions, found his first of the night soon after, showcasing the kind of instinct and presence in the box Republic lacked at times last season.
Kyle Edwards added a third, continuing an encouraging debut of his own after arriving from Hartford Athletic. Before the halftime whistle, Malango struck again to complete his brace, sending Republic into the break with a commanding 4-0 lead.
The first half was as complete a performance as Republic has put together in some time. The midfield controlled tempo and space, consistently winning second balls and recycling possession to sustain attacks; an area that proved inconsistent throughout last season. The back line, as expected, remained composed and disciplined, limiting San Jose to little of consequence and preserving the clean sheet through 45 minutes.
Shortly after halftime, Malango completed his hat trick, calmly slotting home to make it 5-0 and cap off a statement performance in his first game in front of the fans at Heart Health Park.
The second half, however, told a more nuanced story.
A wave of substitutions began to shift the rhythm of the match. Randolph entered in goal and was certainly called into action, making several strong saves to keep San Jose from closing the gap further. Despite his efforts, the two goals conceded were less about goalkeeping and more the result of defensive breakdowns as the back line adjusted to personnel changes particularly following the introduction of Chibi for Kleemann.
Mark-Anthony Kaye also made his Republic debut during this stretch, while additional substitutions later in the half further disrupted the flow. The attacking play remained functional, but the sharpness and cohesion that defined the first half began to fade. With more rotation came less control, and the match gradually settled into a more disjointed rhythm, often played in midfield and deeper in Republic’s own half.
San Jose capitalized on those moments, pulling one back to make it 5-1 before adding a second late to bring the final score to 5-2.
For Republic, the headline is clear: a dominant first-half performance driven by midfield control, efficient finishing, and a standout showing from new arrivals. Malango’s hat trick will grab attention, and rightly so, but the broader takeaway is a team that looked far more cohesive in possession and more dangerous in sustained attacking phases than it often did in 2025.
At the same time, the second half offered a useful reminder of where growth is still needed. Depth cohesion and defensive organization through rotations will be key as the season progresses.
While it is preseason, this looked like a team already building toward something sharper, more cohesive, and far more dangerous than what we saw a year ago.