One of the quirks of USL’s system of crowning a champion through a postseason tournament is that it can favor teams that get into their best run of form at the end of the season. Luckily for Sacramento Republic FC fans, that seems to be exactly what the defending USL champions are doing.
After their recent win over Portland Timbers 2, the Republic find themselves unbeaten in 5 games and riding a win streak of 3 games. During that period they have outscored the opposition 12 to 6 for a goal differential of +6 and a goals scored average of 2.4. They are in the middle of one of their best runs of form this season, and with the regular season coming to a close, it could not be coming at a better time.
After a season of ups and downs, under both Preki and Buckle, things seem to be going well for the Republic at the moment. The defense is clicking, with just 3 goals conceded in the past 4 matches. With Rodrigo Lopez’s fantastic goal against Timbers 2 possibly meaning the end of his midseason slump, Ivan Mirkovic returning from suspension, and Danny Barrera continuing to impress, the midfield is shaping up as well. Justin Braun is also rounding into form and is currently playing some of his best soccer since joining Sacramento, bagging 4 goals in the past 2 games.
Sitting in third place in the Western Conference with a game in hand over every playoff team except LA Galaxy II, the Republic are in a good position to finish the year atop the west. All Sacramento needs to do in order to get that top seed is win their final 2 matches against Orange County Blues and Arizona United. Doing so would put them at an untouchable 50 points, 1 beyond the maximum points of any other Western Conference team. Of course, winning both of those matches is easier said than done.
Having lost just 1 of their last 11 games, Orange County is another team on a hot streak coming into the playoffs, which will make things difficult for Sacramento. And while Arizona has had an overall disappointing season, they are still capable of spoiling things for the Republic.
Does the Republic’s current form guarantee wins in their next two matches? Absolutely not. However, the team’s play over the 3 game win streak has been positive, which bodes well for their chances.
Do you think Sacramento Republic FC can win out the rest of the season and take the top spot in the Western Conference? Let us know down below in the comments.
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