:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/54191991/SRFCvOC-1.0.0.0.jpg)
Sacramento Republic FC have had a rough start in the opening weeks of past seasons. But, as we know, they tend to turn those starts around.
In the first three weeks of the 2014 season, the club opened their inaugural season on the road in Los Angeles against the Galaxy II, taking just a single point in a 1-1 tie. They would go on to face the Chivas USA Reserves winning the first game in club history in a 3-1 thrashing. The Republic would take their first loss to Orange County 2-1.
The 2014 Regular Season didn’t get off to an ideal start, but the club took four points on the road, scoring five goals and conceding four.
Republic then went on to win the USL Championship that year.
After a rough preseason in 2015, the Republic traveled to Seattle to face the Sounders 2 in a devastating 4-2 loss in Week 1 of the Regular Season. The team would then travel south the following week to face Southern California rivals the Los Angeles Galaxy II, winning on the road in a 3-2 battle. Traveling again to the Pacific Northwest to face Portland Timbers 2 for Week 3, the Republic dropped another three points in a 2-1 loss.
The club only took three points in as many matches, scoring six goals but conceding eight in the first three weeks of the 2015 Season, dropping an extra point and allowing twice as many goals in comparison to the 2014 season.
That year they went on to qualify for the playoffs, but were bounced out in the first round.
The start of the 2016 season opened again on the road in Seattle. This time, though, the team would take all three points in a 1-0 win. Week 2 last season offered the Republic their first ever home game in the opening three weeks of a season with a match against Arizona United, which they won 1-0. The Republic would be on the road again in Week 3 where they tied 0-0 against Vancouver Whitecaps 2.
Learning from mistakes in 2015, the club took a more defensive approach, taking six points and allowing no goals in the opening three weeks. However, scoring proved difficult as they only scored two goals in three matches. Scoring would continue to prove difficult until late in the season.
The 2016 season ended with Republic atop the Western Conference, but they were once again eliminated in the first round of the playoffs.
That brings us to this season, where in the first three matches the Republic have taken a more balanced approach in comparison to previous years.
For the third season in a row, the club opened it's season against Seattle on the road, taking three points from the 2-1 win. The club then traveled home to face Orange County, they again took a win in an astonishing 4-0 blowout. Taking to the road again, this time to Tulsa, for Week 3 the team put together another 2-1 win.
So far, it seems as though the Republic has solving the scoring issues of 2016. The club has scored eight goals and only allowed two through three games, all while taking home all nine points possible. They are currently averaging less than one goal conceded per game and over two goals scored per game.
This is without a doubt the Republic’s best start yet. The team has taken home three more points in the first three weeks than any prior season.
Where the end of this season ranks among past seasons remains to be seen.
The Republic head to face Oklahoma City Energy FC tonight, just 3 days after their win at Tulsa. Do you think the Republic can continue their scoring ways or will the tight schedule and travel take it's toll? Let us know in the comments below.