Uncategorized – American Presswire

Early Inflection Point for Oregon, Pac-12

The Oregon Ducks find themselves at an important inflection point. Sitting at 2-1, and entering conference play on the road, this very well could be a defining moment for both the season and for new Head Coach Dan Lanning. Suffice it to say, the season opener was shocking for most college football fans. Losing 49-3 on the road to the defending national champion Georgia Bulldogs in what was both their season opener as well as the high profile beginning of the 2022 college football season looked bad.

To the casual fan, the Ducks were completely dominated and never capable of doing anything. To the more well-versed fan, it was clear the Ducks weren’t so much incapable of quality performance as much as they appeared physically overmatched by the talent on the Georgia roster. To the experienced analyst, the take was different.

Experienced analysts on the field said the Ducks looked as one would expect of a team that was just introduced to their new playbooks 6-8 weeks prior. Some said they needed 2-3 more weeks of practice to get their schemes down, and they pointed to the miscues and confusion both at the line of scrimmage and in the backfield.

However, there’s another take on the matter worthy of mention. An analyst on the sideline in Atlanta suggested the Oregon Athletic Director lost the game. That’s right. Call it a bold take, but let’s examine the history. The Georgia Bulldogs have been a great team for many years. Leading up to their 2015 campaign, they were under the direction of head coach Mark Richt. They were high performing, posted 10+ win seasons, and back in 2006, they had agreed to a home-and-home series with Oregon.

In 2014, the Oregon Ducks performed well, won the college football playoff semifinal, and went to the 2015 national championship game where they lost to the Ohio State Buckeyes. Meanwhile, the Georgia Bulldogs lost Mark Richt to the University of Miami. Georgia’s athletic director called the Oregon athletic director and cancelled the home-and-home series. While citing travel distance as a concern, Georgia knew they were going to have a new head coach, and they certainly did not want to be embarrassed on the road. In fact, Kirby Smart, who became the new head coach after being the defensive coordinator at the University of Alabama, struggled in his first year and led the Bulldogs to an underwhelming 8-5 record. Would they have lost on the road at Oregon? that is difficult to say. However, the risk was real, perhaps too real to realize.

Fast forward to Oregon in 2021. The Ducks had recruited well under then Head Coach Mario Cristobal. They understood their offensive and defensive systems, and they had At least half a decade of experience with their existing playbook. When Cristobal announced that he was leaving, Oregon’s athletic director should have called the athletic director at Georgia and canceled the game. Weather he cited travel distance, the expense, or something else, is neither here nor there. The bottom line is that it was Georgia coming off a national championship game performance, one that they were successful in, and it was the Ducks who had a new head coach and a new system to install. Ironically, Oregon lost their head coach to the University of Miami, the same place Georgia had lost its previous coach.

Thus, one can make the argument that it was not in fact the athletes on the field, nor the coaches on the sideline, who lost the game against Georgia, but that it was in fact the responsibility of the athletic director, and that he set the program up to face extremely difficult, if not insurmountable odds playing on the road in Atlanta. A fair leadership advisory would probably include a note to accept responsibility and move on.

Coming off that trip, the Ducks were 0-1. Many mocked them as the laughingstock of college football, but the truth is that this team may very well have been much more talented than the product that appeared on the field in Atlanta. In week two, Oregon faced a completely overmatched FCS opponent, Eastern Washington. The Eagles were defeated as expected, and the ducks appeared to be getting back on track. Week 3 cemented that after the ducks delivered a decisive win over a highly ranked BYU team.

Now, the ducks are headed to Pullman, Washington, to play the Washington State Cougars. Always a tricky opponent, and entering the game with a record of 3-0, that includes a significant road win at then ranked Wisconsin, and a decisive home win over Colorado State, it is clear the WSU Cougars are dangerous. A road win in the Palouse will not only further add to the story that Oregon is in fact a good team this season, but it will also help the team keep pace in a very competitive Pac-12 conference race.

That is where things get particularly interesting. USC currently sits atop the Pac-12 South standings, and while that may be consistent with popular predictions, it certainly is not consistent with the new head coach and playbook distinction asserted as an issue in Oregon’s opening loss. Then again, USC opened the season against it completely overmatched Rice, and then on the road at unranked Stanford, followed by a return home against unranked Fresno State. Nevertheless, they’re 3-0 and 1-0 in the conference. That has them at the top of the standings. UCLA sits behind USC, followed by 2-1 Arizona and 2-1 Utah, who remains highly ranked despite an opening road loss to the Florida Gators. The Pac-12 south will shake out over time as these teams play each other, of course.

The same is true for the Pac-12 north. Things will sort themselves out over time. As mentioned, Oregon begins that mission this weekend in Pullman. However, it is currently 3-0 Oregon State who sits atop the north standings, and the ranked 3-0 Washington Huskies who sit right behind them. WSU, also 3-0, sits right behind them. Call that a formality as none have played a conference opponent yet, and all are undefeated. That will change this weekend. Oregon State hosts USC, Washington hosts Stanford, and as previously mentioned, WSU hosts Oregon. In another interesting game perhaps slightly under the radar, Cal hosts Arizona, and the winner of that game will be 3-1, 1-1 Pac-12. Beware of dark horses.

Perhaps it’s too early for predictions. The transfer portal, those graduate transfer students, the pandemic and its extra year of eligibility, conference realignment – whatever the issues are, there are a few things that are true: (1) it is difficult to win in the Palouse; (2) it is difficult to win at Husky Stadium; (3) no ranked opponent has won in Corvallis in over a decade, nearly two! What is also true is that the weather is changing fast. From the high heat of summer and the fire smoke that filled the air during the segue to Fall, things have changed in a hurry. It’s getting chilly at night. There’s rain in some forecasts. It’s football season, and over the next couple of months we’ll find out how good the Ducks and the rest of the Pac-12 conference really are.

Back in Atlanta, Georgia fans had nothing bad to say about Oregon. On the contrary, several said “we’ll see you in the playoffs.” Whether that happens this year or not remains to be seen. There are a lot of moving parts this year and going forward. All a team can do is take it one week at a time.

Ahsan Awan has been covering NCAA sports for over a decade, and has been covering college football, including the Oregon Ducks and the Pacific 12 Conference, since 2008. All images taken by Ahsan Awan for American Presswire. ©2022 Ahsan Awan for American Presswire, subject to unlimited use under license unless otherwise noted. He can be found on Twitter as @quackarazzi and on Instagram as @quackarazzi.

by Ahsan Awan

Indomitable Club

SACRAMENTO – With the California State Fair lighting up the sky in the background, neither triple digit heat, wildfire smoke in the air, nor the relentless attack of the presumably more talented roster of the MLS-side Sporting Kansas City team they hosted as their opponent, was capable of stopping the men in old glory red from achieving victory in U.S. Soccer's Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinal match. Through full time plus stoppage, two extra time periods and a thrilling penalty kick shootout, Republic FC fought hard and played well. Sacramento's incredible captain, Rodrigo Lopez, sealed the victory with a successful penalty kick to win the shootout 5-4 over Sporting Kansas City.

With a sell out announced last week, Republic FC stepped onto the pitch surrounded by a full house. There wasn't an empty seat in Heart Health Park. Despite multiple advances, shots on goal, and miraculous saves, the first half ended 0-0. The second half of regulation play was no different. Fans were riveted to their seats as extra time began. First, 15 minutes one way. Then, 15 minutes the other way. It was the same story. There were shots, there were saves, and the score remained tied 0-0. Then came the shootout.

throughout it all, club majority owner Kevin Nagle stood tall and watched. He never had any doubt. He never showede any concern. He was confident the team could win, and they did. The back-and-forth pentalty kicks took place right in front of him. At one point, Sacramento appaered to make a stop that would give them the lead, but it was called back. The second attempt by Sporting KC kept things even.

Then came KC's legedary Graham Zusi. He failed to convert. It all came down to Sacramento's great captain, Rodrigo Lopez. A wall of crowd noise, surrounded him as he prepared to shoot. The moment he kicked the ball, there was no doubt. It was going in. It went in. The crowd erupted in cheers. The team went wild. The players from Sporting KC looked stunned. Sacramento did it. They pulled off the unimaginable. The indomitable club won the 2022 U.S. Open Cup semifinal.

Sacramento now advances to play MLS side Orlando City SC on the road, in Orlando, in the Open Cup final scheduled for September 7. Further details about the next match will be coming soon. For now, let the celebration begin. For Sacramento, For Nagle, Lopez, all the players, staff and fans, the dream remains very much alive.

Sacramento's next match is July 30 at USL Championship side Charleston Battery. The match will be played at the Battery's Patriots Point Stadium at 4:30 PM PST. The club then plays a slate of six USL Championship league matches in August before heading Louisville for a USL side match on September 3. Then they are off to Orlando to face MLS side Orlando City in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup final on Wednesday, September 7 at 5:00 PM PST. Within league play, Republic FC won't return home to host a USL opponent until Saturday, August 6, when they face Rio Grande Valley FC at Heart Health Park at 8:00 PM. Broadcast details are pending.

Ahsan Awan has been covering sports for over a decade, and has been covering professional soccer, including USL and Sacramento Republic FC, since their debut in 2014. All images taken by Ahsan Awan for American Presswire and ©2022 Ahsan Awan for American Presswire subject to unlimited use under license unless otherwise noted. He can be found on Twitter as @quackarazzi and on Instagram as @quackarazzi.

by Ahsan Awan

Boys in Red Win Again

SACRAMENTO – Last week it was extreme heat. This time it was extreme smoke. The character-building exercise in the capital city continues as Republic FC once again faced a uniquely challenging circumstance that had the potential to affect the quality of performance and the outcome on the pitch. This time, however, it was not an exercise of perseverance in high temperature, but rather one of fierce competitors blazing trails through smoke on a mission to win.

Sacramento took to the pitch on the 3-match win streak. Portland, on the other hand, entered on a 6-match losing streak. Once the typical back and forth was done, both clubs stepped up the aggressiveness of play, but it was Portland that landed on the scoreboard first. Jorge Gonzalez found the back of net (23’) and celebrated with a run, roar and slide worthy of full house witness.

From there on, the boys in red struggled to generate opportunities in the box. Portland’s amazing center back, Mamadou Danso, absolutely dominated the area in front of the goal. Getting beyond him was difficult. His imposing size and athleticism could only be beaten with speed and precision. Throughout the remainder of the first half, Sacramento could not come up with an answer.

It was not until the 60^th minute that the boys in red equalized on a goal by Drew Skundrich off an assist by Ashkanov Apollon. Continuing the trend of unselfish play and excellent communication, the pair worked together to find the back of the net. The moment served as a wakeup call for a squad that some think could make a decent playoff run.

That spark quickly led to another Republic goal, this time by Cameron Iwasa (69’). This was Iwasa’s 51^st USL goal, continuing where he left off the previous week, and giving Sacramento the lead.

Minutes later, Sacramento substituted Sam Werner for Villyan Bijev, and the remainder of the match brimmed with hope that Werner would fulfill on his high energy quest for the net that was so powerfully apparent just one week ago. Unfortunately, despite four minutes of stoppage time, the quest would extend into the future.

Republic finished the match victorious, 2-1 over Portland Timbers 2, notching their fourth win of the season (5-1-3) to remain tied with Reno at 18 points, though second in the Group A standings. The club travels to Portland to play Timbers 2 again on Saturday, September 2 at Providence Park. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30pm Pacific. It will be broadcast live on KQCA My58, Estrella TV, and through ESPN+.

Ahsan Awan has been covering sports for over a decade, and has been covering professional soccer, and Sacramento Republic FC, since their debut in 2014. All images taken by Ahsan Awan for American Presswire and ©2020 American Presswire. He can be found on Twitter as @quackarazzi and on Instagram as @quackarazzi.

by Ahsan Awan

Defying Adversity, Sacramento Wins

SACRAMENTO – Adversity appears in many forms. They say the perseverance through it builds character. For Republic FC, a mid-August rematch against a Tacoma Defiance club that stormed back to tie their last meeting at 3-3 on the 13^th of July seemed like the perfect opportunity to rise to the occasion.

Recall, however, that we remain deep in the throes of an uncontrolled global pandemic. Coronavirus safety protocols remain in place. Dry conditions have caused a statewide drought to continue; still, the pitch is adequately watered. Unfortunately, The August 15^th rematch between these clubs had an added adverse factor – extreme heat! Temperatures were as high as 110 F throughout the day, and only dropped to 104 F at kickoff. Sundown brought little relief. When the match ended, it was still 100 F!

Apart from the heat and the rematch drama, this match was special because it marked the 100^th USL start for Republic FC’s Cameron Iwasa. He entered with 49 career goals and was looking for his 50^th score. More on that later. Once play began, the boys in red wasted no time notching their first score. Dariusz Formella found the back of the net early in the 14^th minute. He went on to notch another goal in the 41^st minute, securing his second brace of the season, both against Tacoma.

Shortly before Formella’s second goal, however, Cameron Iwasa got his 50^th career goal (33’) thanks to a brilliantly unselfish pass from Villyan Bijev who got a much-deserved assist for his effort.

Heading into halftime up 3-0, Republic FC appeared unfazed by the unfortunate loss of keeper Adam Grinwis to a season-ending ACL tear. Whether Sacramento will add another keeper to the roster remains unknown, but backup keeper Rafael Diaz did an excellent job and is securely in the starting XI.

Early in the second half, Tacoma would finally make a mark on the scoreboard due to a goal by Sam Rogers (50’), but that’s all they could muster. Sacramento’s backline would hold strong for the rest of the match, securing 3 points for their effort and remaining atop the group standings.

It must also be noted that Rodrigo Lopez had another all-star-worthy performance, and Sam Werner made several strong advances toward the goal. He did not score, but he very well may have given even one more chance before the final whistle. FT Sacramento Republic FC 3 – 1 Tacoma Defiance.

Sacramento hosts Portland Timbers 2 on Saturday, August 22 at Papa Murphy’s Park. Kickoff is scheduled for 8pm Pacific. It will be broadcast live on KQCA My58, Estrella TV, and through ESPN+. Adding to the adversity this week will be significant smoke pollution from the deadly fires burning throughout the region.

Given all the adversity facing the community and the region, it is fair to say Republic FC has incredible depth of character. In fact, Rodrigo Lopez has come forward to offer his assistance to people in need. This remarkable showing of generosity underscores what fans have come to know and expect from this club. They truly are Sacramento proud, and they truly are an indomitable force for good.

One final note: American Presswire is no stranger to adversity during this time. We are deeply saddened to report the tragic loss of brilliant photographer Jerry Imboden. Jerry covered the San Joe Earthquakes, Stanford University football, and NCAA Pacific-12 Conference post-season bowl games. Jerry will be missed, and we salute his many lifetime accomplishments behind the lens and in all areas of life.

Additionally, photographer Tom Corno, who covers the Seattle Sounders, was in a serious accident and is recovering at home, and photographer Jamie Castaneda (MLS and Australian A-League) was also in a serious accident and remains hospitalized. We wish them both speedy recoveries.

by Ahsan Awan

3 Matches in 10 Days - Republic FC Returns to the Pitch Tonight

SACRAMENTO – Three matches in ten days. There was an amazing victory over Reno 1868 on July 19. Republic FC secured a 1-0 victory on a near walk-off (90’) penalty kick taken by Cameron Iwasa. Of course, that was just one of three stories that night. The other two were the historic debut of 15-year-old homegrown Rafa Jauregui, and the lengthy amount of playing time for several key members of the starting XI. More on that later.

Fast forward six days. On July 25, Republic traveled to Los Angeles to face LA Galaxy II. On that night, the result was the opposite. Sacramento fell 0-1 on a late (72’) goal by LA’s Augustine Williams. Republic FC simply could not equalize due to a seemingly impenetrable LA backline.

That brings us to today, July 29. Today is the third match in 10 days for Republic FC. The opponent: undefeated Orange County SC, who happens to be coming off an exciting 1-0 (20’) victory over Phoenix Rising FC thanks to OCSC forward Sean “Ugo” Okoli.

Sacramento and Orange County both enter today’s match with 5 points in the USL standings. Their season records may not appear very different. Sacramento’s record is 1-1-2, and Orange County’s record is 1-0-2. However, Sacramento sits atop USL Championship Group A, a competitive group comprised of Reno 1868, Seattle Sounders II and the Portland Timbers II.

In contrast, Orange County sits in fourth place in USL Championship Group B. That group is led by San Diego Loyal with 10 points, LA Galaxy II with 9 points, and Phoenix Rising with 7 points. The only team below then is Las Vegas. Perhaps Group B is more competitive – they certainly have one more club – but the difference in total points suggests the club may be vulnerable. Despite the presence of Okoli, a fast, powerful and dangerous forward talent, the club recently made history by loaning perhaps their best emerging player, 18-year-old midfielder Bryang Kayo, to VfL Wolfsburg of Germany’s Bundesliga.

Make no mistake, Orange County is no pushover. The club formed a strategic partnership with Rangers FC of the Scottish Premier League. Daniel Finlayson, Matthew Shiels, and Cammy Palmer came across from the UK as part of the deal. They’re young, but the club has senior leadership from players like Denmark’s Thomas Enevoldsen who played in Sacramento last year, Darwin Jones who spent a number of years with the Seattle Sounders organization, Kevin Coleman who spent time with SpVgg Bayreuth of Germany’s Bundesliga, and Diego Lopez who spent time with the Atlanta United organization. All four present difficulties for Sacramento. Add Ugo, and that makes five. The rest of the roster is short of neither talent nor pedigree, so expect a fair challenge for sure.

Republic is no slouch when it comes to talent though. Rodrigo Lopez has returned to Sacramento after spending time in Mexico’s Liga MX, Dariusz Formella spent the past seven years in Poland’s first division and received USL honors after his strong performance in Sacramento’s 3-3 draw versus the Tacoma Defiance just two weeks ago. Everyone knows Villyan Bijev who has long history in Europe and came from the Liverpool FC organization. The rest of the roster bios are noteworthy, and there is no doubt Sacramento can compete.

However, it is worth mentioning once again that this is the third match in 10 days. Circling back to one of the leading stories over the past 10 days, there may be some valid concern regarding fatigue. Head Coach Mark Briggs must rely on the depth of talent more for rest and recovery to be effective. It is always a challenge when there is not much time between matches, and the global coronavirus pandemic certainly has not helped matters. USL Championship is fiercely competitive, and clubs that normally rely heavily on their starting XI are certainly challenged by the risk of cycling lesser experienced players into starting roles when there is so much parity within and across divisions and groups. Nevertheless, it is likely not wise to seek 70 or more minutes from the first team starting XI every few days.

Expect a crowd on the levee once again, perhaps growing in size as more supporters rally to provide 12^th man support even from a distance. Every bit of rally energy helps when you are on near-tournament play schedules. A win is essential for both clubs tonight. Sacramento needs three points to remain atop Group A. Orange County needs 3 points to return to relevant striking distance near the top of Group B. Kickoff is scheduled for 8pm Pacific at Papa Murphy’s Park. It will be broadcast live on KQCA My58, Estrella TV, and through ESPN+.

by Ahsan Awan

Sac Is Back! Roro, SRFC Return

SACRAMENTO - Perfect warm weather and a classic cloud-free sky coupled with a light breeze and a colorful sunset; but for the coronavirus pandemic, it would have been beautiful rather than spooky. Professional sports returned to the Golden State on Monday night in an empty house. No fans were allowed into Papa Murphy's Park for Sacramento Republic FC's USL Championship 2020 season restart versus the Tacoma (WA) Defiance. A group of brave die-hard supporters dubbed the Levee Patrol set up camp from a distance on top of the levee wall and could be seen from the pitch. No matter how far away they were, their presence made a difference. The home team may not have won, but a courageous and aggressive 3-3 draw after being sidelined for four months is impressive.

The legendary Rodrigo Lopez returned to Sacramento's starting XI for the first time since 2015. He was joined by fellow midfielder Cameron Iwasa, a familiar face and veteran roster anchor. Unfortunately, Tacoma would find the back of the net first on a goal by Alec Diaz that came in the first minute off an assist by Danny Reynolds. Unfazed, Sacramento would equalize only seven minutes later thanks to a penalty kick taken by Dariusz Formella.

Sacramento would go on to take the lead in the twenty-third minute on a brilliant goal by Tomas Hilliard-Arce made possible by an assist from none other than Rodrigo Lopez. From there, they smelled blood. The club would extend their lead to 3-1 on a goal by Dariusz Formella that came off an assist by Jordan McCrary. Formella's goal was clean and strong as he rushed in almost completely unchallenged from the right side of the box striking a clean left footer that exploded off the inside edge of his boot with ferocious velocity.

The club was on fire, but unfortunately it was all downhill from there. Halftime wound come and go, and as frequently happens at the break, the wind left the sails. Tacoma would go on to score again and narrow the gap to a single goal. Sacramento would substitute Jaime Villareal for Andrew Wheeler-Omiunu, and the always exciting Villyan Bijev came on for Lopez, both in the sixty-third minute. However, that did't turn things around. Sacramento brought in Kharlton Belmar for Iwasa just ten minutes later. The club also entered Dekel Keinan for McCrary and Sam Werner for Formella, thus opting for what appeared to be a more defensive posture perhaps to preserve a 3-2 victory.

Sadly, that was not to be. Tacoma equalized in the eighty-first minute as Ray Serrano brought the score to 3-3. The confluence of disbelief and altered chemistry left Sacramento in desperation from there on. Despite a valiant effort to regain the lead, the clock expired. One might wonder what might have been had the 12th man legion that is the Tower Bridge Battalion been in the house. A distant drum simply wasn't enough.

It's worth noting, however, that it wasn't disappointing from the edge. It was great to see the club return to action, and while it wasn't the result they wanted, a 3-3 tie tends to show that this group is hungry and aggressive. Hopefully the world works in ways that allow fans to witness the energy and excitement these men bring to the game. Sacramento Republic FC returns to the pitch Sunday, July 19 at 6 p.m. to host Reno 1868 FC. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN2.

by Ahsan Awan