Match Preview: Republic FC vs. Spokane Velocity FC (Prinx Tires USL Cup)
USL Sacramento Republic FC

Match Preview: Republic FC vs. Spokane Velocity FC (Prinx Tires USL Cup)

Published on April 23, 2026 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Sacramento Republic FC News Release


Overview: SAC vs. SPK

Date: Saturday, April 25

Location: Heart Health Park

Kickoff: 7:00 p.m. PT

Tickets: Buy now!

Giveaways & Special Activations:

First 1,000 receive SRFC-branded clap banners, courtesy of Atlas Disposal

Scarf Swap - bring a scarf from any soccer team and swap it out for a new-to-you scarf

Watch: FOX40+ & ESPN+

How it Works - USL Cup 101

Back for its third year and second featuring USL Championship teams, the 2026 Prinx Tires USL Cup features its largest field yet - 43 teams from the top two tiers of the USL ecosystem are set to compete for silverware. The tournament is played during the course of the season, but results don't count toward league standings.

Clubs are split into seven regional divisions for the group stage (April 25-July 11). Each team will play four group stage matches with an even split of home and away, and the winner from each group will advance to the knockout rounds, along with one wildcard team. The winner of each bracket is determined by a unique point system - 3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, and zero points for a loss. In the case of a draw, the match will head straight to a penalty shootout after 90 minutes and the winner of the shootout will earn an additional point.

Know Your Club - Republic FC

It's been a quick turnaround for Neill Collins' squad who made the trip east to face Brooklyn FC on Tuesday night. The club continued its undefeated road streak as it battled back to earn a point with a 1-1 draw. Brooklyn struck first after an unlucky bounce created a chance for Markus Anderson, but Republic FC kept pushing until the final whistle and finally got its moment in the last play of the night.

Three-time All-League selection Jack Gurr made his much-anticipated season debut and led a second-half charge that forced Brooklyn to hunker down defensively. In one last effort to find the back of the net, Freddy Kleemann sent a long ball forward for Gurr to run onto before he was brought down in the box for a penalty. Michel Benitez calmly stepped up to the spot and found the back of the net in the sixth minute of extra time, recording his second goal of the season.

Know Your Opponent - Spokane Velocity FC

Two-time USL League One finalist Spokane Velocity comes into Saturday's match after a two-week break. Through six games of regular season play, they currently are third in the table with a 4-1-1 record, though notably they have yet to win on the road in 2026.

In their last match, Velocity FC earned its second straight win with a 3-1 outing against Richmond Kickers. Medgy Alexandre got Spokane on the board early with a stellar strike on a cross from Lucky Opara in the 9th minute. Jack Denton doubled the lead just seven minutes later when he pounced on a deflection from the keeper for a one-touch shot on frame.

Richmond got one back before the break, but Shavon John-Brown put the game out of reach as he controlled an attempted clearance near center pitch and with just a few touches got the ball on his foot inside the 18-yard box and beat the keeper 1v1. John-Brown has scored in the last two games and is currently tied for the team lead with three goal contributions.

2026 marks Spokane's third appearance in the USL Cup and despite seeing plenty of league success, the club has yet to reach the knockout rounds of the in-season tournament. Last year, they drew a tough schedule and had to face four USL Championship teams. One bright spot, however, was a 2-1 upset over Oakland Roots.

Head-to-Head

These two West Coast teams previously faced off on the last night of group play in last year's USL Cup. With Sacramento needing a win to top the group, Jack Gurr and Michel Benitez connected for the eventual game-winning goal in the 10th minute, helping to close out an undefeated July across all competitions.

Last year, Republic FC reached the USL Cup final. Through seven matches in the tournament (630 minutes), Sacramento conceded just two goals, the best defensive record of the field. Michel Benitez led the way with two goals, while Jack Gurr and Jared Timmer both added two assists.

Check out the Sacramento Republic FC Statistics

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from April 23, 2026


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