Sports stats



USL Sacramento Republic FC

What to Watch Across the USL: Conference Semifinals

November 12, 2021 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Sacramento Republic FC News Release


The first round of the USL Championship playoffs did not disappoint. A pair of big upsets and a few tightly contested matches gave fans everything they could possibly want, setting the stage for this weekend's Conference Semifinals

Pacific Division Update

Two of the Pacific Division's squads were unable to stave off elimination in the Conference Quarterfinal round. San Diego fell 2-0 to San Antonio, while Phoenix was taken down by Rio Grande Valley in an exciting penalty shootout after a 3-3 result.

Oakland and Orange County both knocked off formidable squads in El Paso and Colorado Springs, and as a result will face each other for the fifth time this season in a battle to reach the Western Conference final. Kickoff is set for 7:00 PM from Irvine on Saturday, November 14.

Tampa Bay Rowdies v Birmingham Legion FC - Saturday, Nov. 13 at 4:00PM PT

Two of the Eastern Conference's best will face off for the first time this season.

Tampa Bay will play host in the fixture, and are coming off a dominating 6-2 victory over FC Tulsa that saw them explode in the second half with 14 shots and five scores. One of the league's best all season long, they'll need to maintain that offensive form to keep ahead of a Birmingham side that possesses similar attacking prowess.

Despite advancing by virtue of COVID-19 protocols, Birmingham Legion is in no way inferior. Statistically, they've matched up pretty evenly with the Rowdies at nearly every turn, finishing the regular season just behind Tampa Bay in scoring, conversion rate, and shots taken. Legion also conceded fewer scores on the year than every team in USL but one- the Tampa Bay squad they will face off with on Saturday.

Louisville City FC v Charlotte Independence - Saturday, Nov. 13 at 4:30PM PT

A pair of white-hot clubs will meet in Kentucky, each coming off strong first round victories.

After taking the Central Division crown in exciting fashion, Louisville kept their good times rolling with a win over Miami in the Conference Quarterfinals. Their second consecutive clean sheet after shutting out Birmingham to close the regular season gives the club more defensive momentum than they've had all season.

Independence has been among the most efficient and disciplined teams in the league all year- they finished the regular season third in conversion rate. They will take to Louisville coming off their eighth straight match without a loss, a 3-1 win that saw them silence a confident Memphis team, looking to keep their streak of eight matches conceding one score or less intact.

San Antonio FC v Rio Grande Valley FC - Saturday, Nov. 13 at 6:00PM PT

A playoff meeting between division rivals will surely be worth watching when these two kick off in Texas.

San Antonio enters the contest following a 2-0 win over San Diego Loyal SC that saw them make the most of their opportunities. Despite being outshot and significantly out-possessed, two successful set piece opportunities put San Antonio over Landon Donovan's men. Against RGV, continued excellence on defense- the club hasn't allowed a goal since October 20- should give them an advantage in a matchup that proved tough on them in all four of their regular season contests.

The Toros will be riding a high into Saturday's matchup. After going round for round with the league's highest-scoring team, they emerged victorious in a penalty shootout to advance. Staying strong on the offensive end and taking advantage of any opportunity they get will be critical to pulling out a win, especially since every match between the two squads this season was decided by one score or less.

Check out the Sacramento Republic FC Statistics



United Soccer League Championship Stories from November 12, 2021


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central