Real Monarchs SLC at Sacramento Republic FC
July 7, 2018; Papa Murphy’s Park, Sacramento, California
7:00 p.m. MT; RealMonarchs.com
Real Monarchs SLC (12-4-1, 37 points); Sacramento Republic FC (8-5-5, 29 points)
Player to Watch – Midfielder Villyan Bijev has proven to be one of the more versatile players in the Sacramento lineup. The Belgian leads the league with 43 shots, earning 2 goals and creating 30 chances in the process. Bijev also leads his team in assists with three and shots on target with 20. He has shown his ability to play on the defensive side of the ball, leading his team in tackles and tackles won at 39 and 31 respectively as well as netting 22 clearances and 26 interceptions. Having earned appearances for the U-18, U-20, and U-21 teams for the United States while having experience with Liverpool and Fortuna Dusseldorf, this 25-year-old has been a valuable player on the pitch for Sacramento.
History – The all time series between Sacramento and the Monarchs sits at 5-3-3, with the Utah club leading. The Monarchs extended its lead in the all time series with a narrow 1-0 victory thanks to a second half goal from Chandler Hoffman at Zions Bank Stadium.
Last Five – Sacramento Republic FC has seen struggles in recent weeks having earned a record of 1-2-2 in its last five games. The last win came in mid-June where Sacramento prevailed on the road with a 1-0 win over Fresno FC. Most recently, the Sacramento team fell in a rematch against Fresno, conceding a 2-0 score line. Sacramento will be aiming to improve its form and close the gap on the top of the Western Conference table with a win over the league leading Monarchs on Saturday.
