Sacramento Republic FC coach: Being an underdog at US Open Cup final 'gives us a little chip on our shoulder'
“Scream at those TVs because we’ll feel that energy,” Mark Briggs says.
“Scream at those TVs because we’ll feel that energy,” Mark Briggs says.
“Scream at those TVs because we’ll feel that energy,” Mark Briggs says.
Ahead of the biggest match in the Sacramento Republic FC’s history, coach Mark Briggs says his team is enjoying their moment and expects a hard fight when they take to the pitch for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final.
“You don’t make finals and then it’s a stroll in the park,” Briggs said on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, Republic FC will take on Orlando City SC near the Magic Kingdom. So far it’s been Republic with the Cinderella run at the U.S. Open Cup.
The U.S. Open Cup is the oldest American domestic soccer tournament and where Major League Soccer teams like Orlando City compete against lower-division teams like Republic, a USL Championship squad. The Republic FC head to the final after beating three other MLS teams — San Jose Earthquakes, LA Galaxy and Sporting Kansas City — becoming the first non-MLS team within reach of raising the tournament’s trophy since 2008.
A lower division team has not won the U.S. Open Cup since 1999 and Briggs said his team understands that this will be the biggest game in his club’s history.
Orlando City is coming off a four-game winning streak without a match in the previous week and is No. 5 in the MLS Eastern Conference. Republic will be playing their second match in five days, having just lost against Louisville City FC over the weekend, and is No. 4 in the USL Championship Western Conference.
Briggs gets it that his team is the underdog, but said that “we’re here in Orlando because we deserve to be in Orlando.”
“The underdog is something that you take on,” he said. “It gives us a little chip on our shoulder. It gives us a little more clarity, intensity and fight. And it’s obviously something that people can get behind and support.”
That support from Sacramento soccer fans traveling for the match or cheering at places like the official watch party at the SAFE Credit Union Convention Center back at home will be key, Briggs said.
“We can’t wait to hear how loud you’ll be in that stadium tomorrow,” he said about those making the trip.
That doesn’t leave others off the hook who can’t travel.
“Make Sacramento as loud as you possibly can,” he said. “Scream at those TVs because we’ll feel that energy.”
Asked what has been eye-opening for him during the team’s run so far in the tournament, Briggs said he was surprised at how fast the team has grown together.
“The togetherness, the support they give one another, the trust they have in one another and the culture environment, but mainly the tight-knit togetherness is what’s got us this far and it’s surprised me how quickly it’s happened and how strong the bond is,” he said.
Briggs said he expected an intense game but also stressed that “crazy things can happen to people and special things can happen to people.”
“We’re gonna make sure that the players are in the right mindset and the players are in the mindset that special things happen to us,” he said.
The U.S. Open Cup final will kick off Wednesday at Exploria Stadium at 5 p.m. PT. The match will be broadcast on ESPN+, SacTownSports 1140 AM and La Ranchera 104.7 FM and 890 AM.
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