# 2015 Sacramento Republic FC season

The 2015 Sacramento Republic FC season was the club's second season of existence. The club played in the newly rebranded United Soccer League (USL), formerly known as USL Pro, the third tier of the American soccer pyramid. After offseason expansion of the USL from 14 to 24 teams and division into an Eastern and Western Conference, Sacramento Republic FC competed in the new Western Conference. The Republic entered the season as defending champions, having defeated the Harrisburg City Islanders 2–0 in the USL final on September 27, 2014. The season began on March 21 and concluded on September 20.

## Background

Winter 2014–15, USL Pro's off season, saw numerous headlines for Sacramento Republic FC. Owner Warren Smith, Technical Director Graham Smith, Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson and other delegates met with MLS officials, including Commissioner Don Garber, several times to continue their push for a MLS franchise. MLS announced February 2015 that Las Vegas was no longer in contention for an MLS franchise, narrowing the list of potentials to Sacramento and Minneapolis.
Republic's efforts with MLS as well as their successes on and off the pitch rallied many to help invest in the club to push further Republic FC's efforts for an MLS franchise. These investors include co-founder and ex-CEO of Envision Pharmaceutical Kevin Negal, UFC fighter Urijah Faber, Sacramento Kings owner Vivek Ranadivé, San Francisco 49ers owners the York Family.
As success and popularity grew, demand for more seating at Bonny Field grew. The Board of Directors of Cal Expo approved expanded seating at Bonney Field and the endline stands were removed and replaced with 30-row bleachers, increasing the capacity to around 11,000.
For the 2015 season, USL Pro expanded to 24 teams, including Portland Timbers 2, concluding Portland's USL affiliation with the Republic.

## Club

As of June 19, 2015.
| No. | Position | Player | Nation |
| 1 | GK | Dominik Jakubek | United States |
| 2 | DF | Derek Foran | Ireland |
| 3 | FW | Cameron Iwasa | United States |
| 4 | MF | Matthias Bonvehi | United States |
| 5 | DF | Danny Barrera | United States |
| 6 | MF | Agustin Cazarez | United States |
| 7 | MF | Gilberto | Brazil |
| 8 | MF | Rodrigo López (vice-captain) | United States |
| 9 | FW | Gabe Gissie | Liberia |
| 10 | FW | Thomas Stewart | Northern Ireland |
| 11 | FW | Max Alvarez | United States |
| 12 | DF | Nemanja Vuković | Montenegro |
| 13 | FW | Adnan Gabeljic | Croatia |
| 14 | FW | David Estrada | Mexico |
| 15 | FW | Kaleemullah Khan | Pakistan |
| 16 | MF | Zev Taublieb | United States |
| 17 | FW | Justin Braun (captain) | United States |
| 18 | MF | Ivan Mirković | Serbia |
| 19 | MF | Octavio Guzmán | Mexico |
| 20 | DF | James Kiffe | United States |
| 21 | DF | Michael Daly | United States |
| 22 | MF | Gabe Gonzalez | Mexico |
| 23 | DF | Emrah Klimenta | Montenegro |
| 24 | GK | Patrick McLain | United States |
| 25 | FW | Joaquin Rivas | El Salvador |
| 26 | MF | Alfonso Motagalvan | United States |

### Technical Staff

As of June 25, 2015.
| Position | Name |
| Technical director | Graham Smith |
| Head coach | Paul Buckle |
| Assistant head coach | Adam Charles Smith |
| Assistant coach | Chris Malenab |
| Assistant coach | Antonio Sutton |
| Goalkeeping coach | Simon Sheppard |
| Strength & Conditioning Coach | Luke Rayfield |

## Competitions
### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
Source:
| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 |
| Stadium | A | A | A | A | H | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | A | H | H | H | A | H | H | A | A | A | H |
| Result | L | W | L | W | W | W | L | L | W | W | L | D | L | W | W | W | D | D | L | W | L | D | D | W | W | W | D | D |

#### Standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 2 | Oklahoma City Energy | 28 | 13 | 8 | 7 | 44 | 36 | +8 | 47 | Conference semi-finals |
| 3 | Colorado Springs Switchbacks | 28 | 14 | 4 | 10 | 53 | 35 | +18 | 46 | First round |
| 4 | Sacramento Republic | 28 | 13 | 7 | 8 | 43 | 31 | +12 | 46 | First round |
| 5 | LA Galaxy II | 28 | 14 | 3 | 11 | 39 | 31 | +8 | 45 | First round |
| 6 | Seattle Sounders 2 | 28 | 13 | 3 | 12 | 45 | 42 | +3 | 42 | First round |

### USL Pro Playoffs

| First round | First round | Conference Semifinals | Conference Semifinals | | Conference Finals | Conference Finals | | USL Championship | USL Championship |
| | | October 3 | October 3 | | | | | |
| | | #1 Rochester Rhinos | 2 | | | | |
| September 26 | September 26 | | #1 Rochester Rhinos | 2 | | | | |
| September 26 | September 26 | #4 New York Red Bulls II | 0 | | | | |
| #4 New York Red Bulls II (a.e.t.) | 4 | #4 New York Red Bulls II | 0 | | | | |
| #4 New York Red Bulls II (a.e.t.) | 4 | | | | October 10 | October 10 | | |
| #5 Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 2 | | | | October 10 | October 10 | |
| #5 Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 2 | | | | #1 Rochester Rhinos | 1 | |
| September 26 | September 26 | | | | | #1 Rochester Rhinos | 1 | |
| September 26 | September 26 | | | | #2 Louisville City FC | 0 | |
| #3 Charleston Battery (a.e.t.) | 2 | | | | #2 Louisville City FC | 0 | |
| #3 Charleston Battery (a.e.t.) | 2 | October 3 | October 3 | | | | | |
| #6 Richmond Kickers | 1 | October 3 | October 3 | | | | |
| #6 Richmond Kickers | 1 | #2 Louisville City FC (a.e.t.) | 2 | | | | |
| | | #3 Charleston Battery | 0 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | October 16 | October 16 |
| | | | | | | | | #1 Rochester Rhinos (a.e.t.) | 2 |
| | | | | | | | | #5 LA Galaxy II | 1 |
| | | October 3 | October 3 | | | | | | |
| | | #1 Orange County Blues FC | 0 | | | | | | |
| September 26 | September 26 | | #1 Orange County Blues FC | 0 | | | | | |
| September 26 | September 26 | #5 LA Galaxy II | 2 | | | | | | |
| #4 Sacramento Republic FC | 0 | #5 LA Galaxy II | 2 | | | | | | |
| #4 Sacramento Republic FC | 0 | | | | October 11 | October 11 | | | |
| #5 LA Galaxy II | 1 | | | | October 11 | October 11 | | | |
| #5 LA Galaxy II | 1 | | | | #5 LA Galaxy II | 2 | | | |
| September 25 | September 25 | | | | | #5 LA Galaxy II | 2 | | |
| September 25 | September 25 | | | | #2 Oklahoma City Energy FC | 1 | |
| #3 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC | 2 | | | | #2 Oklahoma City Energy FC | 1 | |
| #3 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC | 2 | October 4 | October 4 | | | | | |
| #6 Seattle Sounders FC 2 | 0 | October 4 | October 4 | | | | |
| #6 Seattle Sounders FC 2 | 0 | #2 Oklahoma City Energy FC (p) | 2 (4) | | | | |
| | | #3 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC | 2 (3) | | | | |

#### Playoff Results
### Friendlies
## Transfers
### In

| No. | Pos. | Player | Transferred from | Fee/notes | Date |
| 24 | GK | Patrick McLain | Orange County Blues FC | Free | February 17, 2015 |
| 99 | DF | Bilal Duckett | Charlotte Eagles | Free | March 6, 2015 |
| 16 | MF | Zev Taublieb | Valparaiso University | Free | March 6, 2015 |
| 22 | MF | Gabe Gonzalez | Orange County Blues FC | Free | March 6, 2015 |
| 26 | MF | Alfonso Motagalvan | Pittsburgh Riverhounds | Free | March 6, 2015 |
| 2 | DF | Derek Foran | St. Patrick’s Athletic | Free | March 10, 2015 |
| 4 | DF | Matthias Bonvehi | Stallion FC | Free | March 10, 2015 |
| 13 | FW | Adnan Gabeljic | NK Rudeš | Free | March 10, 2015 |
| 25 | FW | Joaquin Rivas | Kitsap Pumas | Free | March 10, 2015 |
| 3 | FW | David Estrada | D.C. United | | March 20, 2015 |
| 14 | FW | Cameron Iwasa | UC Irvine | | March 20, 2015 |
| 7 | MF | Gilberto | Marília | Return from Loan | April 30, 2015 |
| 5 | MF | Danny Barrera | Carolina RailHawks | | June 6, 2015 |
| 15 | FW | Kaleemullah | FC Dordoi Bishkek | | June 18, 2015 |

### Out

| No. | Pos. | Player | Transferred to | Fee/notes | Date |
| 7 | MF | Gilberto | Marília | Loan | January 15, 2015 |
| 22 | DF | Harrison Delbridge | Portland Timbers 2 | | February 19, 2015 |
| 9 | FW | Dakota Collins | NK HAŠK | | February 20, 2015 |
| 43 | FW | Izzy Tandir | Breiðablik | | March 12, 2015 |
| 99 | DF | Bilal Duckett | Charlotte Independence | | April 9, 2015 |
| 14 | FW | David Estrada | Orange County Blues | | August 10, 2015 |
| 16 | MF | Zev Taublieb | Wilmington Hammerheads FC | | August 20, 2015 |
| 22 | MF | Gabe González | Ventura County Fusion | | August 20, 2015 |
| 28 | MF | Rodrigo Lopez | Celaya FC | | October 8, 2015 |
| 7 | MF | Gilberto | Marília | | November 30, 2015 |
| 4 | DF | Matthias Bonvehi | Free Agent | | November 30, 2015 |
| 9 | FW | Gabe Gissie | Bethlehem Steel FC | | December 11, 2015 |
| 21 | DF | Mikey Daly | Bethlehem Steel FC | | December 11, 2015 |
| 15 | FW | Kaleemullah Khan | Tulsa Roughnecks FC | | December 17, 2015 |

### Loan in

| No. | Pos. | Player | Transferred from | Date |
| 16 | MF | Tommy Thompson | San Jose Earthquakes | August 29, 2015 |
| 3 | MF | J.J. Koval | San Jose Earthquakes | August 29, 2015 |
| 22 | FW | Mark Sherrod | San Jose Earthquakes | August 29, 2015 |