SACRAMENTO, Calif. – FC Cincinnati defender Harrison Delbridge scored a stoppage-time equalizer against his former club as FCC and Sacramento Republic FC played to a thrilling 2-2 draw at Bonney Field in a preseason exhibition on Saturday night at Bonney Field.

With the game level 1-1 going into the closing stages, Sacramento grabbed the lead with eight minutes to go when a quickly taken free kick by Danny Barrera found Harry Williams with enough space for a shot on the right side of the penalty area. FCC goalkeeper Mitch Hildebrandt got down well to make the initial save, but Wilson Kneeshaw was first to the rebound to give the hosts the late lead.

FCC also pushed late for an equalizer after Kneeshaw’s tally had put the hosts ahead, and Kadeem Dacres pulled a shot wide of the left post inside the final five minutes. Kneeshaw himself also found a third for Sacramento on a counter-attack, only for late FCC substitute Dallas Jaye to turn his effort wide of the post.

That save proved crucial as a late cross in from the right by Casey Townsend was headed home by Delbridge in stoppage time, giving the former Republic FC defender the final word against his former club.

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Republic FC had the upper hand early on, and new midfielder Adam Moffatt forced a save from FC Cincinnati goalkeeper Mitch Hildebrandt with fine piece of technique that sent a curling shot toward the top-right corner of the net. Sacramento forward Trevin Caesar also set up a good chance in the 18th minute as he broke forward on the left, but Sammy Ochoa mishit an initial shot and Hildebrandt saved Tyler Blackwood’s low finish from just inside the penalty area on the follow-up.

Cincinnati weathered the early pressure, and took the lead in the 21st minute when the referee adjudged that Harrison Delbridge had been brought down in the penalty area during a free kick by Aodhan Quinn. The former Louisville City FC midfielder stepped up and sent his penalty kick into the top-right corner of the net.

Sacramento got back on the front foot in the final 15 minutes of the first half, and Caesar created a chance for Jeremy Hall when the Trinidad & Tobago international was first react to a deflected cross from the right. He controlled and laid the ball back to Hall at the top of the penalty area, but Hall’s shot was smothered by Hildebrandt.

Blackwood also forced a save from Hildebrandt three minutes before the break as the FCC goalkeeper got down to save a far-post effort from the left side of the penalty area. Caesar also shot over on a big chance late in the first half as Cincinnati took its lead to the break.

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Sacramento continued to press as the second half began, and found an equalizer in the 65th minute when James Kiffe sent a pass forward toward Caesar, and then drove forward into the penalty area to fire home a low finish off Caesar’s short ball into his path.

Dacres almost made an immediate impact after coming on as a second-half substitute shortly after, weaving past a defender 20 yards from goal to set up a shot to the right side of the net that was saved by Republic FC goalkeeper Dominik Jakubek.

Following the late finishes by Kneeshaw for Republic FC and Delbridge against his former team, however, honors finished even between the two clubs as they produced a grandstand ending in their first meeting.