SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Sacramento Republic FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 meet for the second time this season on Saturday night at Papa Murphy’s Park with Republic FC aiming to build on a morale-boosting victory in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday night. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. PT.

Matchcenter: http://bit.ly/2tvEMNP | Tickets: http://bit.ly/2ok5n1B | Broadcast: CW-31 (SAC)

Sacramento Republic FC news and notes

• Current record: 4-6-3, 15pts

• Sacramento fell 2-0 to Reno 1868 FC last Saturday night at Greater Nevada Field in the first regular-season meeting between the clubs.

• The loss extended Republic FC’s league winless streak to three games, which has placed the side 10th in the USL Western Conference.

• Republic FC got a major boost on Wednesday night as the club defeated Real Salt Lake 4-1 in the Fourth Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at Papa Murphy’s Park.

• Midfielder Danny Barrera, who had a goal and two assists in the victory against RSL, will be unavailable due to suspension for Saturday’s game.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 news and notes

• Current record: 4-6-2, 14pts

• WFC2 continued its recent run of alternating wins and losses with a 2-1 defeat against Phoenix Rising FC last Saturday night at the Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex.

• Marco Bustos scored from the penalty spot midway through the half to answer Didier Drogba’s opening goal for Phoenix, but Shaun Wright-Phillips scored the game-winner to give the hosts victory.

• Saturday’s game could see the debut for Vancouver of New Zealand U20 international Myer Bevan, who is included in the squad after competing for his country at the FIFA U20 World Cup in South Korea.

• Bevan will look to help boost an attack that has scored 14 goals in its first 12 games of the season.

Series Notes

• The two teams played to a 0-0 draw at Thunderbird Stadium in their first meeting this season, leaving Sacramento with a slim 2-1-3 edge in the all-time series.

Squads

• Sacramento – GK: Dominik Jakubek, Evan Newton; D: Peter McGlynn, Julius James, Carlos Rodriguez, Chris Christian, James Kiffe, Enrique Montano, Emrah Klimenta, Elliott Hord; M: Agustin Cazarez, Daniel Trickett-Smith, Gabe Gissie, Lamin Suma, Adam Moffatt, Tyler Blackwood, Jeremy Hall; F: Wilson Kneeshaw, Harry Williams, Sammy Ochoa, Trevin Caesar, Christian Chaney

• Vancouver – GK: Spencer Richey, Sean Melvin, Mark Village; D: Michael Baldisimo, Jacob Nerwinski, Kadin Chung, Cole Seiler, Sem de Wit, Dominick Zator; M: Nazeem Bartman, Ben McKendry, Thomas Gardner, David Norman Jr., William Seymore, Matthew Baldisimo, Marco Bustos, Noah Verhoven, Patrick Metcalfe; F: Kyle Greig, Terran Campbell, Thomas Sanner, Gloire Amanda, Andrew Thoma, Theo Bair, Nicholas Apostol, Myer Bevan

Discipline

• Sacramento – Suspended: Danny Barrera

• Vancouver – None

Officials

• REF: MICHAEL ZAPATA

• AR1: Stephen McGonagle

• AR2: Chris Hutchison

• 4TH: Matthew Buckman

Game hashtag:

• #SACvVAN

Twitter social handles

• Sacramento Republic FC – @SacRepublicFC

• Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 – @WFC2