TAMPA, Fla. – Sacramento Republic FC standout Emrah Klimenta has shown his scoring touch this year out of the back line, and his excellent free kick against Phoenix Rising FC has been voted the USL Fans’ Choice Goal of the Month for September of the 2017 season. Klimenta’s goal had taken Goal of the Week honors for Week 28, and now adds the monthly honor as well.

Klimenta – who this weekend made his first start in World Cup Qualifying for Montenegro – has been a stalwart for Republic FC since the club’s first season. With the side needing victory against Rising FC to push it closer to a place in the USL Cup Playoffs for a fourth consecutive season, his standout free kick from 25 yards that picked out the top-left corner paved the way to a 2-0 victory in front of a sellout crowd of 11,569 at Papa Murphy’s Park.

Klimenta's strike received 49 percent of the online poll conducted at USLSoccer.com that concluded on Monday morning. FC Cincinnati’s Harrison Delbridge finished second on 43 percent for his tremendous blast to the top-right corner in FCC’s 4-2 victory against the New York Red Bulls II at Nippert Stadium, while Phoenix Rising FC’s Alessandro Riggi took third for his deft first-time chip against Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2.

2017 Fans' Choice USL Goal of the Month Winners 

March/April: Marcel Schäfer - Tampa Bay Rowdies
May: AJ Ajeakwa - San Antonio FC
June: Nansel Selbol - Swope Park Rangers
July: Nansel Selbol - Swope Park Rangers
August: Nansel Selbol - Swope Park Rangers