At 13 years, 7 months, and 13 days, Kimbrough entered Sunday’s game against Las Vegas
Da’vian Kimbrough made a historic pro debut for the Sacramento Republic on Sunday, becoming the youngest professional soccer player to play in a competitive match in the United States.
At age 13 years, 7 months, and 13 days, Kimbrough came on as an 87th-minute substitution in the Republic’s 2-0 win over the Las Vegas Lights in a USL Championship match.
In case you didn’t want to do the math, that means Kimbrough was born in 2010.
Kimbrough broke the record previously held by Máximo Carizzo, who debuted for New York City FC 2 in MLS NEXT Pro last year at age 14 years, 4 months, and 26 days.
In August, Kimbrough signed for the Republic out of the club’s academy, making him the youngest professional athlete in American team sports history.
Historic. Da’vian Kimbrough makes his professional debut at 13 years, 7 months, 13 days with his hometown club. pic.twitter.com/SNjsxQPlA5
Republic coach Mark Briggs said after the game that even in his brief cameo, Kimbrough showed some glimpses of why he is so highly rated.
“We’ve got to continue to drive our local talent, continue to develop our local talent, and Da’vian is obviously a special one that we’re fortunate to have for a long time,” Briggs said. “And I think you saw in glimpses today the ability the kid has. He’s a special talent and we look forward to developing him.”
Kimbrough admitted that he was feeling some nerves before his history-making appearance, but as soon as he was on the field he felt much more at ease.
“I was a bit nervous at first before I got subbed on,” he said. “But once I got on the field, at the end of the day it’s just soccer. So I was just doing what I love.”
He added: “My main goal when I got in was to touch the ball a little bit, pass, move. Hopefully next time I can score.”
The youth movement in U.S. soccer is not slowing down.
Da’vian Kimbrough, aged 13 years, 5 months and 13 days, signed with Sacramento Republic of the USL Championship on Tuesday, making him the youngest person to agree to a professional contract in this country’s soccer history.
The previous record holder is believed to be Maximo Carrizo, who signed a professional deal with NYCFC on his 14th birthday in 2022. It is believed that Kimbrough is the youngest player to sign a contract in any major U.S. team sport.
“Da’vian’s journey with Republic FC is just beginning. He is a remarkable talent who has committed to his dream of becoming an elite player, from competing with players in older age groups and thriving at top competitions, to stepping on to the first team training grounds,” Sacramento general manager Todd Dunivant said in a press release. “We are honored that the Kimbrough family and Da’vian have chosen Republic FC to support his professional pathway, and we look forward to taking the next steps together.”
According to the club, Kimbrough has trained with the first team in the past, and will be placed on a “mixed training regimen” that will see him work with both the Republic senior squad as well as academy teams. Sacramento has also crafted a plan with an education partner to allow Kimbrough to continue with school while he takes these first steps as a professional player.
Kimbrough has yet to appear for a U.S. youth national team, though he did participate in a U.S. Soccer youth national team identification camp in October 2022. The clock may be ticking already, as Kimbrough is eligible for both the U.S. and Mexico.
Per Sacramento, Kimbrough boosted his profile at the Bassevelde U13 Cup, a notable Belgian youth event featuring Under-13 sides from traditional European powers like Benfica and Juventus. Kimbrough, playing as a guest for the New York Red Bulls, ended up as the tournament’s MVP after scoring six goals.
“We made history. We did things that no one thought we could do”
ORLANDO, Fla. — The Sacramento Republic’s Cinderella run through the U.S. Open Cup fell short at the final hurdle.
The Republic embarked on a magical run to become the first second-division side to qualify for the championship game since 2008.
Sacramento took down MLS opposition in three consecutive rounds — San Jose Earthquakes in the round of 16, LA Galaxy in the quarterfinals and Sporting KC in a memorable semifinal that required penalties after 120 scoreless minutes.
“I think the guys made the city proud, everyone associated with the club proud,” Republic manager Mark Briggs said. “I think this run has ignited a flame in the city and got the supporters behind the club and buzzing about the club again after, obviously, a dark cloud was over it for a little bit.”
Sacramento was awarded an MLS franchise in 2019, with plans to enter the league this year. However, prospective majority owner Ron Burkle backed out of the deal in February 2021 due to “issues with the project related to COVID-19,” the league stated.
“Like anything else in life, you deal with the reality, pick the pieces back up and move forward,” owner Kevin Nagle told Pro Soccer Wire in July. “We have not given up on MLS.”
Republic midfielder Rodrigo López had few words in the immediate aftermath of Wednesday’s loss when asked to sum up the team’s remarkable journey.
“I’m just extremely proud of the team that I had the privilege of walking out with tonight,” López said. “We didn’t hold anything back. I thought we were solid for 75 minutes. We gave up a goal, and the tides changed.”
That goal came off the boot of Uruguayan star Facundo Torres, a player Briggs highlighted as an example of the financial gulf between Sacramento and its MLS opponents in the tournament.
“You make mistakes against teams of this level, you get punished. And that’s what happened,” Briggs said. “Torres [might be] going to the World Cup in November. Orlando paid $9 million for him. That’s more than the value of our club.”
Orlando City’s Facundo Torres celebrates in front of fans after Orlando City defeated Sacramento Republic in the U.S. Open Cup final soccer match Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2022, in Orlando, Fla. (AP Photo/John Raoux)
López was disappointed in defeat, but the veteran knew that when he looked back on the tournament as a whole he would be proud of what his side accomplished.
“At the end of the day we have to be proud of ourselves, you know?” said López. “We made history. We did things that no one thought we could do. Put ourselves in a situation to play a final. That’s something that everyone should hold on to.”
Orlando City put pre-game controversy aside to deliver the club’s first trophy
ORLANDO, Fla. — Their raucous capacity crowd of 25,527 fans chanted “We want the cup” before a ball was kicked, and Orlando City delivered Wednesday night, capturing the first major piece of silverware since the club joined Major League Soccer seven years ago.
Facundo Torres hammered the go-ahead goal in the 75th minute, and slotted home an insurance penalty five minutes later as the host Lions defeated second-tier Sacramento Republic 3-0 in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final.
Orlando’s win, however, could be clouded in a bit of controversy after Sacramento — as first reported by ESPN — filed a complaint with the U.S. Soccer Federation alleging that an Orlando City staffer was spying on the team’s training session on Tuesday.
Sacramento head coach Mark Briggs didn’t want to talk about the controversy after the game, saying in his press conference: “That’s for other people to decide and other people to talk about. Congratulations to Oscar [Pareja, Orlando City head coach] and the organization for winning the Open Cup.”
Prior to this year, Orlando had never advanced beyond the U.S. Open Cup semifinals. The club has won just one MLS playoff game since its expansion campaign in 2015.
And yet, Orlando was far from the biggest underdog on the pitch Wednesday night — let alone in America’s premier multi-tier tournament.
Republic took down MLS opposition in three consecutive round — San Jose Earthquakes in the round of 16, LA Galaxy in the quarterfinals and Sporting KC in a memorable semifinal that required penalties after 120 scoreless minutes.
Sacramento’s sturdy defense, the backbone throughout the cup competition, withstood Orlando’s attack and a steady downpour in the first half. The Lions maintained 55.7% possession and outshot Republic 6-1, but never truly threatened Sacramento goalkeeper Danny Vitiello.
Dan Casey bravely defended Orlando’s best chance at one end, and created Sacramento’s at the other. He fairly tackled Mauricio Pereyra and sprung Maalique Foster in on goal, but Foster’s shot dragged just wide of the bottom right corner.
Republic showed some positivity in attack and a bit of confidence out of halftime, winning the match’s first corner in the 48th minute and forcing Orlando keeper Pedro Gallese into an uncomfortable punch to defend a dangerous free kick in the 72nd.
But Orlando’s well-timed, aggressive press sealed Sacramento’s fate.
Ivan Angulo and second-half substitute Benji Michel hounded Casey and forced a turnover inside the Sacramento box. Michel placed it on a tee for Torres, who lashed a left-footed strike past the diving Vitiello.
Five minutes later, Michel won a penalty as he headed a loose ball around Vitiello and was tripped up from behind by Casey. Torres took the spot kick, and buried it to effectively seal the outcome.
Michel added a third in stoppage time, splitting two defenders to track down Torres’ pass and slide it across the face of goal and into a yawning net.
Orlando City was a deserved winner on the night, but the spy controversy again came up in Pareja’s post-game press conference.
The Orlando City coach offered a full-throated defense.
“The only thing that I say in these times is, nobody’s spying [on] anybody,” he said. “[There] is a lot of knowledge about this team. Everybody knows the team. But I understand.
“I would cooperate with anything the [U.S. Soccer] Federation wants us to say, and anything they want to know. But, I want to recognize the way our players concentrated on the game and didn’t let anything of [the spying reports] filter through the group. That was fantastic. They just absorbed it.
They said, ‘we’ll just concentrate on our game,’ and I thought it was very fair play for both teams. Sacramento is a fantastic team, but we were the best team on the field, and there’s nothing else to say.”
Midnight struck for Sacramento’s Cinderella story, as Orlando won their first-ever trophy
Orlando City, it’s time to go get a trophy case for Exploria Stadium.
Orlando won the 2022 U.S. Open Cup final Wednesday night, as a quick-fire double from Facundo Torres and a late strike from Benji Michel gave the Lions a 3-0 win over an upstart Sacramento Republic FC side.
Fittingly for a cup final that played out amid accusations of spying, the atmosphere was tense. Hard challenges from both teams were frequent, while ESPN’s broadcast reported that coaches Mark Briggs and Oscar Pareja were exchanging words along the touchline.
In front of goal, however, there was little to report. Orlando’s Ercan Kara didn’t react fast enough in a scramble to tuck a great chance away, while Maalique Foster’s long-range effort for Sacramento flew a yard wide soon thereafter.
The second half carried on in that vein, with the Republic successfully slowing play down and frustrating an MLS opponent, just as they had against Sporting Kansas City, the LA Galaxy, and the San Jose Earthquakes on their path to the final. The first non-MLS club to make an Open Cup final since 2008 were dictating the terms, even as Orlando had most of the possession.
In the 75th minute, though, a disaster for Sacramento, and for neutrals everywhere. A giveaway deep in the Republic half from defender Dan Casey was blocked by Orlando forward Iván Angulo, and Michel—a game-changing substitute brought in just minutes earlier by Pareja—adroitly passed back for the Uruguayan international Torres to fizz a shot into the top corner.
Sacramento had not trailed at any point in the competition, and seemed rattled at the deficit. Minutes later, things went from bad to worse: a ball over the top drew goalkeeper Matt Vitiello, but Michel beat him to it. Michel nodded it over Vitiello, only to be wiped out from behind by Casey. Referee Ramy Touchan will rarely have as easy a penalty to call, and Torres suddenly had himself a brace after making no mistake from the spot.
Sacramento went direct trying to come up with one more miracle, but the goal came at the other end, as Michel raced onto a through ball, drew Vitiello to an angle, and then slipped a finish past him and into the bottom corner.
Sacramento Republic FC did it again, seeing off yet another MLS team and advancing to the 2022 U.S. Open Cup final, getting past Sporting Kansas City on penalties Wednesday night thanks to some heroics from goalkeeper Matt Vitiello and some raw determination all over the field.
It’s just the fourth time since the MLS era began in 1996 that a non-MLS team has made the final, and the first time since 2008. It continues a run at home for Sacramento that has seen them advance in 16 of 17 Open Cup matches played on the California state fairgrounds.
Sacramento has now knocked three MLS teams out en route to the final, with Kansas City joining the San Jose Earthquakes and LA Galaxy.
A packed house at Heart Health Park saw both teams provide early threats, though Kansas City’s Johnny Russell’s near miss was the closest look either team produced in the early moments.
Keko Gontán and Douglas Martínez both went close for the home side as the half wore on, though, with Sacramento starting to find space attacking the Sporting KC left. At the other end, Matt Vitiello had to make the trickiest save of the first half late, denying Daniel Salloi’s 19-yard blast at full stretch.
Play became more physical as the teams came out from the halftime break. However, a poor clearing header from Ben Sweat set Gontán up for a golden 61st minute chance that Jon Pulskamp did brilliantly to tip away. Kansas City, despite having more of the shots, never went closer than a late Felipe Hernández shot that zipped over the bar.
Extra time saw the chances start to pile up for Kansas City. Salloi bent one wide, while Vitiello had to make a stop as the field started to tilt against the USL Championship side. Salloi then went even closer in the 98th minute, cracking a shot off the bar that then nearly rebounded in off of defender Dan Casey, only to float mercifully wide.
Kansas City then appealed for a handball that was ignored, while substitute Willy Agada took one too many touches, allowing Vitiello to snag a loose ball before he could shoot from a promising position.
Russell was predictably at the heart of every promising KC attack, and tried to go it alone in the 116th minute only for Vitiello to produce another excellent stop.
It was all Sporting, until the very last play of the match. A long throw-in was allowed to bounce around before Casey shot low only to be denied by Graham Zusi’s block, and Lee Desmond shot the rebound into the stands.
Vitiello thought he’d given Sacramento the edge in the third round of penalties, denying Agada’s attempt, but referee Allen Chapman ordered a re-take that Agada didn’t waste.
However, Vitiello delivered his hero turn in the fifth round, as he flew to his left to slap away Zusi’s take, setting the stage for Republic cult hero Rodrigo López to convert the winning penalty.
Sacramento was awarded an MLS team; then it was taken away. The club is now responding in a big way on the field
If there ever was a team and a fanbase that earned the collective chip on their shoulder, it would be Sacramento Republic FC.
This was supposed to be the Republic’s expansion MLS season. Three years ago, there was an official event with commissioner Don Garber, city luminaries and thousands of fans celebrating Sacramento’s official arrival in MLS.
And then it was all taken away.
Still reeling from the setback, Sacramento has embarked on a U.S. Open Cup run this year that has seen the club’s name in the headlines, finally, for positive reasons. But that lingering sting from the biggest disappointment in club history hasn’t gone away.
“The deck has been stacked against us in a lot of ways,” Todd Dunivant, a former LA Galaxy mainstay who is now the Republic’s president and general manager, told Pro Soccer Wire. “But it’s sort of a story of Sacramento, it’s the story of our club. We keep going and we don’t take no for an answer.”
The Republic will host Sporting Kansas City in the Open Cup semifinal on Wednesday, marking just the second time since 2011 that a non-MLS team has reached the final four. The run through America’s oldest soccer competition has been a badly needed elixir for a fanbase that has been through more ups and downs in a decade than many experience in a lifetime.
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The Republic have only been around since 2014, and their consistently impressive fan support and strong lobbying for an MLS franchise paid off when billionaire Ron Burkle stepped in as a lead investor in 2019.
With that major hurdle cleared and a brand-new 20,100-seat stadium in the works, MLS officially rolled out the red carpet for Sacramento in October 2019.
“Sacramento will join MLS with a world-class soccer stadium that will transform the sport in California’s capital,” Garber said.
Thanks to the passionate @SacRepublicFC soccer fans, dedicated community leaders and a determined ownership group, Major League Soccer is coming to Sacramento. We are thrilled to welcome this vibrant, soccer-savvy city to @MLS! pic.twitter.com/rX4Y9bYBy9
As plans for a 2022 kickoff ramped up, the pandemic hit. First the team’s inaugural season was pushed back one year, and then, catastrophe: Burkle, citing rising costs, backed out of the project entirely.
In an instant, the Republic went from a future MLS team to a franchise many thought could be eliminated completely.
“There were questions that people were asking and rumors being whispered about the club going under,” Dunivant said. “And that was never going to happen. Kevin Nagle, our owner, was never going to let that happen.”
In an email interview with Pro Soccer Wire, Nagle said that while losing out on an MLS spot was undeniably painful, the Republic had no choice but to keep going.
“Like anything else in life, you deal with the reality, pick the pieces back up and move forward,” Nagle said. “We have not given up on MLS.”
The plans for a new stadium continue apace. Only now, the planned capacity is a more modest 12,000 to 15,000. But with an optimistic eye on a future MLS spot, the club said it could be scaled up closer to its original capacity.
“We’re working on a new downtown stadium with or without MLS,” Dunivant said. “And that’s because of Kevin’s commitment to this club and to this city.”
As Nagle puts it: “We will build a stadium one way or another.”
“We want to build a world-class soccer stadium in The Railyards, and to begin the next decade of Republic FC." 🏟️
The club prepares a new vision for downtown stadium to ignite a new era of development in Sacramento.
The path to MLS looks difficult for Sacramento at present. Garber has said the league plans to expand to 30 teams and then take a pause. With 29 of the 30 teams already spoken for, Garber has said Las Vegas is the frontrunner for team 30, followed by San Diego and Phoenix.
But Garber, of course, has expanded beyond previous targets in the past. Even if it takes more time than expected, the Republic are holding on to some optimism because the Sacramento market has already been explored, vetted, and approved by MLS.
“We would love to be an MLS team,” Nagle said. “We want to be the best that we can whether it’s as an MLS team or USL. We earned the right once and it can happen again.”
Jun 21, 2022; Carson, CA, United States; Sacramento Republic FC celebrate the goal scored by midfielder Rodrigo López (8) against the Los Angeles Galaxy during the first half at Dignity Health Sports Park. Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
For now, Sacramento is staring down one of the biggest games in club history as Sporting KC comes to town. After beating in-state MLS teams San Jose and the LA Galaxy in the previous two rounds, the Republic come into Wednesday’s game full of confidence.
But even though they’ve already got past two MLS teams and Sporting KC is struggling in the league at present, Dunivant says Sacramento views its next game as the team’s biggest test yet.
“We see this game as by far our biggest challenge yet, funny enough,” Dunivant said. “Sporting Kansas City values this tournament, they’ve won it many, many times. [Head coach] Peter Vermes puts a lot of emphasis on it. They’re going to want to win and they’re going to do everything they can to win.”
Regardless of what happens Wednesday, the Republic’s run has displayed the kind of resilience the club needs after the biggest disappointment in its history. Sacramento will play the role of underdog against another MLS team.
It’s a position that seems to suit them.
“We weren’t supposed to beat the Earthquakes, we weren’t supposed to beat the Galaxy, yet here we are,” Dunivant said. “We’re not supposed to beat Kansas City. And I think Sacramento thrives in that underdog role as a city.
“This happens once or twice a decade. And here we are. So it’s been a lot of fun. And we’re looking forward to the next challenge.”
U.S. Soccer conducted the final draw for the 2022 U.S. Open Cup, revealing who would host July’s two semifinal games, as well as determining the hosting priority for the final in September.
Neutrals got one outcome they wanted, with USL Championship club Sacramento Republic FC ending up the host of the western side of the bracket’s semifinal. Sacramento will host Sporting Kansas City at Heart Health Park, a venue in which they’ve tasted defeat just once in 16 Open Cup games over the years.
Sacramento produced a stunning upset Tuesday night to earn their place in the semifinals, defeating the LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park.
Over in the east, the winner of the Orlando City vs. Nashville SC quarterfinal (which will take place in Florida on June 29) will host the other semifinal, with the New York Red Bulls heading to either Exploria Stadium or Geodis Park.
Both semifinals do not have announced dates or times, though U.S. Soccer has scheduled both to be played on either July 26 or July 27.
The good news for Sacramento turned sour in the draw for hosting priority in the final. The Republic were drawn into the lowest priority, meaning that no matter who wins in the east, Sacramento will have to head on the road. The Orlando/Nashville winner got top priority, with Sporting KC second and the Red Bulls in third.
The date and time of the final is not settled, with U.S. Soccer stating that the game could be played on September 6-7 or September 13-14.
Sacramento Republic pulled off one of the biggest U.S. Open Cup shocks in recent memory, going on the road to win Tuesday’s quarterfinal against the LA Galaxy.
Rodrigo López struck early for Sacramento, who took the lead in the 4th minute, only for the Galaxy to get level via an 18th minute own goal off of a corner kick. Luis Felipe then scored a long-range winner in the 70th minute, with Sacramento hanging on confidently to their lead eventually finishing the match with four more shot attempts than the Galaxy (15-11).
Greg Vanney only mildly rotated his team, and even sent Javier “Chicharito” Hernández and Victor Vázquez in for the final half-hour trying to keep LA in the tournament, but in the end Sacramento authored the sixth win by a club somewhere in USL over an MLS team in this year’s competition. Sacramento has two of those, as they defeated the San Jose Earthquakes in the round of 16.
Both goals came from former MLS players, and in fact both played for Galaxy rivals. López’s first professional contract saw him sign with Chivas USA in 2005, while Luis Felipe spent three seasons with San Jose.
Sacramento entered the quarterfinal as the only remaining USL Championship club left in the Open Cup, and one of two non-MLS sides still in with a chance. Union Omaha, the last remaining USL League One team, plays Wednesday against Sporting Kansas City, and another upset there would guarantee the first lower-league finalist since 2008, as Sacramento and Omaha would be paired in the semifinal.
