Memphis 901 FC end west coast trip with a draw to Sacramento Republic FC

Memphis picked up a hard-fought point in a matchup against the current top seed in the Western conference, with the game ending 1-1 after late drama.

901 FC were the first to hit the back of the net with Emerson Hyndman scoring just minutes after the halftime break. Fellow midseason addition Rodrigo da Costa had the assist to cap off the build-up play.

With plenty of time for a response, the match slowly turned to a matter of survival for the Memphis defense. Reinforcements from the bench and plenty of energy from the home crowd gave Sacramento an edge as the minutes ticked on and a flurry of chances started to come. This culminated in an 87th minute goal from Russell Cicerone as the Republic took advantage of a turnover in their attacking half.

Three points slipped through the fingers of Memphis but the team was able to hold onto the draw in stoppage time. An impressive feat considering the short rest heading into the night and Sacramento’s daunting home record of seven wins, three draws and one loss.

Road success has been a key characteristic for this year’s squad with half of their points coming away from home, and it all starts with Aaron Molloy. His ability to play both sides of the pitch – creating at a league-high rate and anchoring defensively when needed – is an invaluable asset and gives Memphis a confidence they wouldn’t have without. Molloy had the most touches out of anyone on the pitch (83) while maintaining a passing accuracy of 95%.

Most of the attack from 901 FC in the first half was possession based, using short passes in the opposition’s half in an attempt to find an opening. Sacramento, on the other hand, had a much more direct approach with long-balls over the top and quick counters. This was unsurprising considering the trouble Memphis has had in recent weeks defending in transition. 

Memphis’ second half breakthrough turned these styles of play on their head, with Memphis having to absorb tons of pressure without the ball to dictate a preferable pace. The back line held their ground for as long as they could until fatigue crept in and became a major factor.

The northern California road trip brought a lot of positives that Memphis desperately needed. A lot of praise can be directed towards Jelani Peters and Graham Smith for the effort. The center back duo played every minute this week and played a huge part in making the 10-goals-in-two-games disaster feel like a distant memory.

Next up, Memphis returns home to face Orange County SC on Saturday, July 22 at 7:30pm.