The Swope Park Rangers (14-11-8, 7th place) fell to Sacramento Republic FC (17-7-8, 3rd place) on Wednesday night at Papa Murphy’s Park in Sacramento. Tyler Blackwood would score the lone goal for the Rangers in the 31st minute.
In the seventh minute, Sporting KC loanee Kharlton Belmar would take a ball from Sporting KC loanee Wan Kuzain, but it would go to the left of the goal. Sacramento’s Cameron Iwasa would head a ball in the 10th minute, but it would miss just to the right of the goal.
Blackwood would nearly net in a ball from Hadji Barry in the 13th minute, but it would deflect off a Sacramento defender. Villyan Bijev would take a ball from Iwasa in the 17th minute and put it past Sporting KC loanee Adrian Zendejas to put the Republic ahead 1-0.
Barry takes a shot in the 22nd minute, but it would be blocked by a Sacramento defender and then Barry would send the rebound back toward the goal, but it would be saved by Sacramento’s goaltender Josh Cohen.
In the 31st minute, Belmar would have an attempt off a pass from Rassambek Akhmatov, but his shot would be saved by Cohen. Blackwood would then take the rebound opportunity and net it in, notching the score to 1-1.
Sporting KC Academy product Felipe Hernandez would have an excellent chance in the 44th minute from a Blackwood assist, but it would be stopped by Cohen.
In the 57th minute, Iwasa would head one past Zendejas from a Luis Espino Vazquez cross, propelling the Republic to a 2-1 lead. Sporting KC loanee Graham Smith would have a header attempt in the 59th minute from a Hernandez assist, but it would be saved in the top left corner.
Barry would have a chance off a Akhmatov pass in the 70th minute, but Barry’s attempt would be saved in the bottom left corner. Sacramento would extend their lead to 3-1 in the 76th minute when Jure Matjasic would net one past Zendejas off a through ball from Elliot Hord.
The Rangers would have a few more chances in the final minutes of the match, but all efforts would prove unsuccessful and the score would stand 3-1. The Rangers will close out the regular season at Children’s Mercy Park on Sunday, October 14 at 2:00 p.m. CT when they face LA Galaxy II (10-15-7, 12th place).
Playoff Picture
The Rangers can finish in the sixth thru ninth positions in the Western Conference. The next opportunity to clinch a playoff berth will come on Saturday if San Antonio loses to Las Vegas.
Swope Park Rangers vs Sacramento Republic FC
October 3, 2018 – Papa Murphy’s Park
Swope Park Rangers 1, Sacramento Republic FC 3
Scoring Summary:
SAC – Villyan Bijev 5 (Cameron Iwasa 6) – 17’
SPR –Tyler Blackwood 7 - 31’
SAC – Cameron Iwasa 16 (Luis Espino Vazquez 1) – 57’
SAC - Jure Matjasic 2 (Elliot Hord 3) – 76’
Misconduct Summary:
SAC – Jeremy Hall (Yellow Card) – 60’
Swope Park Rangers: Adrian Zendejas ©; Colton Storm, Graham Smith, Amer Didic (Matt Lewis 78), Parker Maher; Wan Kuzain, Rassambek Akhmatov (Sebastian Cruz 78), Felipe Hernandez (Wilson Harris 91); Kharlton Belmar, Tyler Blackwood, Hadji Barry
