2026 Stats Recap: #5 8/29-9/26

The final stats update of the season before the playoffs! We are coming down the home stretch, and we need the Republic to step up if they want to move up the standings. See who is delivering for the Republic with this stats update.

This article will take a deep dive into who is performing well for the Republic. For those new here, I keep a running spreadsheet of the Republic's season that you can access using the link at the bottom of this page. And from there, I provide regular updates on who is performing well in the different categories. This will be the fifth update for 2026, and I will provide one after every five matches except for the last one, which will be at the end of the season, playoffs or not.

If you want to read the match recaps for the past 5 matches (some of these won't have match recaps as I was out traveling):

• 8/29/26: 1-1 at Monterey Bay FC
• 9/5/26: 1-1 at Orange County SC
• 9/12/26: 1-0 vs. Detroit City FC
• 9/20/26: 0-0 vs. San Antonio FC
• 9/26/26: 3-2 at New Mexico United

If you also want to read relevant stats recaps from last year, you can check these out. One will be from the 2025 season, after the first 25 matches of last year's campaign, and the other will be the overall stats recap at the end of the season.

• 2025 Stats Recap #5: 8/30-9/27
• 2025 Stats Recap Finale

This will be the last stats update before the season ends! So there will be no update between the final regular season game and the start of the postseason, if we make it that far. But yes, theoretically, the final update could be pushed far enough that it includes nine games in its record. Check out the previous updates this season!

Goals:

1. Kyle Edwards - 7 goals.
2. Memo Rodriguez and Tyler Wolff - 4 goals each.
3. Michel Benitez and Forster Ajago - 3 goals each.

Shots:

1. Memo Rodriguez - 40 shots taken (10 on target, 18 off target, 12 blocked).
2. Kyle Edwards - 32 shots taken (13 on target, 11 off target, 8 blocked).
3. Mayele Malango - 26 shots taken (4 on target, 17 off target, 5 blocked).

Total xG (Expected Goals):

1. Kyle Edwards - 5.27.
2. Forster Ajago - 4.34.
3. Memo Rodriguez - 3.55.

Assists:

1. Memo Rodriguez - 6 assists.
2. Jack Gurr - 4 assists.
3. Arturo Rodriguez and Kyle Edwards - 3 assists each.

Kyle Edwards has widened his lead at the top of this roster for goals scored since the last update. The amazing part is that about 65% of his minutes have come off the bench. He has since earned the all-time league record for scoring the most goals off the bench with 19 goals and counting. He is a menace with one objective on his mind when Neill Collins summons him to step onto the field. Now there might be a case for him being the starter to lead the line for the Republic. But I think he is perfect for the role that he's in right now. Imagine you are an opposing defense having to deal with Memo Rodriguez and Jack Gurr buzzing all over the place, trying to create an opportune ball. And of course you have to keep a tab on Cal Jennings popping up wherever he wants. That will tire a defense out. And then you have this second wave of pressure to deal with once Kyle Edwards steps onto the pitch. He just has this instinct to pick apart a defense and take advantage of the holes in a defense that will appear the later a match goes on. I mean, take a look at the latest goal he scored against New Mexico. The opposition played a high defensive line while chasing an equalizer, and Edwards had the presence of mind to run in behind and basically run unchecked until he hit the New Mexico box. The Republic starters can put on a great performance, but if you want a full 90-minute display, you will need players like Kyle Edwards to come in late and help you carry it out. I don't want to jinx him, but we might see him become the latest member of the Republic's double-digit scorer club, and for him to be coming off the bench for most of his appearance. The last person to score a double-digit tally in a USL Championship season for the Republic was Kieran Phillips in 2024.

I mentioned him in the last bit, but Memo Rodriguez was rewarded for his efforts in the last match out with a brace. He is normally on the chance creation side, so it's great to see him be on the receiving end of some of these opportunities. I've been singing Memo's praises in these stats recaps over the past couple of updates, and he continues to deliver.

The Republic have markedly increased their shooting production in the past five matches. Since the last update, the Republic have taken 84 shots, the most they've taken in any of these five-match intervals this season. That said, their conversion rate still needs improvement. I mentioned in the last update that their conversion rate for the season was 11.2%, since then it has dipped to 10.6%. Now, the same exercise for the last 5 matches. If you look at the shots taken by the Republic and apply the 10.6% shots-to-goals conversion rate, you'd see that the Republic still are not hitting that mark in reality. The most egregious game in this last stretch was the San Antonio match. There, the Republic took 20 shots that match, but came away with 0 goals. If you apply the conversion rate, you'd expect them to come away with 2.12 goals. There is a note about shot quality, but looking at the match xG, the Republic had 1.25. If the Republic matched their statistical performance, they would've gotten all three points in that one and put them even closer to the top of the standings.

That being said, taking more shots in general, I think, is a welcome sight in my eyes. It shows the Republic are going out there, trying to chase games and force their way to a result. We just need to actually meet our expectations to get more favorable results towards the end of the season.

Touches on the Ball:

1. Lee Desmond - 1879 touches.
2. Danny Crisostomo - 1214 touches.
3. Jared Timmer - 1140 touches.

Passes Completed:

1. Lee Desmond - 1554 passes completed (1353 short passes, 201 long passes).
2. Danny Crisostomo - 1024 passes completed (942 short passes, 82 long passes).
3. Jared Timmer - 965 passes completed (856 short passes, 109 long passes).

Average Passing Accuracy (minimum 200 passes):

1. Danny Crisostomo - 89.13% average passing accuracy on 1024 passes completed.
2. Jared Timmer - 88.78% average passing accuracy on 965 passes completed.
3. Pep Casas - 86.30% average passing accuracy on 884 passes completed.

The Republic have been on an 8-game unbeaten streak, and the steady presence of the Republic backline and defensive midfield is to thank for that string of performances. That unit, along with Danny Vitiello, has been able to keep us in matches and limit the opportunities of Sacramento's opposition. However, there were some performances where we could've kept a clean sheet but didn't. I'll be curious to see how these numbers change as Freddy Kleeman returns to the Republic backline and gets starting minutes again. We've seen Neill Collins use mostly a three centerback look with Jack Gurr floating around. But Collins has also shaken it up recently in the match against New Mexico, playing a standard four back look with only two centerbacks, with Jack Gurr and Ryan Spaulding playing as traditional fullbacks. 

Chances Created:

1. Memo Rodriguez - 53 chances created.
2. Jack Gurr - 26 chances created.
3. Mayele Malango - 17 chances created.

Memo legitimately is on fire right now. At the last update, he recorded 31 chances created. Now he was close to doubling that total five matches later. He has stepped up to be one of the Republic's primary playmakers, as his vision to find teammates is key to the Republic's success. Memo currently accounts for 24% of the Republic's assists this season. For every assist, it's nearly a 1-in-4 shot that it came from Memo. Jack Gurr has doubled his total since the last update, as he was only on 13 chances created. This should be the cause of the Republic being able to pile more shots on their opponent's net. Both Memo and Gurr can create a variety of opportunities from different areas of the field, and having both of them in the match at the same time is going to be crucial down the stretch for the Republic to move up the standings.

Tackles:

1. Mark-Anthony Kaye - 41 tackles committed.
2. Danny Crisostomo - 35 tackles committed.
3. Michel Benitez - 29 tackles committed.

Fouls Won:

1. Ryan Spaulding - 32 fouls won.
2. Memo Rodriguez - 29 fouls won.
3. Arturo Rodriguez - 26 fouls won.

Duels Won:

1. Lee Desmond - 131 duels won on a 66% duel win rate.
2. Mark-Anthony Kaye - 87 duels won on a 54% duel win rate.
3. Jared Timmer - 76 duels won on a 66% duel win rate.

Y'know, the longer that Mark-Anthony Kaye is injured and the longer he holds on to that top spot as the tackles leader, the more impressive it is. Danny Crisostomo is on pace to catch him by season's end, but you can tell the work that Kaye put in when he was on the field. I do also expect to see Freddy Kleeman pop up back in the duels won tracker if the Republic use their three centerback formation. But I am curious whether Collins will opt for that formation, given the depth at that position. Because beyond Kleeman, at this point we only have Aaron Essel backing him up. And I do like the physicality that Essel brings to a game, but I am not sure if I want him on the defensive line. I see Essel better in a defensive midfield role, but it's hard to get past Crisostomo right now.

Yellow Cards:

1. Aaron Essel - 8 yellow cards.
2. Danny Crisostomo - 7 yellow cards.
3. Freddy Kleeman - 4 yellow cards.

It seems the Republic and Coach Collins are managing Essel's appearances right now, as he's only been limited to coming off the bench for the past couple of games. This is pure speculation, but my bet is that they're trying to reduce the amount of yellow cards Essel has to his tally so they can avoid a suspension due to yellow card accumulation. Crisostomo has had 7 yellow cards shown to him, but thanks to two previous good behavior penalties being applied he is effectively on 5 yellow cards.

What do you think of these stats? Who performed to your expectations? Who exceeded them? Let me know in the comments below!

Check out the full spreadsheet here!

(Photo thanks to Sacramento Republic FC).