Know Your Opponent: AV Alta

It's time to take a shot at glory in the USL Jägermeister Cup!

Sacramento Republic will be entering the USL Jägermeister Cup as part of Group 1. This group also contains Las Vegas Lights, Monterey Bay, Oakland Roots, and Orange County. There are also two USL League One participants in this group, with Spokane Velocity and Sacramento's next opponent, AV Alta. This article will go deeper into AV Alta.

A brief overview of the USL Jägermeister Cup. This competition includes all teams from the USL Championship and USL League One, split into six groups. Each team will play four matches, two at home and two away, in the group stage. The six group winners and two best wildcard teams will progress into the knockout stage of the competition. In the case of a tie, the first tiebreaker will be total goals scored in place of goal differential. So, expect your team to score as many goals as possible. There will be a couple of changes on matchday as well. The main one is that there are no draws allowed in the competition. After 90 minutes, if there is no winner, it will go straight to a penalty shootout. The point structure in the group stage is three points for a win after 90 minutes, two points for a win in a penalty shootout, one point for a loss in a penalty shootout, and zero points for a loss after 90 minutes.

So, on to AV Alta.

AV Alta

Manager: Brian Kleiban

Formation: 4-1-4-1

Record: 2-3-0; 8th (USL League One)

Last 5 Games: WWWWL

Players to Watch: Jimmie Villalobos, Luca Mastratonio

Top Goalscorers: Jimmie Villalobos - 4 goals (3 in USL League One, 1 in US Open Cup)

Top Assists: Eduardo Blancas, Kaloyan Pehlivanov - 1 assist each

Top Yellow Cards: 7 players - 1 yellow card each

Top Red Cards: Maboumou Alassane - 1 red card

The 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭 finish. 🤤

Jimmie Villalobos of @AVALTAFC has won the @select_america Goal of the Week! pic.twitter.com/QAhiHXKPJ5

— USL League One (@USLLeagueOne) April 10, 2025

And we're level! ⚖️

Jimmie Villalobos 𝐡𝐚𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐞 with his third goal for @AVALTAFC! ✌️ pic.twitter.com/bQcUOxnNBo

— USL League One (@USLLeagueOne) April 13, 2025

Coming out of the Antelope Valley, AV Alta is having a great time in this first season as a club. They are in the middle of the pack in USL League One. And they have put together a great run so far in the US Open Cup. Their cup run has seen them get past the likes of Ventura County Fusion, Los Angeles FC II, and Orange County SC. Their last win against Orange County came via a penalty shootout after an entertaining 2-2 draw. The last match for them, however, was their first home loss as a team, losing 1-2 against Spokane Velocity FC.

In terms of their attack, they rank 6th in USL League One for goals, with six scored so far. However, they don't seem to create many chances, ranking third from the bottom in USL League One with 41 shots taken. Their attack appears to be centered around creating team goals through quick, high-tempo passing down the flanks, resulting in crosses into the opposition's box. Their leading goalscorer this season is Jimmie Villalobos, with three goals so far in league play. This includes a man-of-the-match performance with a brace against Chattanooga Red Wolves. Villalobos has a penchant for making the late run into the box and getting on the end of crosses to put them in the net. So, the Republic defense will have to keep an eye out for delayed runs and mark AV Alta's players accordingly.

AV Alta's defense has only managed one clean sheet in eight matches across all competitions. That one match was a 2-0 win against Westchester. They are also 4th in USL League One for conceding the most goals, with nine goals scored against in five league matches. The Republic will definitely find chances against this backline; it will be a question of whether they can convert those opportunities. Also, keep an eye out if the Republic gets a set piece opportunity within AV Alta's half. In AV Alta's last Open Cup match against Orange County, they conceded both of their goals from set-piece opportunities: one from a corner kick and the other from a free kick. They have a talented center-back pairing with Luca Mastrantonio and Miguel Pajaro, so watch them as the Republic tries to break their defense down.

Sacramento fans know we have had success in penalty shootouts. But, as mentioned above, AV Alta has recently been tested in a penalty shootout. If this game were to reach that stage, watch for Coach Brian Kleiban to make a late goalie change and bring on Denzil Smith. Smith made a decisive penalty save against Orange County to see off the USL Championship side and seal the cupset.

Republic's Way of Victory: This is a side that should not be underestimated. Just because they play in USL League One doesn't mean they are of lower quality. The Republic should still be considered favorites in this matchup, but AV Alta will be keen on getting another win on a USL Championship side. For the Republic to get a result, their backline will need to communicate and stay organized. Watch out for those late runners into the box and cut-off service into the wings. The midfield and backline need to force AV Alta into different avenues of attack and get them out of the wide areas. The Republic strikers will find their chances, and they'll need to make the most of them. 

What are your thoughts on the upcoming match? Sound off on social media, and let us know!

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(Photo Credit to Donald Johnson / thecup.us)