Republic Win Over Earthquakes At US Open Cup Match Gives New Hope To MLS Dream

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — Thousands of Sacramento Republic FC fans packed into Heart Health Park for a big match with a national television audience.

Sacramento beat San Jose 2-0 in a matchup the team's owner believes could attract new MLS investors.

The match brought a sold-out crowd to the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup round of 16. Republic fans lined up to get in, and they were loud.

"It feels like a reunion," Republic fan Ron Klint said. "Like back in 2014-2015, its frigin' awesome."

Republic owner Kevin Nagle called on fans to come out in full force for this match to show the national TV audience why Sacramento is special.

Mayor Darrell Steinberg was at the match and described the scene.

"Thousands of people together having fun," Mayor Steinberg said. "You better believe this has implications. We have not given up on Major League Soccer."

Alan McNabb has been a Republic fan since the club's beginning in 2014. He even bought a home downtown to be close to the proposed MLS stadium that went from a done deal to a dud.

"They were building the railyards, remember?" McNabb said. "And I said, 'Oh, I'm going to live there and I'm going to go to soccer games when I get old. I said, 'That's my dream.'"

It's still a dream, for now.