SACRAMENTO – It was a new day for Sacramento Republic FC, but it was almost the same story.

Last season, needing a win to clinch a first-round bye, the Republic faced middling Arizona United SC in their home finale and played to a 0-0 draw behind seven saves from United goalkeeper Carl Wosczcynski.

As time wound down Saturday against the same club, it appeared as if the Republic would repeat their scoreless performance.

But up stepped Sacramento-native Cameron Iwasa, a second year forward for the club, who came on a substitute in the 80th minute.

Just six minutes from time, left back James Kiffe made an incisive run into the attacking third and fed the ball to Iwasa, who hit a low, hard shot into the lower-right corner past the diving Wosczcynski for the winning goal in a 1-0 victory in the Sacramento home opener at Bonney Field.

“I was buzzing to get on the field,” Iwasa said. “As a sub, just want to come on, make something happen; fortunately was able to do so. Ultimately, it’s just a huge win. Three points is crucial.”

The victory improved the Republic to 2-0 on the season, with both wins coming on single-goal margins.

Saturday’s win could have been by a different scoreline, had a pair of goals not been disallowed by the referee 10 minutes on either side of halftime.

The first disallowed goal came on a corner kick, a play that the Republic haven’t scored on since the 2014 season.

Midfielder Danny Barrera whipped in an in-swinging cross in the 35th minute that San Jose Earthquakes loan player Mark Sherrod headed into the back of the net, but the call was whistled back as defender Emrah Klimenta was judged to have undercut Wosczcynski on the play.

Ten minutes into the second half, Klimenta was again involved in a disallowed goal after making a trademark bombing run forward.

The defender, sent through by central midfielder Agustin Cazarez, took a good first touch towards goal and put the ball through Wosczcynski’s legs, but the flag was raised for an offside call, frustrating the record sellout crowd of 11,569.

“That’s when you have to try and keep your calm,” said head coach Paul Buckle. “The level (of officiating) has got to go up … the corner, I don’t see any foul on the goal, I think it’s a perfectly good goal … when I see Emrah Klimenta, a great bit of skill, a brilliant move, clean in, miles onside, be dragged back and the goal being taken away from Sacramento and him? That’s disappointing because it wasn’t even close. In my opinion, two perfectly good goals.”

The sellout crowd, the 25th sellout at Bonney Field in as many games, should provide a boost to the Republic’s efforts to garner an MLS team.

On Thursday, Sacramento announced that MLS Commissioner Don Garber would visit the club April 14 in order to asses the Republic’s proposed 25,000-seat downtown Railyards Stadium.

“We are thrilled and honored by the opportunity to host Commissioner Garber … and take another important step forward in our pursuit of an MLS Club,” majority owner Kevin Nagle said in a statement released by the club. “As I’ve told the commissioner in the past, when it comes to the passion of our fans and the commitment of our community, you truly have to see it to believe it. We look forward to hosting the commissioner and showing him first hand why Sacramento is ready for MLS.”

MLS previously visited the Republic in September of 2014, but Garber was unable to come as he was battling cancer at the time.

— Reach Evan Ream at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter @EvanReam