Need to know

• Reno kicks off the 2020 Championship Playoffs with a Western Conference Quarterfinal game against LA Galaxy II.

• Reno and LA have not met this season, but the boys in blue have gone 6-0-0 all time against Los Dos.
• 1868 FC enters the playoffs for the fourth straight season, having never missed the playoffs.

Preview

Saturday, October 10 – v LA Galaxy II

6:00 p.m. PT kickoff @ Greater Nevada Field

Broadcast: ESPN+ (national), Nevada Sports Net (local)

Radio: ESPN Radio 94.5

 

            After finishing the regular season with the highest point total in the league, Reno 1868 FC is set to start the 2020 USL Championship Playoffs at home against LA Galaxy II on Saturday. The game marks the first time Reno has seen LA this season, and the first time to the sides have met in the postseason. In the regular season, Reno is 6-0-0 against LA all time.

“We need to play well, we need to really play well to be able to beat this team,” said head coach Ian Russell. “They play good football, they have some pace. They’ve got a good goal scorer up front, Augustine Williams. We need to be aware of him.”

Reno enters the playoffs on a 10-game unbeaten streak, securing the top overall seed on the final day of the regular season. Reno’s +22 goal differential was the second-most in the USL, and the 11 wins tied for the top mark.

The top regular-season finish is the best ever for Reno, but the club is not satisfied. Despite making the playoffs in each of the club’s first four seasons, Reno has won just one postseason game. Last season, the playoffs ended in heartbreak after a quarterfinal loss to Sacramento at home.

Last season, Reno entered the playoffs going 5-4-1 in the final 10 regular-season games. This season, the boys in blue enter 8-0-2 in the last 10, including a dominant 2-1 road win at Tacoma to end the regular season.

The attack for Reno has been led by two newcomers for the 2020 campaign, with forward Foster Langsdorf and midfielder Christiano François posting career years. Langsdorf finished the regular season with 10 goals, fifth in the league and leading Reno. 

Despite the condensed season, Langsdorf’s goal total is just four short of his career best 14. The mark is also good for the sixth-most in a single season in club history, and after just 16 games the forward is ninth in club history for career goals. The Stanford alum ended the regular season scoring in nine of the last 10 games.

François has put up career numbers as well, often starting the attack for Reno. The Haitian winger owns six goals and seven assists, one of only two players in the league to have six or more goals and assists.

The seven assists are a career-best, and the fourth-most in a single season in club history. The mark has François tied for the 10th most on the club’s career list.

The 2020 squad includes six players that suited up for last year’s playoff game, including Brent Richards who is the only active player to start all four of Reno’s previous four playoff games.

Kickoff is set for 6:00 p.m. PT from Greater Nevada Field. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN+, Nevada Sports Net and ESPN Radio 94.5. More information about how to watch the game from home is available here, and information on where to participate in in-person watch parties can be found here.

 

Scouting report – LA Galaxy II

• LA finished second in Group B with an 8-6-2 record (26 points)
• LA finished eighth in the league in goals with 29, but posted a -2 goal differential after allowing 32 goals.
• LA finished 4-4-1 away from home, ending the regular season with a 4-1 loss to Phoenix.
• LA’s leading goal scorer, Augustine Williams, finished second in the league with 13 goals.

Inside 1868 FC

• The 2020 USL Championship Playoffs are finally here. Reno has yet to miss the playoffs in any of its first four years of existence, and will now host the first round of the playoffs against LA. Reno fell in the first round of the playoffs last season, dropping a quarterfinal game against Sacramento 3-1. All time, Reno is 1-3 in the postseason. 
• Reno’s 36 regular-season points topped the USL Championship. The total gives Reno the #1 overall seed in the playoffs, and home field advantage for the entire postseason. Reno had previously never finished atop the league in the regular season.  
• Reno is unbeaten in 10-straight games, the longest such streak of the season. The 10-game streak is the second-longest unbeaten streak in club history, and longest since 2018. Additionally, Reno is unbeaten this season when scoring even a single goal, and on Saturdays. 
• Reno has never lost to LA, going 6-0-0 all time against the club. Due to the group alignment for the 2020 season, Reno did not play LA in the regular season. Instead, the boys in blue took on three of LA’s Group B foes, including eventual Group B champ Phoenix Rising FC. Reno went 3-0-1 against Phoenix, San Diego Loyal and Las Vegas Lights FC — the trio went 4-3-1 against LA this season, with a +10 goal differential. 
• Reno’s offense has come alive as of late and reached the top scoring mark in the league with 43 goals on the season. Only Phoenix and Pittsburgh have scored more than 31 goals this season.