Photo courtesy Liverpool Football Club
RENO, Nev. – Liverpool FC U21s were warmly welcomed to Reno’s Greater Nevada Field on Tuesday night as the side hosted an open training session ahead of Wednesday night’s international exhibition against USL side Sacramento Republic FC.
Hosted by 2017 USL expansion side Reno 1868 FC, the game is set to provide a taste of the sort of competition the city can expect to see when professional soccer arrives full-time next spring. With the club’s global following, Liverpool’s players enjoyed getting to meet some of their state-side fans following the training session.
“It has been fantastic to meet the local supporters over here in the U.S. and to see their passion and support for the club,” said defender Tom Brewitt. “The support we have received from the fans demonstrates the true global appeal of the club and makes me proud to play for the U21s team.”
Photo courtesy Liverpool Football Club
Wednesday night’s game will offer Liverpool a chance at payback against Sacramento, which took a 2-1 victory on Saturday at Republic FC’s Bonney Field in the first game of LFC U21s visit. That result aside, though, Liverpool’s players and staffs were effusive in their praise for the 2014 USL champions.
“The trip has been brilliant for the lads and is a great way to end the season,” Brewitt added. “The staff of Sacramento Republic FC have been a different class and we would like to thank them for being so welcoming. We hope to get a good result tonight to end the trip on a high!”
In addition to the game, Wednesday night will also mark another milestone on 1868 FC’s path to taking to the field next spring as the club unveils its official crest. All of the action will be available live on USLSoccer.com through the league’s Match Center, with Liverpool U21s manager Mick Beale expecting a strong turnout from the club’s international fanbase.
“This trip has been a great experience for the team and the interest in the U21's shows what a massive club Liverpool FC is,” Beale said. “I am sure that this Tour will serve as a nice warm up for when the first team visit California on their pre-season Tour in July.”