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Packed House Expected as Reno, Sacramento Square Off

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 08/24/18, 3:27PM EDT

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Battle for playoff position highlights third meeting of season between Donner Pass Derby rivals


Reno 1868 FC will try to replicate its victory against Sacramento Republic FC at Papa Murphy's Park earlier this season when the teams meet at Greater Nevada Field this Saturday. | Photo courtesy Sacramento Republic FC

RENO, Nev. – Reno 1868 FC is expecting its biggest crowd of the season on Saturday night as it plays host to Donner Pass Derby rival Sacramento Republic FC at Greater Nevada Field (10:30 p.m. ET | Match Center | ESPN+), and while the rivalry will certainly be front and center between the two clubs the fact that Reno can make inroads on a potential top-four finish in the Western Conference as well isn’t lost on the hosts.

“We’re excited for the rivalry game,” said Reno defender Brent Richards. “We haven’t had a win in our last three, so to come back and have a game that’s really, really easy to get up for because it is a rivalry game, the fans love it, we love it, so I think it’s going to be a really energetic game and we’re going to get a good result.”

Reno claimed a memorable 3-2 victory the last time the teams met in the league at Papa Murphy’s Park on May 12, rallying back from a two-goal halftime deficit to with three goals in five minutes around the hour-mark to take a second victory in Sacramento in as many seasons. Republic FC got its revenge 11 days later at Greater Nevada Field, however, with a 1-0 victory in the Third Round of the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup when Keven Aleman’s goal proved the difference.


Reno 1868 FC defender Brent Richards during the first meeting between Reno and Sacramento Republic FC this season. | Photo courtesy Sacramento Republic FC

What’s on the line this time around is position in the Western Conference standings, where Reno currently sits five points behind Sacramento while holding three games in hand. A victory would give 1868 FC a major leg up in its bid to finish in the top four and the home playoff game that comes with it. To do that, though, Reno will need to be sharper defensively after conceding seven goals in its past three outings.

“I think we’re kind of fine tuning our defensive shape starting at the top and going all the way back to the goalie,” said Reno forward Antoine Hoppenot. “I think as a team we have to do better defending in whatever formation we choose to play in we have to do a little bit better in terms of closing down the space and making it harder on the other team.”

Republic FC isn’t the only rival that will be visiting Greater Nevada Field in the upcoming seven days, with Reno welcoming Silver State Cup adversaries Las Vegas Lights FC next Wednesday night. That’s going to make for a big few days for the club’s support, but for the players the goal is to try and ride that emotion without letting it cause a loss of focus on what are important points at stake.

“Yeah, those will be intense,” said Hoppenot. “Obviously with rivalry games there’s a little more juice in there, obviously, and the fans kind of bring that as well, so that seeps onto the field. There’s just a lot more going on and it’s going to be a little tougher and take some hard work.”

With that said, rivalry games like those against Sacramento and Las Vegas at this time of the season are one that players have circled on their calendars.

“The juices get flowing for sure and guys get excited for it,” said Richards. “Obviously, Las Vegas is a new team this year, but they’re our cross-state rivals so we want to do well.”

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