Phoenix Rising FC travel to Reno and Greater Nevada Field for the first leg of a home-and-home series against what was a tough 2017 divisional rival. The Firebirds were winless against Reno in 1868’s first season in the USL.
2017 – An Expansion Team takes the Field
The two teams met for the first time last year in Phoenix, with the visitors arriving with only two points in their first five matches. Unfortunately for Phoenix, Reno’s team play finally congealed into a decisive 0-4 victory featuring two early goals by Dane Kelly. Kelly later made it a hat-trick in the 66th minute, and winger Chris Wehan put a cherry on top in the 76th.
Their second meeting came ten weeks later at Greater Nevada Field, an odd pitch due to it’s placement in a baseball stadium. Kelly once again had a great scoring chance from the penalty spot, Rising goalkeeper Josh Cohen stood strong in the box, knocking the ball. The affair was capped with a Drogba yellow card, as the Friday game and the mid-summer heat played out in frustrating fashion to a nil-nil draw.
2018 Edition
Phoenix travels to Reno on the heels of the inaugural Silver State Cup, and a battle between the sophomore squad and newcomer Las Vegas Lights FC. Over 9,000 fans took in a an incredibly sloppy affair, where the teams drew even 1-1. Reno has again started the season winless, and will be looking to use Phoenix as a spark once again.
Fortunately for Phoenix, USL career goals leader Dane Kelly found a well deserved MLS contract with the New York Red Bulls and will not be featured in this year’s roster. Chris Wehan, who joined the 2017 squad on loan from the San Jose Earthquakes, has been called back to the MLS side. This leaves a team with substantially less experience and a dearth of senior leadership.
Players to Watch
Danny Musovski (Striker)
Musovski is a native Nevadan, and a 2018 MLS SuperDraft first round choice of the San Jose Earthquakes. In his senior season for UNLV, he scored 15 goals in 16 games for the Rebels. Fortunately, Phoenix will not be seeing Danny on the field, as he accumulated a very weak second yellow card in the 71st minute of the Vegas match.
Antoine Hoppenot
The veteran winger may be Reno’s only hope to score in an offense that has trouble putting together organized play. Hoppenot may also be missing from the match after suffering a groin injury in the last minute of the first half against Vegas.
Mohamed Thiaw
Selected at #35 in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft, Thiaw was the featured striker for the University of Louisville in his senior season. Without Wehan and fellow rookie Musovski, Thiaw will be given a serious chance to show a form that garnered 61 goals and 20 assists as a collegiate athlete.
Who else is there?
Your guess is as good as mine. In previewing the Reno vs. Vegas match, I found myself wondering if I was watching Division II soccer, or a U-10 recreational league.
Lots of long balls into heavy winds, bodies flying, yellow cards all over the field, sloppy passing … it was ugly. Only than the departed Wehan and suspended Musovski, only Jamaican forward Brian Brown has scored a goal. The 25 year-old has been successful at drawing five fouls, but his best days may be behind him. After scoring 18 goals in the Red Stripe Premier League 2013-14, the striker only mustered 3 goals for Reno in limited play behind 2017 team leaders Kelly, Hoppenot, Wehan and Lindo Mfeka.
Phoenix Rising FC takes on Reno 1886 FC on Satuday, March 31 at 4:00pm. The game will be available on YouTube or Cox YurView (4/1004).
