Already light roster-wise due to injuries and international call-ups, the San Jose Earthquakes have called in five players from their USL affiliate Reno 1868 FC ahead of the team’s match against Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday night.
Defenders Jimmy Ockford and Thomas Janjigian, midfielder Luis Felipe Fernandes and forwards Darwin Espinal and Dembakwi ‘Boxi’ Yomba will suit up for San Jose in their first friendly against a Bundesliga side since hosting Bayer Leverkusen in 1996.
Here’s a bit more about each of the five players:
Jimmy Ockford
Ockford, 25, has been the anchor for Reno’s defense all season, scoring two goals in 14 games and logging the third most minutes of all 1868 FC players thus far.