October is here, and with it, the MLS NEXT Pro playoffs have officially arrived. After a few weeks off following the exciting conclusion to the regular season, your Twos are ready for postseason soccer, with a must-win match against the third-place team in the Western Conference, Ventura County FC next up on the schedule. It’s time for some good old fashioned playoff soccer, folks!

This is the second-consecutive year that MNUFC2 have ventured beyond the regular season, and after making a run all the way to the Western Conference Final in 2025, the Pro Player Pathway is alive and well in the North Star State. While most of last season’s roster has turned over — such is the nature of MLSNP rosters — the crop brought in to fill their shoes have taken to the Black and Blue well, complementing the returners and making for a very exciting on-field product that’s well worth watching, especially lately.

Of their 43 goals in 2026, 12 have come in just the last five games of the season, propelling the Twos to four out of five wins (the other was a draw and a shootout win). Homegrown forward Darius Randell has been on an absolute tear, winning two consecutive Player of the Matchweek awards and fittingly picking up the final MLS NEXT Pro Player of the Month award of the season as the Twos marched into the postseason in what is almost certainly the league’s most impressive run of form. 

Now, after a few weeks to rest and gather themselves, it’s time to get back on the pitch to face Ventura County FC for the first time in 2026. Ventura finished the regular season with a record of 14-7-7, taking four shootout victories to boot. They put together their own impressive finish to the regular season, winning three out of five while drawing and losing once apiece. That lone loss came after postseason soccer was already confirmed, so take it with a grain of salt. 

Ventura County  — the LA Galaxy’s second team — have made their home turf at William Rolland Stadium into a fortress this season, winning nine of their 14 home games and drawing three. That puts them among the league’s best home sides this year, meaning the Loons will have to dig deep to get the better of their hosts.

While Randell is the easy answer for the Loons to look to at the moment, there are plenty of impact players to watch out for during this postseason run. Second-team staples Alpha Kabia, Nick Dang, and Luciano Pechota have been consistent pieces of the team’s backbone in 2026. Academy product Anderson Farris has put together an exceptional season, playing the second-most minutes on the team and managing to contribute to the attack while playing on the backline. To top it all off, first-teamers Mamadou Dieng, DJ Taylor, and Julian Gressel have also featured down the stretch, giving this young group some extra firepower as they look to earn an MLS NEXT Pro title. 

The action officially returns on Friday, October 16, when the MLSNP Conference Quarterfinals kick off. Your Twos will start at 9:00 p.m. CT, with streaming available on Onefootball and MLSNEXTPro.com.