Earthquakes II took care of business at home, punching their ticket to the MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs after taking down Tacoma Defiance in penalties during the Western Conference Play-In round.
An eight-goal, back-and-forth thriller may not have been how Dan DeGeer and Co. envisioned getting there, but surviving a match like that could give Quakes II plenty of confidence heading into the postseason.
After securing their fourth consecutive playoff appearance, Earthquakes II will now face the Western Conference’s number one seed, Austin FC II, on October 18 at 8:30 PM ET.
You can catch all the MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs action on OneFootball.com and MLSNEXTPro.com
Season series
Quakes II faced Austin FC II twice during the 2026 regular season, earning just one point from the two meetings.
Their lone point came in a shootout loss at home on August 2, before they traveled to the Texas capital on August 23 and fell by 1-0.
Austin also hold the edge in the all-time series, with Earthquakes II earning a 2W-2D-3L record in seven meetings between the two sides.
Player spotlight
Tomo Allen stepped up with a brace in Quakes II’s Play-In Round victory, while Zachary Bohane and Jermaine Spivey also contributed goals in their win over Tacoma.
Julian Donnery saw a few minutes in extra time but could be a factor in the playoffs after scoring six goals and dishing out four assists in 2026.
Road from here
Quakes II fought off Tacoma Defiance during their Play-In round match to claim the eighth seed in the Western Conference.
Their reward? A matchup with the league’s top team this season - Austin FC II.
It won’t be an easy game, but with momentum on their side after a dramatic Play-In victory, Quakes II have a chance to embrace the underdog role and pull off a major upset on October 18.
