Sacramento Republic vs. Oakland Roots (July 7, 2021) - Match Preview

The Republic host the Roots on July 7, 2021 at 8:00 p.m. at Heart Health Park in Sacramento.  A lot of tickets are still available for the game.  We previewed the abortive home opener https://oaklandrootsblog.blogspot.com/2021/06/oakland-roots-vs-sacramento-republic-fc.html.

The Last Match-Up

There is only so much dunking I can do on a given rival’s ownership, badge, lack of history, failure to secure a spot as an MLS expansion team, etc.  In light of that, the plan going forward for previews of teams the Roots have faced previously will be to discuss the last match-up between the teams, and the teams’ trajectories since then.

Unfortunately, the last Roots-Sacramento match did not happen.  We can talk about the one before that!  The last Roots game was a 3-3 goal fest at Not-Recommended-For-Your-Heart-Health Park.

That game got off to a torrid start.  Formella put Republic on the board in the 19th, Enriquez equalized for the Roots in the 26th, and Mbumba put the Roots ahead in the 40th.  After the break, Iwasa leveled for Republic at the 60th.  Then Bokila put Roots ahead again in the 66th, just three minutes after subbing on. The Roots’ lead was short-lived.  McCrary, who had assisted Iwasa’s equalizer, got an equalizer of his own in the 68th.  The teams accumulated four yellow card in the remainder, but no goals.  

Republic’s Form

Since the non-opener, the Republic have lost 1-2 at home to Phoenix Rising, and drawn 1-1 away at Landon Donovan’s own San Diego Loyal SC.  

The June 26 meeting between Sacramento and Phoenix started bad and got worse for Republic.  Rising went ahead on an unsaveable FK in the 31st minute, and 7 minutes later Republic midfielder Fatai Alashe was sent off for a head-scratching full-body tackle.  Rising doubled their lead in the 63rd.  Republic would make it close in the 72nd with a goal from Irish centerback Dan Casey.  They would not find an equalizer.

Nothing happened in the first half of the July 3 Loyal-Republic matchup in garbage city San Diego.  Corey Hertzog opened the scoring in the 62nd.  Mitchell Taintor would salvage a point for the Republic in the 3rd minute of stoppage time, before getting a yellow card in the 94th.  Was it funny?

No, but the goal was pretty great.

The Republic are not having a great season.  They are 2-2-5 with eight total points from nine matches, and sit three points above the Roots in the USL Western Conference Pacific, although the Roots have THREE games in hand.  Republic have scored ten goals in nine games, three of which we know were scored in one game against the Roots.  They are struggling.

Roots’ Form

Well.

The Roots have scored six goals this season, three in a win over LA Galaxy II and three in a draw against (checks notes) Sacramento Republic.  In the 270 minutes of soccer since then, the Roots have had several shots on goal.  That’s not fair, the Roots also have had a handful of decent periods of possession in that time.  (If you’re wondering, its nine shots on goal in three games, with six coming against Orange County.)

On June 26, the Roots drew Austin Bold 0-0 at Las Positas, a game that I remember in part.  With only two days’ rest, the Roots then lost 1-0 to Landon Donovan’s own San Diego Loyal SC in San Diego.  The Roots have really shored up their defense since a profligate opening three matches, although they will be starting their third keeper in seven games, as Zeus has been called up by Curacao for the Gold Cup.  Roots’ newboy Brandon Allen has hopefully had time to settle in.  The man scores goals, and the Roots need ‘em.

Players

We previously highlighted Tucker Bone, Duke Lacroix, Mitchell Taintor, Dan Casey, Jordan McCrary, Nabi Kibunguchy, and Hayden Sargis.  So little has happened since then.

Player(s) to know:

Petteri Pennanen - 30-year-old captain Petteri Pennanen is in this first season with the Republic, but has the second most minutes among outfield players for the Roots.  Pennanen came up with Kuopion Palloseura, a club in the “ninth most populated city of Finland, Kuopio.”  Per Wikipedia, there are only five months where the average high temperature in Kuopio is over 45 degrees.  Madness.  Pennanen put in a great corner that Casey put away for Republic’s goal in the Rising fixture.  We should expect to see Pennanen unless he picks up a knock.

Predictions

FPR

Brandon Allen is (probably) ready to go, and Sacramento has mistakes in them.  Sacramento is basically a home game for the Roots.  The lads are going to do it.  2-0 to the Roots.  

RootsBlog

Roots are oscillating between 1-0 losses and 0-0 draws, and it’s time for a 0-0 draw, baby! Sacramento’s match against SD Loyal looked *a lot* like Oakland’s match with the Fighting Landon Donovans until Republic kicked on late to salvage a point. The guess here is that our friends from the Big Tomato will find that second gear harder to find in the sweltering Sacramento heat, so there will be no late surge in this one. I’d love to predict that Roots will score a goal, but I’ve been hurt too many times before. 0-0, and we sing the praises of Tarek Morad after the match.