Oakland Roots vs. Phoenix Rising - Match Preview (August 25, 2021)
Oakland Roots host Phoenix Rising at the second of three Oakland Roots home venues--Las Positas College--at 7:00 p.m. on August 25, 2021. The game will be broadcast, per usual, on ESPN+ and KOFYTV.
The Roots came into this match on the back of the terrible stretch of games we have highlighted ad nauseum over the last few weeks. The Rising game was the first sign things were getting better. The team was well organized, and threatened Rising several times.
My colleague predicted, before the last match:
This prediction turned out to be pretty prescient, at least with respect to the narrow margin of victory and the sense that the Roots had something to build on. That turned out to be more than just a sense.
Roots’ Form Since the Last Match-Up
Get in.
Roots were denied a decent contest against Tacoma when the teams met up on August 8, and Oakland have not lost a game since then. The first three matches in there seemed like an improvement that might have a ceiling: a 0-0 draw against Sacramento is good, but not a result you expect from a good team; a 2-1 win over LA Galaxy II is good, but there was an early red and still some signs of fragility; a 1-1 draw with New Mexico is a good result, but still dropped points.
Then there was last Saturday against Las Vegas.
The only note on the scoresheet in the first half was a yellow for Max Ornstil, but the game had signs of life right from the off. Roots had the early advantage, but Lights grew into the match. It felt somewhat familiar when Lights took the lead in the 48th, but the Roots are not the team they were through that dark period in June and July.
Hernandez assisted by Enriquez. Enriquez assisted by Mfeka. Bokila assisted by Rodriguez. 3-1 Roots.
Not only was last week the first time that Rising have been shut out, the last three works are the first three-game stretch in Rising’s season where they have scored fewer than four goals.
In our last preview, one of the players we highlighted was Rufat Dadashov, the large Azeri lad who served as the focal point of Rising’s attack, despite netting relatively few goals. Well, the Roots match was his last in the USL, as his transfer to FC Schalke 04 II was announced on August 12. I like to imagine the team is called “Schalke Forty-Two”. We’re a little perplexed by this move to the fourth tier of the German system. The Global Club rankings by 538 do not include the Regionalliga West, but this would certainly be a downgrade by league, setting aside that Rising’s team ranking is comparable to 2. Bundesliga clubs. Dadashov played in the German youth leagues, so possibly his family is there. No idea what the pay difference would be.
A novel idea that Rising has had is that they provide their actual starting formation, not just their line-up before games. Thus, we know that this was their last starting 11:
Asante and Moar, who we highlighted last time, remain standout USL goalscorers. The two are tied at eight goals, which is a multi-way tie for ninth in the league. No other team has two goalscorers on or above eight (although Colorado Springs is close). Moar slotted away a penalty for his eighth in Phoenix’s 2-2 draw away at Lights (a fixture the Roots won). Here are highlights from that match:
I have to recommend you watch these highlights, Phoenix midfield stalwart Aodhan Quinn puts in a cheeky chip in the 9th minute of the game (around the 25 second mark of the video) that Orange County keeper Rakovsky bats away from goal from behind his head as he dives backwards. Mikko Kuningas, who scored the wind-assisted free-kick belter against the Roots several weeks ago, opened the scoring with another long-range effort. Ronaldo Damus broke through clean on goal early in the second half and scuffed his shot wide, frittering away an opportunity to put away the Pacific Division leaders. The equalizing goal is actually something of a let-down in terms of quality compared to attempts that came before it. Highly recommend checking out the highlights, they are a surprisingly pro-watch for a 1-1 draw:
Roots History Against Phoenix Rising: 0-0-2
Prior Match-Ups This Season
The Roots started their season with a 3-0 loss to Phoenix Rising in Phoenix(ish) on May 8. That was before RootsBlog existed, so we don’t have a recap to link you to, but it was garbage that you’re happier if you’re forgetting.
The Roots also played Phoenix on August 4, falling 1-0. We were not optimistic going into that match.
Prior Match-Ups This Season
The Roots started their season with a 3-0 loss to Phoenix Rising in Phoenix(ish) on May 8. That was before RootsBlog existed, so we don’t have a recap to link you to, but it was garbage that you’re happier if you’re forgetting.
The Roots also played Phoenix on August 4, falling 1-0. We were not optimistic going into that match.
The Roots came into this match on the back of the terrible stretch of games we have highlighted ad nauseum over the last few weeks. The Rising game was the first sign things were getting better. The team was well organized, and threatened Rising several times.
My colleague predicted, before the last match:
“The Blog has said before that anyone could beat anyone else in the Pacific Division. Its *possible* that’s not true. I think the Roots will be amped to be back in Oakland, and might even jump out to an early lead. But I don’t see them holding off Phoenix for the full 90. I see a 2-1 loss, and a lot of postgame commentary about how this match is something for Roots to build on.”
This prediction turned out to be pretty prescient, at least with respect to the narrow margin of victory and the sense that the Roots had something to build on. That turned out to be more than just a sense.
Roots’ Form Since the Last Match-Up
Get in.
Roots were denied a decent contest against Tacoma when the teams met up on August 8, and Oakland have not lost a game since then. The first three matches in there seemed like an improvement that might have a ceiling: a 0-0 draw against Sacramento is good, but not a result you expect from a good team; a 2-1 win over LA Galaxy II is good, but there was an early red and still some signs of fragility; a 1-1 draw with New Mexico is a good result, but still dropped points.
Then there was last Saturday against Las Vegas.
The only note on the scoresheet in the first half was a yellow for Max Ornstil, but the game had signs of life right from the off. Roots had the early advantage, but Lights grew into the match. It felt somewhat familiar when Lights took the lead in the 48th, but the Roots are not the team they were through that dark period in June and July.
Hernandez assisted by Enriquez. Enriquez assisted by Mfeka. Bokila assisted by Rodriguez. 3-1 Roots.
Rising’s Form Since Last Match-Up
Rising have been on (by their standards) a skid since playing Oakland.
Rising have been on (by their standards) a skid since playing Oakland.
Not only was last week the first time that Rising have been shut out, the last three works are the first three-game stretch in Rising’s season where they have scored fewer than four goals.
In our last preview, one of the players we highlighted was Rufat Dadashov, the large Azeri lad who served as the focal point of Rising’s attack, despite netting relatively few goals. Well, the Roots match was his last in the USL, as his transfer to FC Schalke 04 II was announced on August 12. I like to imagine the team is called “Schalke Forty-Two”. We’re a little perplexed by this move to the fourth tier of the German system. The Global Club rankings by 538 do not include the Regionalliga West, but this would certainly be a downgrade by league, setting aside that Rising’s team ranking is comparable to 2. Bundesliga clubs. Dadashov played in the German youth leagues, so possibly his family is there. No idea what the pay difference would be.
A novel idea that Rising has had is that they provide their actual starting formation, not just their line-up before games. Thus, we know that this was their last starting 11:
Asante and Moar, who we highlighted last time, remain standout USL goalscorers. The two are tied at eight goals, which is a multi-way tie for ninth in the league. No other team has two goalscorers on or above eight (although Colorado Springs is close). Moar slotted away a penalty for his eighth in Phoenix’s 2-2 draw away at Lights (a fixture the Roots won). Here are highlights from that match:
Phoenix’s second match since the Roots fixture was a 1-1 draw to Orange County, where Phoenix trailed for more than sixty four minutes, conceding in the 32nd and scoring an equalizer in the 6th minute of stoppage time.
I have to recommend you watch these highlights, Phoenix midfield stalwart Aodhan Quinn puts in a cheeky chip in the 9th minute of the game (around the 25 second mark of the video) that Orange County keeper Rakovsky bats away from goal from behind his head as he dives backwards. Mikko Kuningas, who scored the wind-assisted free-kick belter against the Roots several weeks ago, opened the scoring with another long-range effort. Ronaldo Damus broke through clean on goal early in the second half and scuffed his shot wide, frittering away an opportunity to put away the Pacific Division leaders. The equalizing goal is actually something of a let-down in terms of quality compared to attempts that came before it. Highly recommend checking out the highlights, they are a surprisingly pro-watch for a 1-1 draw:
There is no way we are recommending that you watch highlights of a 0-0 draw for a team you don’t support. The teams got seven yellow cards. Sacramento had nine shots on target to Phoenix’s two, and the highlights support the interpretation that Sacramento came closer to winning this game than Phoenix did. Huge night for Phoenix’s keeper, though.
Predictions
Bloom: Oakland are on a good run of form and Phoenix are mortal. I wish this game was going to be at Laney or at least Merritt, but it will help that Phoenix won’t have their home fans. Oakland will play well, but Oakland’s defensive reliability will be tested by Phoenix’s attack. 2-2.
Lawson: On the one hand, Republic held Rising to two shots, so we’ve at least got an example of how that can be done. On the other, surely Rising are working on changing something up so they don’t continue to be so impotent on offense. I bet Rising do something unusual that requires a reaction from Oakland early on. If Roots can keep Rising from scoring early, I think there’s a chance at a draw. Oakland will likely get more than 25 minutes from Wal Fall, plus Johnny Rodriguez is healthy and has shown flashes, and they’ve added Quincy Amarikwa. That’s enough to improve on the result from 3 weeks ago. 1-1.
Predictions
Bloom: Oakland are on a good run of form and Phoenix are mortal. I wish this game was going to be at Laney or at least Merritt, but it will help that Phoenix won’t have their home fans. Oakland will play well, but Oakland’s defensive reliability will be tested by Phoenix’s attack. 2-2.
Lawson: On the one hand, Republic held Rising to two shots, so we’ve at least got an example of how that can be done. On the other, surely Rising are working on changing something up so they don’t continue to be so impotent on offense. I bet Rising do something unusual that requires a reaction from Oakland early on. If Roots can keep Rising from scoring early, I think there’s a chance at a draw. Oakland will likely get more than 25 minutes from Wal Fall, plus Johnny Rodriguez is healthy and has shown flashes, and they’ve added Quincy Amarikwa. That’s enough to improve on the result from 3 weeks ago. 1-1.
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