Las Vegas Lights vs. Oakland Roots - Match Preview (September 8, 2021)
Oakland Roots travel to Las Vegas for a mid-week fixture against Las Vegas Lights on Wednesday September 8, 2021 at 7:00 p.m. The match will be on ESPN+ and KOFYTV. This is the third of four match-ups against Pacific Division-rival Las Vegas.
The Roots did not pass up the points in the August 21 meeting.
Roots’ Form Since Last Match-Up:
Roots followed their last match against Vegas with a pair of 3-1 wins.
Forty-some minutes later, Sac scores on almost exactly the same play, except its Daroma chasing the play who deflects the cross behind his keeper and into the back of the net, completing his David Luiz hattrick over three matches (a goal, a penalty conceded, and an own goal). Sac took the lead in the 73rd on a Luis Felipe on a low curling shot from the D which might have been up for goal of the week but for a huge arcing curler from Julian Chavez just into the 88th.
Predictions
Bloom - The game in Tampa was bad, but there are at most 4-5 teams in the league as good as Rowdies, and the Roots do not have to beat teams that good to make the playoffs. I am concerned with the pictures from the Roots social media suggesting that we will not see Bokila or Amarikwa in Vegas, but this team is better than the Lights with or without them. The Roots get back on track tonight with another 3-1 over the Lights.
Lawson - I just don’t see this team losing to Las Vegas. I think Roots’ braintrust is going to use this as an opportunity to rest some guys, and maybe allow some others who haven’t gotten consistent playing time to stretch their legs, so the final score might not reflect complete domination, but I cannot see Lights ending this one on top. 2-1 Roots.
Roots’s History Against Las Vegas Lights: 1-0-1
Prior Match-Ups this Season:
The Roots faced Lights the first time in a 2-1 loss in the first game with fans at Las Positas. The Blog was there:
Prior Match-Ups this Season:
The Roots faced Lights the first time in a 2-1 loss in the first game with fans at Las Positas. The Blog was there:
That loss was obviously disappointing, but with further context (Las Vegas is apparently not very good) it is even more disappointing that the Roots dropped points.
The Roots did not pass up the points in the August 21 meeting.
Vegas opened the scoring, but Hernandez equalized with some fancy footwork in the box in the 52nd. In the 60th Amarikwa scorched Vegas on the break, with Enriquez pulling defenders wide across the field. Mfeka shot through the unmarked middle, fielded a tidy pass from Amarkiwa and as he fell to the ground managed to poke a tidy pass of his own through the scrambling defenders to Enriquez who chipped the keeper with just enough power to find the back of the net despite hitting the keeper’s hand. In the 82nd, Rodriguez pounced on an errant ball in Vegas’s half, put a ball into Bokila who went past the keeper and slotted in Oakland’s third.
Roots’ Form Since Last Match-Up:
Roots followed their last match against Vegas with a pair of 3-1 wins.
[Source: FBRef]
We looked at Roots GLORIOUS TRIUMPH over Phoenix Rising here. Practice self care and watch these highlights of the Roots thumping Rising. Chuy and Bokila gave the Rising fits in this game. I watched the second goal from the window outside my apartment because the fire alarm went off in my building TWICE during this game.
We looked at Roots GLORIOUS TRIUMPH over Phoenix Rising here. Practice self care and watch these highlights of the Roots thumping Rising. Chuy and Bokila gave the Rising fits in this game. I watched the second goal from the window outside my apartment because the fire alarm went off in my building TWICE during this game.
As a side note, I was just watching the Hartford - Louisville City match on ESPN2 and the “expert” “analyst” they had on at halftime projected Phoenix to win the playoff final this year. That makes the Roots the transitive hypothetical champion. ROOTS ROOTS ROOTS.
The Roots followed this triumph with revenge over Tacoma Defiance.
The Roots followed this triumph with revenge over Tacoma Defiance.
Just like we all predicted, Kai Greene got the party started early. Wal Fall gamely refused to score his penalty, because the Roots are #StrictlyBangers, leaving Mbumba and Bokila to finish off the game.
The Roots then took a strange vacation to Tampa in which no soccer was played. An odd decision from the coaching staff to give the players a week off right in the heart of the season, but Florida is nice at this time of the year, and I’m sure it was welcome to the Roots’ tired legs.
Lights’ Form Since Last Match-Up:
The Roots then took a strange vacation to Tampa in which no soccer was played. An odd decision from the coaching staff to give the players a week off right in the heart of the season, but Florida is nice at this time of the year, and I’m sure it was welcome to the Roots’ tired legs.
Lights’ Form Since Last Match-Up:
[Source: FBRef]
As I mentioned above, the Roots and Lights last faced off on August 21, but for some real context here, let’s go back to the teams’ first fixture on July 10. The Lights won in a frustrating match to secure 13 points in 11 matches. That is no one’s idea of a great haul to start the season, but the Roots would’ve bit your arm off for 13 points over their first 11. The Lights have played 11 matches since then and secured only 4 points over that time, and are currently on a six-match losing streak. The Roots’ 3-1 victory over the Lights on August 21 was the third in that streak.
Following the Roots’ match, the Lights lost 3-2 to LA Galaxy II. The Lights struck first--Frank Daroma struck up to intercept a sloppy pass, took a touch, and sent a bouncing pass through to the corner of the 18-yard box where Daniel Musovki [highlighted in an early RootsBlog preview, complete with unforgiveable formatting errors] made an excellent one-touch shot. Lights then almost immediately conceded to Preston Judd. Daroma would impact the game further, absolutely wiping out Galaxy II sub Daniel Aguirre in the box (admittedly after Daroma won the ball). Galaxy II converted the penalty, and Lights would equalize in the 89th before capitulating 100 seconds later. Lights, I think, argued that the ball was played back in from over the touch line, and maybe that the goalscorer was offside, but I am not sure about either and it’s a lot of hassle to find my own answer.
Following the Roots’ match, the Lights lost 3-2 to LA Galaxy II. The Lights struck first--Frank Daroma struck up to intercept a sloppy pass, took a touch, and sent a bouncing pass through to the corner of the 18-yard box where Daniel Musovki [highlighted in an early RootsBlog preview, complete with unforgiveable formatting errors] made an excellent one-touch shot. Lights then almost immediately conceded to Preston Judd. Daroma would impact the game further, absolutely wiping out Galaxy II sub Daniel Aguirre in the box (admittedly after Daroma won the ball). Galaxy II converted the penalty, and Lights would equalize in the 89th before capitulating 100 seconds later. Lights, I think, argued that the ball was played back in from over the touch line, and maybe that the goalscorer was offside, but I am not sure about either and it’s a lot of hassle to find my own answer.
The following week, Lights lost 2-1 in Tacoma. Lights had a couple of early chances, but the two goals, the first a scrappy Tom Brewitt (not the Blog’s favorite player on a rival team) goal assisted by big Sam Adeniron, and the second a turn-and-shoot from Adeniron. These goals bracketed an absolute banger from Eric Iloski for the Lights which somehow did not end up as a goal of the week nominee.
Three days later, Lights fell to Sacramento Republic 3-1. These highlights are hilarious, a pro-watch despite the spooky mist hovering above the field.
For the opener, Iloski put through Roberto Molina on the Lights’ attacking right, and Molina put in a low cross across the face of goal, which a Sac defender (I think Jordan McCrary) passes straight back into his own net. The Sac GK lays out to scoop the ball back as its trying to cross the goal line, but it scoots straight to the feet of 17-year-old Lights midfielder Christopher Jamie who taps it into the back of the net.
Forty-some minutes later, Sac scores on almost exactly the same play, except its Daroma chasing the play who deflects the cross behind his keeper and into the back of the net, completing his David Luiz hattrick over three matches (a goal, a penalty conceded, and an own goal). Sac took the lead in the 73rd on a Luis Felipe on a low curling shot from the D which might have been up for goal of the week but for a huge arcing curler from Julian Chavez just into the 88th.
Predictions
Bloom - The game in Tampa was bad, but there are at most 4-5 teams in the league as good as Rowdies, and the Roots do not have to beat teams that good to make the playoffs. I am concerned with the pictures from the Roots social media suggesting that we will not see Bokila or Amarikwa in Vegas, but this team is better than the Lights with or without them. The Roots get back on track tonight with another 3-1 over the Lights.
Lawson - I just don’t see this team losing to Las Vegas. I think Roots’ braintrust is going to use this as an opportunity to rest some guys, and maybe allow some others who haven’t gotten consistent playing time to stretch their legs, so the final score might not reflect complete domination, but I cannot see Lights ending this one on top. 2-1 Roots.
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