Oakland Roots vs. Tacoma Defiance - Match Preview (September 15, 2021)
Oakland Roots host Tacoma Defiance at Las Positas College in Livermore on September 15 at 7:00 p.m., and will be on ESPN+ and KOFYTV. This is not the last scheduled Las Positas game, but we’re almost done.
Roots’ History Against Tacoma: 1-0-1
Last Match-Up
These teams have met twice this season, an infuriating 3-1 win for Tacoma in Tacoma that was the last Roots loss before their current 5-2-1 run of form.
The Roots followed that by going 3-2-0 and were coming off of a 3-1 beating of Phoenix Rising when they faced Tacoma on August 28 at Laney.
There is a certainly a glass-half-empty argument to be made about Roots’ form since the Tacoma match-up. They were completely outmatched in Tampa in the following game, and only managed to put one past Vegas in a road victory. The Roots then drew with San Diego at the weekend.
Overall, I am not inclined to see this negatively, although this match-up against Tacoma will almost certainly determine how we look at this four-match run. Here are the highlights from the San Diego match at Laney:
Like I said above, the 1-1-1 record since the last Tacoma match can really go either way. Tampa is really good, but the Roots don’t need to be as good as Tampa right now. They need to keep beating most of the Pacific Division, and a win against Lights and a draw against Loyal is progress in that regard. Beat Tacoma and we’re good.
Tacoma’s Form Since the Last Match-Up.
Tacoma have only played two games, both at home (!), since these teams last met, because Oakland’s punishment for its stadium debacle and for its COVID outbreak never ends.
Tacoma beat Lights 2-1 on September 3. I actually recapped that match already in my preview of the Roots-Lights match. Here’s my recap:
Lawson - We can almost certainly mark down a wind-aided goal for Tacoma in the first half hour of this one, followed by some frustration when the wind dies down in the second half and Oakland can’t get their own Mother Nature special. The bottom line for me, though, is that Tacoma is not as good as Oakland right now. I think we’ll get 60 minutes of Johnny Rodriguez up top, during which he’ll do something special, followed by 30 minutes of Jeremy Bokila sprinting towards a developmental backline, which is always a semi-hilarious sight. I will join in wishing that Bokila embarrasses Brewitt during one of these sequences. (I have only just realized that this Tom Brewitt is the same Tom Brewitt who made headlines in England for trying to break a fellow Liverpool academy player’s leg for the chance to play in an FA Cup tie against Exeter, which seems like a classic case of incredibly lost perspective. He was ultimately not selected in favor of a centerback you’ve never heard of, and a fullback deputised into central defense for the month while power bald Martin Skrtl was nursing a torn hammy.) I’ll predict 2-1, and it’s another match where we have a lot to feel good about, but also one in which Paul Blanchette spares our blushes on a couple occasions (none of which, inexplicably, will be nominated for save of the week, because Roots are the Rodney Dangerfield of the USL right now).
Roots’ History Against Tacoma: 1-0-1
Last Match-Up
These teams have met twice this season, an infuriating 3-1 win for Tacoma in Tacoma that was the last Roots loss before their current 5-2-1 run of form.
The Roots followed that by going 3-2-0 and were coming off of a 3-1 beating of Phoenix Rising when they faced Tacoma on August 28 at Laney.
[Credit: Jon Comeaux]
The Roots were not interested in Defiance’s crap.
Kai Greene, of all people, kicked off the scoring on a second ball following a corner kick. Roots largely conceded possession, choosing to press instead. Jeremy Bokila came on in the second half and Memo Diaz drew a penalty, which Wal Fall gamely passed gently to the keeper.
Jose Hernandez set up the winning and insurance goal, putting through Mbumba 57th, and in the 82nd putting through Rodriguez who passed to Bokila. Here are the highlights, which we highly recommend viewing on 3-1 wins.
The Roots were not interested in Defiance’s crap.
Kai Greene, of all people, kicked off the scoring on a second ball following a corner kick. Roots largely conceded possession, choosing to press instead. Jeremy Bokila came on in the second half and Memo Diaz drew a penalty, which Wal Fall gamely passed gently to the keeper.
Jose Hernandez set up the winning and insurance goal, putting through Mbumba 57th, and in the 82nd putting through Rodriguez who passed to Bokila. Here are the highlights, which we highly recommend viewing on 3-1 wins.
Roots’ Form Since the Last Match-Up
There is a certainly a glass-half-empty argument to be made about Roots’ form since the Tacoma match-up. They were completely outmatched in Tampa in the following game, and only managed to put one past Vegas in a road victory. The Roots then drew with San Diego at the weekend.
Overall, I am not inclined to see this negatively, although this match-up against Tacoma will almost certainly determine how we look at this four-match run. Here are the highlights from the San Diego match at Laney:
Lawson also recapped the match.
One of the Fair Weather Podcast guys I reached out to told me after the game he thought that Oakland were going to nip this one at the end, and I think he’s basically right. The Roots changed their formation and largely shut down the Loyal attack, and although I don’t know that I think that the Roots had the better chances, I think it was basically even in that regard. I am way more proud of the Roots’ defense for shutting down the Loyal attack than I am disappointed in the Roots’ attack for failing to convert.
Some of the Roots’ PR folks and I shared our frustration at the lack of respect that the Roots’ defense is getting from the USL’s in-house writers.
One of the Fair Weather Podcast guys I reached out to told me after the game he thought that Oakland were going to nip this one at the end, and I think he’s basically right. The Roots changed their formation and largely shut down the Loyal attack, and although I don’t know that I think that the Roots had the better chances, I think it was basically even in that regard. I am way more proud of the Roots’ defense for shutting down the Loyal attack than I am disappointed in the Roots’ attack for failing to convert.
Some of the Roots’ PR folks and I shared our frustration at the lack of respect that the Roots’ defense is getting from the USL’s in-house writers.
The staff here at the Blog have been trying to find some time to do a mid-season round-up (we’re just plowing towards late-season at this rate), and to preview my big take: I think Emrah Klimenta was the steal of the damn season. And, to his credit, Kai Greene has gotten more and more reliable every game. Jordan Ferrell clearly has high expectations for his fullbacks in attack, and that only works if your central defense is reliable. So far, they almost always have been, even though Ferrell usually supplements them with only one fully defensive midfielder (Ornstil or Fissore).
Like I said above, the 1-1-1 record since the last Tacoma match can really go either way. Tampa is really good, but the Roots don’t need to be as good as Tampa right now. They need to keep beating most of the Pacific Division, and a win against Lights and a draw against Loyal is progress in that regard. Beat Tacoma and we’re good.
Tacoma’s Form Since the Last Match-Up.
Tacoma have only played two games, both at home (!), since these teams last met, because Oakland’s punishment for its stadium debacle and for its COVID outbreak never ends.
Tacoma beat Lights 2-1 on September 3. I actually recapped that match already in my preview of the Roots-Lights match. Here’s my recap:
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.
Gripping commentary.
Tacoma then fell 3-1 to Phoenix Rising on September 5. Phoenix went ahead in the 4th, and then doubled their lead in the 32nd on a Darren Mattocks brace. The first was a bone-headed turnover while Tacoma were trying to build out of the back. The keeper played his left-sided centerback into the corner, who then passed the ball forward to left winger Alex Villanueva who was immediately under pressure. Villanueva passed the ball behind midfielder Joshua Atencio who misplayed the ball and poked it into the box where Mattocks pounced on it. Mattocks just ran away from Tom Brewitt (lol) and then absolutely bodied a Tacoma centerback before sliding the ball home under the Tacoma keeper Christian Herrera.
The goal in the 32nd was a really excellent corner that Herrera came out for but completely whiffed on. Mattocks had a running start and smashed a header into the back of the net. Brewitt was not happy:
The goal in the 32nd was a really excellent corner that Herrera came out for but completely whiffed on. Mattocks had a running start and smashed a header into the back of the net. Brewitt was not happy:
[Source: USL Youtube Channel]
lol.
Two minutes later, Tacoma would get one back on a well-placed header by Adeniran, who played the ball just out of the keeper’s reach from about 11 yards out of goal, on a freekick placed on a dime by Alex Villaneueva.
The commentators blamed Atencio in the moment for the first goal, which I thought was unfair. Villanueva’s pass was terrible, and although Atencio obviously didn’t want to poke the ball to the opposing striker, if he’d managed to control it he would’ve been under immediate pressure, facing his own goal, right outside the 18-yard box.
Atencio’s night would get a lot worse. He picked up a yellow in the first half, and a second in the 59th. It is a frustrating kind of second yellow, because (to my eye) there was no intent to even foul the other player: Atencio got turned around and just happened to run into a Phoenix player who was running to get into the play. I think it was a legitimate card, but you do hate to see a player go off when there was no intent to foul, it wasn’t reckless, and it wasn’t even particularly dangerous. Just by the book a yellow. Either way.
Two minutes later, Tacoma would get one back on a well-placed header by Adeniran, who played the ball just out of the keeper’s reach from about 11 yards out of goal, on a freekick placed on a dime by Alex Villaneueva.
The commentators blamed Atencio in the moment for the first goal, which I thought was unfair. Villanueva’s pass was terrible, and although Atencio obviously didn’t want to poke the ball to the opposing striker, if he’d managed to control it he would’ve been under immediate pressure, facing his own goal, right outside the 18-yard box.
Atencio’s night would get a lot worse. He picked up a yellow in the first half, and a second in the 59th. It is a frustrating kind of second yellow, because (to my eye) there was no intent to even foul the other player: Atencio got turned around and just happened to run into a Phoenix player who was running to get into the play. I think it was a legitimate card, but you do hate to see a player go off when there was no intent to foul, it wasn’t reckless, and it wasn’t even particularly dangerous. Just by the book a yellow. Either way.
LOL.
Tacoma would then concede a penalty in the 89th that Santi Moar would convert easily. It’s a little hard to tell from the replay how reasonable the penalty call was. It was a handball by a defender who, again, to my eye was not trying to achieve any kind of tactical advantage by their hand placement. Just bad luck. As you may have surmised by now, though, I genuinely really dislike Tacoma. I can’t exactly articulate why: they just rubbed me the wrong way when they were at Laney maybe. Anyway, here are the highlights from that game.
Tacoma would then concede a penalty in the 89th that Santi Moar would convert easily. It’s a little hard to tell from the replay how reasonable the penalty call was. It was a handball by a defender who, again, to my eye was not trying to achieve any kind of tactical advantage by their hand placement. Just bad luck. As you may have surmised by now, though, I genuinely really dislike Tacoma. I can’t exactly articulate why: they just rubbed me the wrong way when they were at Laney maybe. Anyway, here are the highlights from that game.
Tacoma have had nine days off since their last match, and will come in fresh. That is garbage, but it’s the Roots’ lot so far this season. Counting their loss at Laney, Tacoma are 1-0-2 in their last three, with their win over the worst team in the Pacific Division. That is Tacoma’s worst run since June. Long may it continue.
Predictions
Bloom - I’m annoyed this game is at Las Positas. I think the Roots will win, but I think they would be a lot more likely to make it a complete laugher with the bigger home crowd at Laney. Pictures from training are showing Amarikwa again, so I feel like we might see him tomorrow. I am going to say 3-1 to Oakland, in part because I don’t care for Tacoma, but mostly because I think the Roots’ offense is poised to break out again. I think it might be 1-1 or 2-1 for much of the game though, to make it frustrating/exciting.
Predictions
Bloom - I’m annoyed this game is at Las Positas. I think the Roots will win, but I think they would be a lot more likely to make it a complete laugher with the bigger home crowd at Laney. Pictures from training are showing Amarikwa again, so I feel like we might see him tomorrow. I am going to say 3-1 to Oakland, in part because I don’t care for Tacoma, but mostly because I think the Roots’ offense is poised to break out again. I think it might be 1-1 or 2-1 for much of the game though, to make it frustrating/exciting.
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