Live Blog: Oakland Roots vs. Sporting KC II (October 30)

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Happy Halloween and welcome to Super Saturday's edition of the blog's live coverage of Oakland Roots taking on Sporting KC II.

Scroll down for all the latest updates.

It's win or stay at home for Oakland, requiring a victory and a Los Angeles Galaxy II loss or tie. Jordan Ferrell knew all along that it would come down to the wire. 

"People have been asking me about the playoff race for the last month. I think we’ve maintained that we always focus on the game ahead of us, and also we’ve had a feeling that it would come down to the last game of the season. A big advantage there is that we’re going to be at home and we know that the Laney crowd is going to be rocking. It’s important that we come in and focus so that we get those last three points." 

Roots' Chief Purpose Officer Mike Geddes said on KTVU that he's hoping the organization sets an attendance record in the season finale.  Ferrell reiterated after the 4-3 win at San Diego that he wants Laney to be "rockin'." 

"We need them to be rockin’, we need them to be energetic, we need them to be positive, and we need them to be the wind underneath our wings. The guys will feel that energy and come out flying."

Los Dos' match with Orange County SC starts at 7:30 p.m.; make sure your battery is charged for endless phone-checking. 

Provided is Bloom's official match preview, where he makes his usual mention of Oakland and SKCII's recent run of form and the Roots' current playoff situation. 

It’s hard to know the best cut-off point here, but to be even-handed we’ll say they’re 1-1-5 over their last seven. SKC II* are last in the central division, twenty-one points off of a playoff spot, and sporting a -26 goal differential. They have scored 34 goals, which isn’t great, although the Roots only have 35 (which ISN’T GREAT). However, they have shipped 60, good for fourth-worst in the league. Roots have only conceded 43.

 Join the match discussion on Discord: https://discord.com/invite/NPNM7jmJ

Key Events

Jordan Ferrell postmatch thoughts:

I think everybody knows this club is special. It is special to me, it's special to so many people.  We have tried to do something very different. It's been a challenging first year in the USL but I want to thank everybody wears a Roots' shirt as staff, on game day, or throughout any period of time. That's the number one

Roots goal 

Chuy scores on a follow-through after a play to Quincy in the 2nd minute of action. 

Roots Starting XI 

Sporting KC II starting XI

Timeline

Roots corner - 90'

Nada. 

Roots sub - 89'

Johnny for Chuy. 

SKC shot high - 87'

Hard contact with Blanchette - 85'

Roots sub - 79'

Big body on. Bokila for Quincy

SKC sub - 76'

Quincy shot wide - 62'

Roots sub - 53'

Fall plays his final minute for Roots. Ariel Mbumba subs on

SKC corner - 50'

Play short, ball in easily caught. 

First half notes:

Oakland scores early but not much action since then. 

OC and Los Dos tied in the 20th minute. 

Oakland holding 49 percent possession, 5 shots, 3 on target, 2 chances created.  Compared to KC2's 3 shots, none on target, 2 chances created. 

Akeem Ward shot saved - 44'

Akeem with an attempt. Quincy lets it go past him. 

KC shot high - 27'

A shot you'd expect from a last-place team. 

Ward shot stuffed - 23'

Akeem Ward with a shot saved in the 23rd. 

Memo stuffed - 12'

Memo play in, stuffed by keeper. 

SKC corner - 11'

Nada. 

Roots goal - 2'

Chuy scores on a follow through after a play in to Quincy. 

Talking Point

  • Wal Fall's departure and other international slots

Wal Fall announcing that he was unable to reach an extension with the organization was the first action towards Oakland's offseason. Aside from Ferrell having to replace a former starter, Fall's departure will open one of nine international slots. 

It's important to produce with foreign assignments at a premium. When examining the roster, Oakland could gain two more international slots with moving on from Zeus de la Paz and Tyler Blackwood. 

Brian Brown, a Jamaican national, should open up another international spot when he returns on loan to New Mexico United. Brown has only made four appearances for Roots SC but has two assists. 

Here's an unofficial list of Oakland's current foreign born roster: Fall, de la Paz, Blackwood, Brown (loan), Soya Takahashi, Matias Fissore, Jeremy Bokila, Lindo Mfeka, and Joseph Nane.

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