Oakland Roots vs. Orange County Soccer Club - Match Preview (October 16, 2021)
Oakland Roots host Orange County Soccer Club at Laney College at 7:00 p.m. tonight, October 16, 2021. This is the final matchup between the two clubs who currently sit third and fifth in the Pacific Division and are fighting for their playoff lives. Setting aside that its going to be 80 degrees in Oakland today, we have had some crisp fall weather this week and the Roots are in playoff contention.
Roots’ History Against Orange County: 0-0-3
Last Match-Up Between These Teams
[Source: Oakland Roots SC (cropped by RootsBlog)]
Oakland traveled to Orange County on September 25 for a gutting loss at the death at the Orange County Great Park.
The Roots entered the match off the back of the loss to LA II at Laney and a mid-week win over San Diego Loyal.
The Roots ran out their normal back two, plus O’Connor-Ward and Diaz on either side. Ferrell opted for defense with Fissore and Ornstil with defensive responsibilities in midfield and Hernandez and Mbumba with attacking responsibilities in midfield, plus Brian Brown and Johnny Rodriguez up top.
Memo Diaz tormented Orange County early, but little came of it. When Mbumba opened the scoring in the 19th minute, he just completely pantsed OC defender Brent Richards. Rodriguez lost steam on a one-on-one against the keeper that would have doubled Oakland’s lead in the 28th. He beat the keeper, but it cost too much time, and the OC defense was able to catch up and clear.
Orange County equalized on a well-taken free kick in first half stoppage time. The Roots should have stopped it, but credit to Orange County, it was a good kick and a good header.
The highlights above show one second-half highlight before cutting to the final play of the game where OC equalized, so you’ve got to check the recap above or the full match highlights to know anything about the second half. The game evened up significantly, but Roots still had the better chances, including a preposterous offside call denying Quincy a goal, and a penalty no-call that was a significantly worse call than the penalty no-call on O’Connor-Ward’s… uh… “tackle” on Damus.
Kuningas’s equalizer at the end is exceptionally frustrating as WE ALL KNOW HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SENT OFF.
Orange County’s Form Since the Last Match-Up
Orange County have somehow played Phoenix in three of their last five matches. Obviously their most recent fixture was an OC win, so it sucks less than it might, but that must have been exhausting.
Orange County took the lead in the 18th on a goal from Ben Mines and never gave it up. In the third minute of stoppage time at the end Rising really should have gone ahead and Rakovsky made an incredible save on Aodhan Quinn’s shot to preserve the win. It is worth checking out the highlights just for that (and for Orange County’s Country Time Lemonade kits).
Roots’ Form Since the Last Match-Up
[Source: FBRef]
Assuming we set aside the dark days in the early season, it will be a tight call whether the most frustrating dropped points of the season will end up being the October 2 draw with the Lights or the 1-0 loss to LA II, both at Laney.
Amarikwa’s opener, and the Fall pass to put him through, were absolute beauties. When Sac equalized, Joe Malfa observed that “I’d say it silences the crowd, but there are plenty of Sacramento fans here as well who are loving it.” Having been in the stands, I have to respectfully disagree with Mr. Malfa here. It didn’t silence the crowd because there was significant booing of that team from the place where one has to stop for gas on the way to Tahoe. Klimenta’s winner might be the craziest I have heard Laney this season. Is most of one season too little time for someone to become a legend?
With this win, Oakland not only went ahead of Sac in the division standings, but also cemented a winning record over Sac in Oakland’s first season in the league. Sure, there’s a rivalry. And Sac are going to have to wait a long offseason for a crack at evening their record in that rivalry.
Roots followed the victory over Sac with a trip to Wild Horse Pass on October 9 and, well, only one team wins at Wild Horse Pass this season.
Somehow there are still five teams vying for two playoff spots. Updated google spreadsheet tracking each team's run-in is here.
Oak/OCSC - 10/16 at 7:00 p.m.
Oakland’s remaining fixtures are away to Tacoma on Wednesday, away to San Diego, and home to Sporting KC II. Oakland needs wins now to catch LA II, and a win against Orange County could potentially put third in the division in play.
Orange County’s remaining fixtures are home to San Diego, home to Las Vegas, and home to LA II. If Oakland wins tonight, that OCSC-LA II match-up to end the season has huge potential to outright decide a playoff spot for both OCSC and LA II. If Oakland lose tonight, we are going to be desperate for OCSC to win that last one, almost certainly.
Sac/Tac - 10/17 at 2:00 p.m.
Sacramento only has three remaining fixtures, which means they’re cooked unless everyone else collapses. Sac faces Tacoma at Heart Health in Sacramento on Sunday, and then their remaining fixtures are away to Phoenix and home to San Diego to end the season. Mathematically, Sac doesn’t need three wins, but realistically they probably do. If Sac get anything less than a win against Tacoma we can put them in “probably done.”
Tacoma are even on points with Sac, but have four remaining fixtures. After this weekend, they host Oakland on Wednesday and Galaxy II the following Sunday, and then play away to Phoenix to end the season. With back-to-back six-point games, Tacoma can basically determine how their season ends with either wins or losses in their next two games.
I think Roots fans hope for the draw here, although a Sac win is preferable to a Tacoma win. What we really want is whatever is the most dispiriting result for Tacoma going into Wednesday night.
LA II/El Paso - 10/17 at 5:00 p.m.
El Paso are one of the best teams in the league and should smash LA II even with the game in Los Angeles. Even if they don’t, LA II follow that up with a trip to the eastern time zone for Charleston, and then games away to Tacoma and Orange County.
SD/NM - 10/17 at 5:00 p.m.
San Diego have clinched, and so their fixtures against non-divisional opponents no longer matter much to the Roots. Their next two matches after this weekend are away at Orange County, and hosting Oakland, both of which have huge implications for their opponents’ playoff chances.
As described in my last post, San Diego’s regular season points could not realistically impact homefield advantage unless they reached a western final, and even then only if Phoenix had been eliminated in the run-up. However, that’s not nothing, and San Diego are in a tight race on points with San Antonio and Switchbacks in the Mountain Division. We have to hope that San Diego decides to play OCSC tough and then rest all their starters against Oakland… for their last home game…. Okay it’s probably not happening.
Predictions
Bloom - Roots are on more rest than OCSC, and were the better team when these teams last met in Orange County. Bad refereeing and some out-of-character defensive lapses cost the roots the lead and then the match last time. Plus there is too much on the line right now for me to bet against the Roots. Up the fucking Roots. 3-1 Oakland.
Lawson - I think the week off will be huge for Oakland. It was nice to have that two-month stretch of near-constant footy, but I think at least part of the reason for Roots’ recent wobble is fatigue. For instance, Emrah Klimenta looks to be on track to log more minutes than at any point in his career. Matias Fissore is already at that point, as is every single fullback. Had Roots been on a tear, I might be worried about losing their rhythm, but they’re definitely not. A week off to drill their game plan and nurse any lingering wounds will turn out to be just what the doctor ordered. 3-2 Oakland.
Roots’ History Against Orange County: 0-0-3
Last Match-Up Between These Teams
Oakland traveled to Orange County on September 25 for a gutting loss at the death at the Orange County Great Park.
The Roots entered the match off the back of the loss to LA II at Laney and a mid-week win over San Diego Loyal.
The Roots ran out their normal back two, plus O’Connor-Ward and Diaz on either side. Ferrell opted for defense with Fissore and Ornstil with defensive responsibilities in midfield and Hernandez and Mbumba with attacking responsibilities in midfield, plus Brian Brown and Johnny Rodriguez up top.
Memo Diaz tormented Orange County early, but little came of it. When Mbumba opened the scoring in the 19th minute, he just completely pantsed OC defender Brent Richards. Rodriguez lost steam on a one-on-one against the keeper that would have doubled Oakland’s lead in the 28th. He beat the keeper, but it cost too much time, and the OC defense was able to catch up and clear.
Orange County equalized on a well-taken free kick in first half stoppage time. The Roots should have stopped it, but credit to Orange County, it was a good kick and a good header.
The highlights above show one second-half highlight before cutting to the final play of the game where OC equalized, so you’ve got to check the recap above or the full match highlights to know anything about the second half. The game evened up significantly, but Roots still had the better chances, including a preposterous offside call denying Quincy a goal, and a penalty no-call that was a significantly worse call than the penalty no-call on O’Connor-Ward’s… uh… “tackle” on Damus.
Kuningas’s equalizer at the end is exceptionally frustrating as WE ALL KNOW HE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SENT OFF.
Orange County’s Form Since the Last Match-Up
Orange County have somehow played Phoenix in three of their last five matches. Obviously their most recent fixture was an OC win, so it sucks less than it might, but that must have been exhausting.
I recapped the October 2 snoozefest in our recent Phoenix preview:
The first goal came 30 seconds into the second half, when big Sam Adeniran intercepted a long pass in the middle of OC’s half, took a couple touches and absolutely blasted a goal from just outside the corner of the box. The Tacoma attack just carved up OC for Adeniran’s second, and OC pulled one back on a great bit of interplay resulting in substitute Ben Mines beating Herrera’s tepid save attempt. Tacoma would take the lead back on a goal from Alec Diaz. Diaz knocked in the rebound off of Romero’s save of Ray Serrano’s shot off of the rebound off of Romero’s save of a thunderous shot from Tom Brewitt [editor’s note: Bloom refused requests to word this more cleanly], which would normally be complete trash, but lead to the commentator saying “Tom Brewitt put his foot through it.” I am comfortable with good things happening to Tom Brewitt only when it results in him sounding like a character from a children’s rhyme warning of the danger of walking in the attic without parental supervision.
Big Sam Adeniran finished off his hatty with another excellent mid-range shot coming off of a quickly taken Tacoma free kick that caught OC completely off-guard. If this wasn’t such perfect justice, you’d feel for OC. The foul was not obvious, the ref had apparently allowed advantage, but there was every reason to believe the whistle was in OC’s favor on an offside call.
Orange County then hosted Phoenix in their most recent fixture on October 13, winning 1-0. This is, of course, a pathetic scoreline by which to beat Phoenix at home exactly one time.
Solomon Asante got through alone on goal in the 24th for “a bit of history”, as described by the commentators. Literally no idea what history that is. Asante did not beat the keeper one-on-one in any event.
In the 32nd, Darren Mattocks chipped the keeper from twenty-one yards out to give Phoenix the lead. That was the last really interesting thing to happen in the game. Based on the highlights it looks like Phoenix had some great opportunities in the first half, and then in the second half Phoenix Keeper Rawls had some incredible saves including this beauty that won save of the week
Orange County followed up on October 9 by getting trucked by Tacoma Defiance.
Not that I am the OC expert, but this does not jump out to me as a weak lineup from OC, and there were no early red cards that justified this scoreline. Possibly wearing their road Blues kills Orange County’s orange mojo.
Incredibly, the youtube video description for the highlights starts “Tacoma Defiance got a standout goalkeeper display by Christian Herrera in the first half,” and then the video contains exactly one first-half highlight which is a terrible clearance by OC defender Dillon Powers.
The first goal came 30 seconds into the second half, when big Sam Adeniran intercepted a long pass in the middle of OC’s half, took a couple touches and absolutely blasted a goal from just outside the corner of the box. The Tacoma attack just carved up OC for Adeniran’s second, and OC pulled one back on a great bit of interplay resulting in substitute Ben Mines beating Herrera’s tepid save attempt. Tacoma would take the lead back on a goal from Alec Diaz. Diaz knocked in the rebound off of Romero’s save of Ray Serrano’s shot off of the rebound off of Romero’s save of a thunderous shot from Tom Brewitt [editor’s note: Bloom refused requests to word this more cleanly], which would normally be complete trash, but lead to the commentator saying “Tom Brewitt put his foot through it.” I am comfortable with good things happening to Tom Brewitt only when it results in him sounding like a character from a children’s rhyme warning of the danger of walking in the attic without parental supervision.
Big Sam Adeniran finished off his hatty with another excellent mid-range shot coming off of a quickly taken Tacoma free kick that caught OC completely off-guard. If this wasn’t such perfect justice, you’d feel for OC. The foul was not obvious, the ref had apparently allowed advantage, but there was every reason to believe the whistle was in OC’s favor on an offside call.
Orange County then hosted Phoenix in their most recent fixture on October 13, winning 1-0. This is, of course, a pathetic scoreline by which to beat Phoenix at home exactly one time.
Orange County took the lead in the 18th on a goal from Ben Mines and never gave it up. In the third minute of stoppage time at the end Rising really should have gone ahead and Rakovsky made an incredible save on Aodhan Quinn’s shot to preserve the win. It is worth checking out the highlights just for that (and for Orange County’s Country Time Lemonade kits).
Roots’ Form Since the Last Match-Up
Assuming we set aside the dark days in the early season, it will be a tight call whether the most frustrating dropped points of the season will end up being the October 2 draw with the Lights or the 1-0 loss to LA II, both at Laney.
The Roots have been absolutely comically bad at penalties, and although I would rather they just be good at penalties, I am glad that (a) it is a variety of different players contributing to a general team culture of bad penalties, rather than a single player, and (b) it mostly has come up in games the Roots won anyway. Unfortunately (b) was not the case in this one! Had they converted, the Roots would have scored three in 11 minutes. Unfortunately only two, and then they never scored again. Las Vegas Lights are a complete shambles of a team, and it is not ideal that Roots could not get more past them or at least prevent the equalizer.
Cal Jennings went through on goal in the 43rd but ran into the stone wall that is Paul Blanchette. If Jennings was more effective he might make the player hate top 5.
The Roots bounced back four days later on October 6 with a mid-week victory over Sacramento in their first weeknight Laney College fixture.
Cal Jennings went through on goal in the 43rd but ran into the stone wall that is Paul Blanchette. If Jennings was more effective he might make the player hate top 5.
The Roots bounced back four days later on October 6 with a mid-week victory over Sacramento in their first weeknight Laney College fixture.
This was a vicious game from the start and I spent most of the match worrying that one of the hands thrown by a Roots player was going to get noticed by the official and lead to a red. Honestly, until this game I had felt like the rivalry with Republic was completely manufactured, but the Roots players seem to loathe Republic.
Amarikwa’s opener, and the Fall pass to put him through, were absolute beauties. When Sac equalized, Joe Malfa observed that “I’d say it silences the crowd, but there are plenty of Sacramento fans here as well who are loving it.” Having been in the stands, I have to respectfully disagree with Mr. Malfa here. It didn’t silence the crowd because there was significant booing of that team from the place where one has to stop for gas on the way to Tahoe. Klimenta’s winner might be the craziest I have heard Laney this season. Is most of one season too little time for someone to become a legend?
With this win, Oakland not only went ahead of Sac in the division standings, but also cemented a winning record over Sac in Oakland’s first season in the league. Sure, there’s a rivalry. And Sac are going to have to wait a long offseason for a crack at evening their record in that rivalry.
Roots followed the victory over Sac with a trip to Wild Horse Pass on October 9 and, well, only one team wins at Wild Horse Pass this season.
Look at this traveling support. Absolutely inspiring.
[Source: Oakland Roots SC]
Rising went ahead early, and Roots then had a surprising number of great chances. Kai Greene just missed a header at the back post, Mfeka rattled one off of the bottom of the cross-bar, and Blanchette stood tall time after time after time. I am thrilled that we don’t have to see Phoenix again this season unless by virtue of a deep playoff run.
Rising went ahead early, and Roots then had a surprising number of great chances. Kai Greene just missed a header at the back post, Mfeka rattled one off of the bottom of the cross-bar, and Blanchette stood tall time after time after time. I am thrilled that we don’t have to see Phoenix again this season unless by virtue of a deep playoff run.
Roots had a full week off since this one, and will come in better rested than Orange County, who faced Phoenix mid-week.
Pacific Division Run-In
Pacific Division Run-In
[Source: FBRef]
Somehow there are still five teams vying for two playoff spots. Updated google spreadsheet tracking each team's run-in is here.
Oak/OCSC - 10/16 at 7:00 p.m.
Oakland’s remaining fixtures are away to Tacoma on Wednesday, away to San Diego, and home to Sporting KC II. Oakland needs wins now to catch LA II, and a win against Orange County could potentially put third in the division in play.
Orange County’s remaining fixtures are home to San Diego, home to Las Vegas, and home to LA II. If Oakland wins tonight, that OCSC-LA II match-up to end the season has huge potential to outright decide a playoff spot for both OCSC and LA II. If Oakland lose tonight, we are going to be desperate for OCSC to win that last one, almost certainly.
Sac/Tac - 10/17 at 2:00 p.m.
Sacramento only has three remaining fixtures, which means they’re cooked unless everyone else collapses. Sac faces Tacoma at Heart Health in Sacramento on Sunday, and then their remaining fixtures are away to Phoenix and home to San Diego to end the season. Mathematically, Sac doesn’t need three wins, but realistically they probably do. If Sac get anything less than a win against Tacoma we can put them in “probably done.”
Tacoma are even on points with Sac, but have four remaining fixtures. After this weekend, they host Oakland on Wednesday and Galaxy II the following Sunday, and then play away to Phoenix to end the season. With back-to-back six-point games, Tacoma can basically determine how their season ends with either wins or losses in their next two games.
I think Roots fans hope for the draw here, although a Sac win is preferable to a Tacoma win. What we really want is whatever is the most dispiriting result for Tacoma going into Wednesday night.
LA II/El Paso - 10/17 at 5:00 p.m.
El Paso are one of the best teams in the league and should smash LA II even with the game in Los Angeles. Even if they don’t, LA II follow that up with a trip to the eastern time zone for Charleston, and then games away to Tacoma and Orange County.
SD/NM - 10/17 at 5:00 p.m.
San Diego have clinched, and so their fixtures against non-divisional opponents no longer matter much to the Roots. Their next two matches after this weekend are away at Orange County, and hosting Oakland, both of which have huge implications for their opponents’ playoff chances.
As described in my last post, San Diego’s regular season points could not realistically impact homefield advantage unless they reached a western final, and even then only if Phoenix had been eliminated in the run-up. However, that’s not nothing, and San Diego are in a tight race on points with San Antonio and Switchbacks in the Mountain Division. We have to hope that San Diego decides to play OCSC tough and then rest all their starters against Oakland… for their last home game…. Okay it’s probably not happening.
Predictions
Bloom - Roots are on more rest than OCSC, and were the better team when these teams last met in Orange County. Bad refereeing and some out-of-character defensive lapses cost the roots the lead and then the match last time. Plus there is too much on the line right now for me to bet against the Roots. Up the fucking Roots. 3-1 Oakland.
Lawson - I think the week off will be huge for Oakland. It was nice to have that two-month stretch of near-constant footy, but I think at least part of the reason for Roots’ recent wobble is fatigue. For instance, Emrah Klimenta looks to be on track to log more minutes than at any point in his career. Matias Fissore is already at that point, as is every single fullback. Had Roots been on a tear, I might be worried about losing their rhythm, but they’re definitely not. A week off to drill their game plan and nurse any lingering wounds will turn out to be just what the doctor ordered. 3-2 Oakland.
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