San Diego Loyal vs. Oakland Roots - Match Preview (October 24, 2021)
Oakland Roots travel to San Diego for a 3:00 p.m. match on October 23, 2021. San Diego has decided, with the Chargers gone north, they can go head-to-head with NFL Sundays and, frankly, fair play to them. I would say the Roots should do the same but I am not actually sure I want to go to matches on Sunday afternoon. Just respect the gumption and/or stick-to-it-iveness. The match will be televised on ESPN+, KOFY TV, and TeleXitos.
Roots’ History Against San Diego: 1-1-1
Last Match-Up Between These Teams
These teams last faced off on September 22 at Laney College, with the Roots taking a 2-1 victory. You may recall this match.
[Source: FBRef]
Loyal beat Sacramento 2-1 on October 9 in San Diego.
Sac took the lead on a breakaway by Dariusz Formella out of absolutely nothing. He fields a long pass on Sac’s side of the center circle. Manages to get around a defender on the outside and still cut back into the box and beat the keeper at the near post.
Alejandro Guido equalized in the 54th with a low shot from distance. Corey Hertzog nearly took the lead on a beautiful chip that unfortunately (?) bounced off the upright. San Diego did then take the lead on the 57th with a great bit of team interplay starting from the keeper all the way through a great finish by Douglas Martinez.
San Diego followed this with a 1-1 draw at home to New Mexico United.
In the 51st minute the teams were still tied up at 0-0 and Alejandro Guido had just been denied by the cross-bar for the second time. Huge Gordon Bombay energy. San Diego took the least 10 minutes later on a kinda boring set-piece header from Douglas Martinez. New Mexico equalized in the 94th that San Diegans will likely say was redirected in by an offside player, and they might have a point. :shrug emoji:
Saalih Muhammad came on in the 53rd minute in what FBRef is telling me was a defensive midfielder position. As far as I can tell he wasn’t at fault for the Loyal goal, but the highlights are pretty blurry. Muhammad has seven appearances for New Mexico United, only two as a starter. However, in one of those he, like Colin Martin, channeled Wal Fall:
[Source: FBRef]
Here’s some “highlights” of the Tacoma match from mid-week.
[Source: FBRef]
Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp
It is possible that the Roots’ planning for next season starts in earnest before they even kick off tomorrow.
Orange County host Las Vegas tonight (10/23) at 7:00 and then Phoenix hosts Sacramento at 7:30. Orange County could leapfrog San Diego tonight, and Sacramento could leapfrog Tacoma and Oakland, although you’d put more money on OCSC than Sac.
Tacoma hosts Galaxy II tomorrow (10/24) at 1:30, so that game should be in stoppage time by the time the Roots kickoff. Galaxy II clinch with two points, so a win ends the Roots’ playoff hopes. A Galaxy II draw today and a draw in their final match (home to OCSC) would also secure them fourth place (they hold the tiebreakers on the Roots). I will, for once, be rooting for a Tacoma win. If Roots and Tacoma both win out, and Galaxy II utterly collapse, Oakland hold the tiebreakers over Tacoma and would take fourth.
RootsPod
Lawson and I appeared on the Orange & Black Soccer Cast this past week to discuss the Roots loss to OCSC. We regret to inform you that there are discussions of a RootsBlog RootsPod for the offseason/next season.
Predictions
Bloom - I hate to say it, but I don’t know if there is enough left in the tank. It has been a very fun season. Enormous credit to the Roots for making an enjoyable season out of what looked like it was going to be a total damp squib. Unfortunately, I think even if the Roots were at peak fitness, San Diego is at home with a lot more to play for than the Roots. I would love to be proven wrong here. San Diego 2-1.
Lawson - I think we’re headed for maximum pain here, which means a Roots win and a Galaxy II loss on Sunday. I don’t know exactly how it will happen, but my money is on Quincy Amarikwa to get a goal from open play, and then someone random to grab a winner off a set piece. 2-1 Oakland.
Roots’ History Against San Diego: 1-1-1
Last Match-Up Between These Teams
These teams last faced off on September 22 at Laney College, with the Roots taking a 2-1 victory. You may recall this match.
[Source: Jon Comeaux]
That Rodriguez worldy was in the 6th minute. Colin Martin scored a Wal-Fall-banger to even things up just before the half, and Jose Hernandez scored an acceptable penalty for the win in 63rd.
That was, I believe, the last game in Livermore, and I hate to say this:
That was, I believe, the last game in Livermore, and I hate to say this:
Although, that being said, the Roots are 5-5-1 in their Wednesday fixtures. So maybe we just need more weeknight Roots. Sorry, Lawson. [Please ignore the Tuesday night loss to San Diego]
Loyal Form Since Last Match-Up
Loyal Form Since Last Match-Up
Loyal beat Sacramento 2-1 on October 9 in San Diego.
Sac took the lead on a breakaway by Dariusz Formella out of absolutely nothing. He fields a long pass on Sac’s side of the center circle. Manages to get around a defender on the outside and still cut back into the box and beat the keeper at the near post.
Alejandro Guido equalized in the 54th with a low shot from distance. Corey Hertzog nearly took the lead on a beautiful chip that unfortunately (?) bounced off the upright. San Diego did then take the lead on the 57th with a great bit of team interplay starting from the keeper all the way through a great finish by Douglas Martinez.
San Diego followed this with a 1-1 draw at home to New Mexico United.
In the 51st minute the teams were still tied up at 0-0 and Alejandro Guido had just been denied by the cross-bar for the second time. Huge Gordon Bombay energy. San Diego took the least 10 minutes later on a kinda boring set-piece header from Douglas Martinez. New Mexico equalized in the 94th that San Diegans will likely say was redirected in by an offside player, and they might have a point. :shrug emoji:
Saalih Muhammad came on in the 53rd minute in what FBRef is telling me was a defensive midfielder position. As far as I can tell he wasn’t at fault for the Loyal goal, but the highlights are pretty blurry. Muhammad has seven appearances for New Mexico United, only two as a starter. However, in one of those he, like Colin Martin, channeled Wal Fall:
Goal at the 16 second mark of the video.
San Diego then lost to Orange County on October 20.
San Diego then lost to Orange County on October 20.
Eric Calvillo scored in the 26th minute for Orange County, and then, like they seem to do any time the game goes to plan for them, Orange County smothered the rest of the game. Calvillo’s goal was a wonderful free kick that looped up and over the wall and into the near corner away from the keeper.
Ronaldo Damus’s beautiful attacking play is so wasted on Orange County. He should play somewhere else. Like someplace further north. No, further north than Carson. Not Tacoma. And take the 101, not the 5. I want Damus to play for the Roots, okay?
So San Diego is in something of a rut, which is sorta good news, but the loss to Orange County put their lead over Orange County to only a single point. They finish the season against Sac, who will likely only be playing for pride, but we have to expect San Diego to take on Oakland tomorrow feeling like three points are absolutely necessary to secure a playoff home game.
Roots Form Since the Last Match-Up
Ronaldo Damus’s beautiful attacking play is so wasted on Orange County. He should play somewhere else. Like someplace further north. No, further north than Carson. Not Tacoma. And take the 101, not the 5. I want Damus to play for the Roots, okay?
So San Diego is in something of a rut, which is sorta good news, but the loss to Orange County put their lead over Orange County to only a single point. They finish the season against Sac, who will likely only be playing for pride, but we have to expect San Diego to take on Oakland tomorrow feeling like three points are absolutely necessary to secure a playoff home game.
Roots Form Since the Last Match-Up
Pacific Division Run-In
Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeelp
It is possible that the Roots’ planning for next season starts in earnest before they even kick off tomorrow.
Orange County host Las Vegas tonight (10/23) at 7:00 and then Phoenix hosts Sacramento at 7:30. Orange County could leapfrog San Diego tonight, and Sacramento could leapfrog Tacoma and Oakland, although you’d put more money on OCSC than Sac.
Tacoma hosts Galaxy II tomorrow (10/24) at 1:30, so that game should be in stoppage time by the time the Roots kickoff. Galaxy II clinch with two points, so a win ends the Roots’ playoff hopes. A Galaxy II draw today and a draw in their final match (home to OCSC) would also secure them fourth place (they hold the tiebreakers on the Roots). I will, for once, be rooting for a Tacoma win. If Roots and Tacoma both win out, and Galaxy II utterly collapse, Oakland hold the tiebreakers over Tacoma and would take fourth.
RootsPod
Lawson and I appeared on the Orange & Black Soccer Cast this past week to discuss the Roots loss to OCSC. We regret to inform you that there are discussions of a RootsBlog RootsPod for the offseason/next season.
Predictions
Bloom - I hate to say it, but I don’t know if there is enough left in the tank. It has been a very fun season. Enormous credit to the Roots for making an enjoyable season out of what looked like it was going to be a total damp squib. Unfortunately, I think even if the Roots were at peak fitness, San Diego is at home with a lot more to play for than the Roots. I would love to be proven wrong here. San Diego 2-1.
Lawson - I think we’re headed for maximum pain here, which means a Roots win and a Galaxy II loss on Sunday. I don’t know exactly how it will happen, but my money is on Quincy Amarikwa to get a goal from open play, and then someone random to grab a winner off a set piece. 2-1 Oakland.
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