RootsBlog

  I have to say, I think Sacramento very much had a bead on what Oakland were trying to do Wednesday night. Oakland’s general shape very much resembled what we’ve seen since the squad got fully (or nearly fully) fit, but I thought this played a lot like a 4-3-3 with a false 9, with Lindo Mfeka doing a lot of roaming about the center of the pitch. The gameplan was practically Sarri-esque. Build-up after build-up saw Roots try one of two things: (1) Fall and Hernandez seek to receive the ball in the half-space and then immediately hit a third man out wide or through the middle, or (2) an intricate passing sequence that would switch play in about 4 to 5 passes. The problem was that Sacramento’s physicality really prevented this kind of fluid movement for much of the match. Sacramento aggressively pressed Fall and Hernandez after they received the ball, more often than not forcing a pass back to the center backs. For much of the game, the fullback runs through the wide areas were also ...

The Oakland Roots were victorious on Wednesday night with its 2-1 win over Sacramento Republic in the final NorCal Derby of its inaugural rivalry, and it didn't disappoint.  The Roots improved its record to 9-7-11, now in fourth place with 34 points--two points ahead of LA Galaxy II and Republic. Los Dos plays Las Vegas Lights on Friday; a Lights win or draw keeps Oakland in fourth.  Technical director and interim head coach Jordan Ferrell was beaming after the win, a stark contrast to the Saturday night 2-2 draw with Vegas. Emrah Klimenta, who scored his first goal since 2017, also harped on the focus while up 2-1 against Sac.  Oakland looks ahead to a difficult match on the road in Phoenix this Saturday.  Here is a full transcript of Ferrell and Klimenta's postgame press conference: Initial thoughts after the win?  Ferrell: "It's good to wrap up the series against them with a win. Obviously, every single game is a battle. I think the majority of our squad was ...

The Oakland Roots brought home three points with a 2-1 victory over Sacramento Republic on Wednesday night at Laney College. The win improves their record to 9-7-11 and catapults the club into fourth place with 34 points, three points behind OCSC.  Oakland now prepares for an away match at Phoenix on Saturday, while LA Galaxy II can do Roots' a favor by losing Vegas on Friday. OCSC and Tacoma also play on Oct. 9. It was a chippy and physical affair between Oakland and Sacramento all night, with the Roots' claiming the NorCal Derby season series with a 1-3-0 record. It's the formula for a budding California soccer rivalry, and the June 19 mishap was undoubtedly still on the minds of players, coaches, and front office members.  "It's a good way to wrap up the series against them. Obviously, every single game is a battle. I think the majority of our squad was healthy and available for the first time; it makes a big difference. We also showed better mentality tonight t...

Welcome to tonight's edition of the blog's live coverage of the Oakland Roots' match with Sacramento Republic under the lights of Laney College.  Oakland enters as the sixth-ranked team in the Pacific Division with an 8-7-11 record against fifth-place Sacramento at 8-8-10. A win overtakes the Republic in the standings, while a Galaxy II loss on Friday and a Roots win tonight puts the Town back in fourth.  Here is Bloom's official match preview for tonight, where he highlights both organizations since their last run-in on August 11.  Here's an excerpt from Bloom's preview that keys on Roots SC's missed opportunities from its recent 2-2 draw with Las Vegas; building a critical time for Oakland to get back on track with three points.  The other frustrating thing is obviously that the Roots had some incredible opportunities that they didn’t convert (Amarikwa, like Wal Fall, considers penalties gauche and unsporting), some bad luck (Rodriguez off the post), and ...

The Oakland Roots will host Sacramento Republic in the fourth and final fixture of the Capitol Corridor Derby*. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m., and the match will be broadcast on ESPN+ and KOFY TV.  It's dollar beer night, friends.  Make responsible decisions. *name pending USSF approval  (if you stretch the pronunciation, "El SACvOAK" works, but it's still not that funny). Roots’ History Against Republic : 0-3-0 Last Match-Up Between These Teams [Source: Oakland Roots SC] These teams last met on August 11 in a 0-0 draw at Las Positas. That point was the first point that the Roots had picked up since their last 0-0 draw away to Sacramento in early July. Oh baby, the rivalry is spicy. Recap Postgame Presser To give you some context on how long ago this was, Danny Flores started (Flores remains with 1 goal and 2 assists for Virginia Tech, has started their two recent games since his goal in their win over Notre Dame). Reading that recap is an interesting little e...