RootsBlog

All USL teams announced their home openers this morning, and the Roots will be starting the season away to Rio Grande Valley Torres on March 12, and then hosting Monterey Bay, F.C. on March 26, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. at Laney College. We assume there will be a game in-between, but as only home openers are currently being announced, we do not know what it is.

A reliable source has told us that the full schedule will be announced in one to two weeks.

RGV Toros v. Oakland Roots – March 12

The Roots will kick off their 2022 campaign with a trip to Edinburg, Texas. The Roots didn’t play the Toros last season, but you may recall the Toros sneaking into the playoffs and then eliminating Phoenix Rising in Wild Horse Pass in an absolute barnstormer.

We broke down all the conference quarterfinals here.

Toros lost to San Antonio in the conference semifinals 3-1.

With the realignment of conferences in USL, a match against the Toros directly affects the Roots’ playoff standings. At the end of last season, I would have welcomed a match against the Toros, as I think the Roots were a better team at the time. At the moment, however, the Roots employ one (1) striker, so it is a little hard to know what this match-up would look like.

Oakland Roots v. Monterey Bay, F.C. – March 26

This will be Monterey Bay’s first season ever, so there is really no history here to give you. Monterey Bay are coached by Frank Yallop, who managed a number of MLS teams over the years, including stints with the San Jose Earthquakes from 2001-2003 and 2008-2013.

We will cover Monterey Bay in more detail in our match preview the week of the home opener. By that time, hopefully, Monterey Bay will have more than one player. Currently their only player is Walmer Martinez, an El Salvador-international from Santa Cruz, California, who played for the Roots’ youth setup, Project 510, in the 2020 season. Last season, the 23-year old Martinez made 19 appearances for Hartford Athletic, netting two.

Ostensibly, Monterey Bay is a continuation of the Fresno FC franchise, owned by Mercedes-Benz dealership magnate Ray Beshoff. Fresno FC played only two seasons, 2018 and 2019, and from a quick skim of their rosters, I only recognize Elijah Martin’s name (Martin played last season for SD Loyal).

This is a really exciting match to open up Laney for the season.