Hello and welcome to the blog’s live coverage of Roots’ regular season finale at Pittsburgh Riverhounds, coming to you from the Athletic Club, where well over 100 Oakland supporters are cheering on their club. Three points mean everything for Roots today with a high of fifth still up for grabs, while a loss or tie could potentially lock Oakland out of the postseason. No pressure, right?
RGV Toros face Monterey Bay at 5:30 p.m. and New Mexico plays Colorado Springs at 6:00. Meanwhile, Las Vegas is at Los Angeles for the late listing at 7:30 p.m.
Here are the scenarios that can play out:
- To place fifth: Roots win, New Mexico loses and RGV loses or ties.
- To place sixth: Roots win, RGV wins/ties, New Mexico loses. OR Roots tie, RGV loses, Las Vegas loses, and any result for New Mexico.
- To place seventh: Roots win and New Mexico wins/ties, RGV wins/ties. OR Roots tie, RGV wins/ties, any result for New Mexico, and Las Vegas loses/ties. OR Roots lose, any result for RGV and NMU, Las Vegas loses/ties.
- Locked out of playoffs if: Roots lose or tie, any result for New Mexico and RGV, and Las Vegas wins.
Oakland walks into the Willie Stargell Derby having taken 13 of the last 15 points at 4-1-0 through their last five games. Riverhounds, meanwhile, are not the current model of consistency. They are winless in its last five at 0-3-2 and haven’t scored more than two goals since beating Loudon 2-1 on September 4. In fact, Riverhounds have only had more than two shots on target in two matches during this stretch.
Peter highlights Pittsburgh’s run of form in today’s match preview:
The division in the Eastern Conference is so stark that we have known basically who would make the playoffs for weeks. Of teams that will actually make the playoffs (so that is, not based on their position at the time), Pittsburgh has not beaten a playoff team since July 9. In fact, they only have four wins at all over teams that will (potentially) make the playoffs.
https://oaklandrootsblog.com/2022/10/14/pittsburgh-riverhounds-vs-oakland-roots-match-preview-october-15-2022/
Bloom’s Player to Watch on Pittsburgh include: Russell Cicerone, Albert Dikwa, and Kenardo Forbes.
Key Events
- ROOTS GOAL – 8′
Azocar with the golazoooooo, off of a corner.
- Oakland Roots Starting 11
As expected, no Formella in the starting 11. Memo Diaz starts at left back with Juan Carlos Azocar in front of him. Other than that, no changes. Excited to see how the playmakers of Memo, Rito, and JCA do for a full game.
- Pittsburgh Riverhounds Starting 11
Timeline
Pitt corner – 2′
Cleared for throw in
Roots corner – 8′
AZOCAR OH MY GOD
Paul big save – 23′
Paul a stop in a big situation.
Pitt set piece in great area – 28′
One foot above area. Shot goes wide.
Pitt corner – 38′
Plays around. Paul with the claim.
Roots set piece – 43′
Ottar shot goes straight at the keeper.
Pitt goal in first half stoppage
Memo doesn’t see the forward coming.
First half notes:
Since the goal in the eighth minute, Roots haven’t had much action. Oakland has 2 shots, both on target. Pittsburgh with 4 shots, 2 on target, 2 big chances.
Big stop by Paul – 47′
Big chance for Pittsburgh, Paul comes out for the stop
Roots corner – 51′
Paul holy shit! – 51′
Ball gets past the back line, HUGE 1-o-1 from Paul
Free header by Pitt – 54′
Too open for Russell Cicerone, wide open header
Pittsburgh shot high – 57′
After corner, Mertz with a shot on a counter sails high.
Chuy on for Memo- 64′
Roots corner – 68′
Cleared out.
Pitt set piece-70′
Goes out for a goal kick.
Johnny on for Tarek – 74′
Pitt goal, Roots defense ball watching for the wide open goal. Not gud.
RGV leads 1-0 on Monterey, which has a red