Hello and welcome to the blog’s live coverage of Oakland Roots clash with San Antonio FC in the USL Championship Conference Semifinals, coming to you from a packed house at Line 51 Brewery. The No. 7 seeded Roots look to upset another team after defeating No. 2 San Diego Loyal last Sunday. A win tonight would mark the second time Oakland upsets a top seeded organization after knocking off El Paso last season in the opening round.
Oakland walks in to Toyota Field to face the championship favorites, San Antonio, which has conceded the fewest goals of all teams this season. Roots tied 1-1 with SAFC back on June 18 and lost 2-0 most recently on September 3. However, Oakland has a much different team than both occasions given they were without Edgardo Rito in June and Ottar Magnus Karlsson in September. Since they last faced each other, Oakland has been in top form at 5-1-1.
In Bloom’s preview, he highlights just how tough San Antonio shapes up. He names Sam Adeniran, Justin Dhillon, and Mitchell Taintor (funny name) as his players to watch.
San Antonio ended the season with 54 goals, compared to the Roots’ 51. That’s only good enough for seventh in the league. This is consistent with how the teams play, but San Antonio has only four games where they have scored three or more goals, but have only been shut out five times (they have never lost when scoring). The Roots have scored three or more goals on eight occasions, but have been shut out seven times (including two draws). The concerning part is that they only conceded twenty-six goals. The next best overall is Louisville with twenty-eight and Detroit with thirty, but those teams played in the Eastern Conference. In the West Sacramento conceded thirty-four, New Mexico and RGV each conceded forty, and the Roots were next best on forty-six, just under 0.6 more goals conceded per ninety.
https://oaklandrootsblog.com/2022/10/28/san-antonio-f-c-vs-oakland-roots-match-preview-october-28-2022/
RootsBlog Man of the Match
The Function
Although the Roots finish its season with a Conference Semifinals exit, The Function remained undefeated throughout the year. They showed up in the highs and the lows, screaming, making up songs and establishing a thriving culture. They showed up 400 deep to Monterey, by the hundreds to Sacramento on two occasions and packed San Diego with over 200 people.
The Function stays undefeated.
Key Events
- San Antonio – 2′
Quick start for San Antonio with Adeniran retrieving the loose ball and unloading with his left foot.
- Oakland Roots Starting 11
We get the starting 11 correct in the match preview with Fuenmayor still out and Emrah moving into the right side center back role. Charlie Dennis gets his second consecutive start at right ring with Formella still out, while Joseph Nane provides stability in the midfield alongside Jose.
- San Antonio Starting 11
Timeline
Here we go, gametime! Can Oakland Roots pull off another upset? Keep it locked here for all the latest updates.
San Antonio goal – 2′
Quick start for San Antonio with Adeniran retrieving the loose ball and unloading with his left foot.
Ottar shot blocked – 4′
Óttar right footed shot from the center of the box is blocked.
Charlie shot trails high – 15′
Charlie a nice attempt. Good buildup from Roots results in Dennis taking a shot that goes high of the net.
Play over the top to JCA – 19′
Can’t make good contact on the shot. Nice pass by Jose.
Roots set piece – 20′
Charlie draws the foul, ref finally takes the whistle out of his pocket. Play in leads to a corner.
Roots corner – 21′
Leads to a second corner.
Blocked out for a third corner. Caught by Farr.
Roots set piece – 24′
Jose draws the foul. Leads to nothing.
San Antonio big chance nearly goes wide – 25′
Big momentum on the counter.
Charlie attempt blocked – 31′
Hits off of defender and back into his own face.
Roots set piece good area – 31′
Charlie wins the foul in a good area, on the right side of the box. Charlie a perfect ball in, Barbir header goes high.
Ottar shot saved by far, biiiiig chance – 34′
Leads to a corner.
San Antonio shot sails – 39′
Big opportunity for SAFC on a giveaway, Patino can’t take advantage of it.
San Antonio corner – 43′
Header sails high.
Ottar shot sails – 45+1′
First half notes:
It could easily by 2-2 right now with proper finishing by both sides. Adeniran, meanwhile, scores his fourth goal of the season against Oakland on Roots’ slip up. If you’re reading the stats, Oakland’s playing strong with nine shots but just one on target, one big chance missed. SAFC with five shots, 2 big chances missed, and one shot on target.
Roots set piece in good area – 49′
JCA wins the foul on left side of area. Azocar ball blocked out for a corner. Ball in falls but no one can retrieve it. Jose ball in goes out for a goal kick.
Roots corner – 63′
Charlie draws a corner after not a lot of action. Ball in cleared.
Johnny on for Nane – 67′
Azocar shot high – 69′
Nice run forward.
Roots corner – 70′
Charlie ball in cleared out, Lindo shot blocked but wasn’t on target.
Roots corner – 71′
Ball cleared out.
Roots corner – 73′
Ball bounced around, Ottar shot skips around, Dennis diving header goes towards net. Farr there.
San Antonio corner – 74′
Ball cleared out. Failed counter attack.
San Antonio scores – 75′
Patino with a beautiful shot. Back line turned inside out.
Johnsen on for Lindo – 78′
Chuy on as well.
San Antonio shot on target – 87′
Johnsen has a shot with Farr on his knees, and he makes the save – 88′
Ottar with a shot blocked, falls to Johnsen and he puts it right at Farr.
Patino puts the game away – 90′