Hello and welcome to the blog’s live coverage of Oakland Soul traveling to the Davis Legacy Sports Complex to face California Storm for its second match against each other in less than a week.
Well, it was a banner day for RootsBlog with Edgardo Rito’s transfer to Hartford Athletic, while we also broke Oakland A’s and San Jose Earthquakes owner John Fisher was snooping around Roots’ training facility with his Earthquakes’ staff members. Check them both out if you want to feel a certain level of anxiety.
But this article isn’t about Roots, it’s about the Soul team which is challenging for the top ranks of the USL W League’s Nor Cal Division now entering the midway point of the season. Soul can do itself a favor by getting a draw or win against Storm, which would just about clinch their way to the playoffs. Oakland had a strong 3-2 win over Storm in its recent match at Merritt College, but coach Jessica Clinton admitted today’s lineup would be very different. Scroll down for all of the latest updates.
Starting Lineups
- Oakland Soul Starting 11
Nayeli Diaz gets her first start as a center forward after predominantly appearing in the 10-role. On the other side is soon-to-be Archbishop Mitty senior Jordan Geis, as expected. Teresa Noyola gets their first start of the season in the 10, while players like Flocchini, Vranesh, Shepherd, House, Garcia, and Robke get their first starts.
- California Storm Starting 11
Initial Takeaways
- Soul suffers its first loss, but it definitely was a challenge. Oakland struggled to get things going with a cast playing its first match together and progressively looked better in the first half. But the fluidity they found in the opening 45 minutes wasn’t the same in the second half, where it seemed like long balls into the area was their only answer to an aggressive Storm press.
- Despite a new squad having its struggles, I thought it was a positive to only conceded one and make the match as close as it was. For a mixed-and-matched bunch to keep itself the game against an opposing team full of starters, it says a lot about the quality Soul has in its locker room.
- Now we really go into the biggest game of the season, so far, traveling to San Bruno to face the first-place SF Glens. Oakland has a chance to snap the Glens’ undefeated streak, currently at 7-0-0. It’ll be their biggest challenge thus far.
Timeline
GAMETIME! Can Soul get the job done in Davis? A win or a draw pretty much clinches Oakland a playoff berth with six games left.
This camera angle is impossible.
Giana Riley shot from distance saved, handled well by Armas – 8′
Giana Riley scores on a beautiful shot – 10′
Dribbles around the top of the area on the left side, sends a right-footed rocket. Looked like a beautiful shot.
Storm definitely the more aggressive side through 15 minutes. They are out-possessing, Soul doing most of their work in transition or long balls, but nothing effective.
Soul look like a team still looking to find itself. Not surprising with an entirely new lineup.
Diaz shot blocked – 25′
First real action for Soul. Good defense for Storm.
Clinton yelling to press, forces a turnover – 29′
Jordan Geis shot on target, nearly gets by – 30′
Good buildup for Storm into Soul’s area but Oakland clears – 35′
Storm header handled easily by Armas – 39′
Soul corner – 44′
Play short, Shepherd eventually gets a weak header on it. Easily handled.
First Half Notes:
Storm go into the half leading 1-0 thanks to an aggressive first 15 minutes that culminated with a goal in the 10th by Giana Riley. It was a beautiful strike from the Gonzaga junior.
Storm has 10 shots to Soul’s three. Oakland has the look of a team that doesn’t have a lot of time together and really didn’t start to find its offensive fluidity for the first 25 minutes of action. Jordan Geis has the only shot on target, but it was a well-worked possession.
Jordan Geis shot on target – 47′?
Nice feed by Diaz to Geis making the run in. Draws a corner, which leads to another. But Soul does nothing with it.
Storm corner – 49′?
Mirr touch too strong, could’ve been a 1-on-1 – 56′?
Ceci Gee entered at some point
Eden White and Zoe Franks coming on for Soul.
Geis with a nice run into the box, nearly makes a great feed but Storm clears it out.
Storm free kick sent into area, scrum in front of the net but the ball is eventually cleared.
Play toward Storm’s Brenda Uribe, but Armas there to recover.
Aliyah Jones coming on for Soul. Geis comes off.
Armas with a diving save, stops a counter attack
Armas with a very underrated save. Stops a hard shot and traps it.
Soul free kick at midfield, sending a prayer in the last moments of stoppage time. Ball in nearly cleaned up by Soul, falls in a crowd. Storm GK recovered.
That’s it, Storm takes the points.