Hello and welcome to the blog’s live coverage of Oakland Soul at San Rafael High School to face Marin Siren FC. It marks the second-to-last game of the regular season for Soul, entering with an 8-0-2 overall record against Siren’s 1-2-7. If all goes as expected, Oakland will clinch its way to the postseason.
Right now, the top three Nor Cal Division teams in Glens, Storm, and Soul will qualify for the postseason with Oakland likely finishing in third behind Storm on goal differential. A win improves Oakland’s Points Per Match average of 2.45, while defeating Glens in the season-finale would assure them second-place at 2.50 PPM. A loss to Glens would make Oakland’s PPM 2.25, while a tie versus SF makes it 2.33. *Update* Glens up 4-3.
Bloom highlights the complicated nature of the Nor Cal Division in today’s match preview:
Soul are ahead of Cal Storm by three, but Storm have a game in hand on them. This afternoon Storm play Glens, which you’d expect Glens to win, but this is a chance for things to get real weird if Storm somehow pulled out a draw. The other big chance of this to get weird is that Storm’s last match is against Stockton Cargo, who are very clearly the fourth best team, with 18 points, 8 points ahead of Olympic Club. Cargo have won every game except their games against the big three, so I’m glad the Soul have those fixtures in the rear view mirror.
https://oaklandrootsblog.com/2023/06/25/the-marin-f-c-siren-vs-oakland-soul-match-preview-june-25-2023/
Player of the Match – Sam Tran
Yes. This is a Sam Tran stan account.
She was dynamic today with a goal and assist. She dropped deep at times to make long runs through Marin’s defense.
Her score was a product of winning the ball high and patiently putting the ball away. She had the assist on the second goal on a perfect run into the area to send a pass across the face of goal to Miranda Nild, who was perfectly positioned for the tap in.
Starting Lineup
Nild and Tran return to lead the attack for a 3rd straight game. Colombini makes an appearance at LM and Mirr in the opposite side. Colombini’s first start. Same with Liu at CB. Flocchini starts in the 10-role. Watanabe makes an appearance at RB.
Timeline
GAMETIME! It should be another multi-goal win for Oakland, let’s see what they finish with.
Nild shot wide – 7′
Miranda takes a shot that trails wide from atop the area. Starts with Soul winning the ball high.
Tran shot wide – 9′
Cuts inside. Shot from top of area goes right of right post.
Mirr shot wide – 14′
Nice job to cut inside for the shot. Turned around a defender and dribbled by another.
SOUL GOAL – 17′
Product of the Oakland press. Sam Tran steals possession into a 1-o-1 opportunity and slots it in with patience.
Sam near goal – 23′
Tran nearly scores her second on a shit near the right post. Just wide of the left post. Nild nearly cleaned it up.
Armas claim – 24′
Tran shot on target – 30′
Nild nutmegs and opponent for fun – 32′
Nild shot sails – 34′
Marin corner – 35′
Great claim by Layla. Very athletic leap, like a WR in traffic.
Mirr shot high and wide – 41′
Flocchini draws foul and very edge of area on right side – 43′
Sends low pass to Nild, who redirects it towards net. Saved.
First half notes:
Only a 1 goal lead but Soul doing well to press to dominate possession. Marin doing well to limit through balls, but they look bound to wear out. A lot of shots.
Out of town update: Glens and Storm tied 3-3.
Nild shot sails- 49′
Glens up 4-3, wow.
Nild nearly feeds Diaz in through to goal – 55′
Storms tie 4-4.
Marin shot wide, draws corner – 59′
Eventually leads to a slow shot, easily handled by Layla.
Flocchini slow shot on target – 62′
Marin play into area. Easily handled – 63′
Nild ball toward net batted away – 65′
Mirr shot narrowly wide – 67′
Marin into the side netting – 70′
SOUL GOAL – 71′
Nild goal! Perfect run by Sam into the area and squares a across the face of goal to Miranda for the tap in.
Marin goal – 73′
Marin scores on a counter.
Fong shot in close distance stopped – 88′
Nice work in transition.
Fong another shot on target, great feed by Tran – 89′