RootsBlog

Roots fans it’s game day again already! Roots travel to Hamtramck, Michigan to face old NISA rival Detroit City F.C. at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time. The match should be available on ESPN+ and KTVU Plus. USL putting games at 1:00 p.m. like they’re the champions league or something. Ridiculous.

Happy April the 20th¹ to all who celebrate.

Detroit City F.C.

Oh no, they’re so good.

Detroit City are 4-0-0 with seven goals scored and only three goals conceded. Maybe they have only played bad teams? Actually, yeah, that’s basically true. They have played Switchbacks (last in the West), Loudoun (7th in the East), Indy (11th in the East), and North Carolina (8th in the East). That is, they have only beaten one team with a better record than the roots (and Loudoun’s 2-1-2 isn’t much better than the Roots’ 2-1-3.

Indy sliced Detroit’s defense apart for the Guenzatti opener, and before Detroit could get on the board, Indy frittered away a great chance for a second. Ali Coote equalized from a tight angle in the 56th, and Detroit won at the end on a goal that really benefitted from a lack of VAR. The angle isn’t great and there’s an Indy player that is tough to see through a crowd, so the linesman may well know for sure that it was onside.

Detroit only needed one, and only got one, against North Carolina. In the 9th minute, Rhys Williams was played into space nearly the halfway line by (I think Michael Bryant). Williams ran the length of the half, including barreling through Lamar Batista. Williams got a chance for a shot, which Nelson Blanco managed to deflect, but his deflection wrong-footed the NCFC keeper for the own goal. Quite the reward Blanco got for a hell of a recovery run to catch Williams at all.

Apparently figuring it was ungentlemanly to score that early, Detroit waited until the 93rd to score in their US Open Cup third round match against Michigan Stars F.C. (an old rival of Detroit from their NISA days, who Rootsheads will recall were on the other side of the first win in Oakland Roots’ history). I suppose I can’t talk too much shit about Detroit taking a long time to put away a lower-league opponent in the open cup.

Roots’ Form

Maybe getting better?

Moreno’s opener was frustrating, but I think just really dogged play from El Paso. They shielded the ball well and Moreno’s turn and shoot was pretty good. Logue equalized on a great free kick from Memo in the 31st. Even if Logue had missed, I think there was about a 50/50 chance that it results in a corner kick or a Tammacs tap-in. Koze’s foul to give away the penalty was really lousy. I don’t think he’s trying to trip him, but does that make it worse? Anyway, Koze remains one of the Roots’ best player when he can manage to get on the field, but this was a bit of a blemish. Johnny did not wait long into the second half before he decided he’d rather the Roots have another goal and beat the Locomotive keeper from about 30 yards out. Just a couple minutes later, Johnny won and scored a penalty out of just about nothing. I don’t think Johnny had a chance of turning the pass into a goal, which is why you have to remember that it’s still a penalty even without a great goal chance, when the keeper just fouls someone. And he certainly fouled the shit out of Johnny. El Paso didn’t muster much more threat, and the Roots took the points.

The Roots made a pit stop back in Oakland to host El Farolito in the Open Cup on Tuesday.

The Roots started six 510 graduates, including Syrel who has been with the first team for awhile but rarely played because Paul is such a rock, Ilya Akekseev, who has seen some play (and success) after a strong pre-season, Etsgar Cruz, who has been getting some first team minutes off the bench, and Javier Bedolla Vera and Thomas Camier, who are both a little further behind in their quest to make that jump. Then of course Danny Gomez, who has been with the first team so long its easy to forget he is a 510 graduate.

Farolito took the lead when they pressured Rasmussen into a mistake near the half line, and raced forward with a numbers advantage. Roots forced them to play wide and recovered, but a sequence of a terrible volley attempt, then two headers ended with one placed by Bensen where Paul had no chance. Roots equalized on a magnificent long cross from Ilya Alekseev to Memo Diaz at the far post for the easy header, the mirror of the equalizing goal against Charleston in week 2.

It took going up a man, and then 12 minutes of extra time, but the Roots got their equalizer with a little flick by debutante and Berkeley native Ali Elmasnaouy, leading to this incredible picture that Jon captured:

Five youth players, mostly from the East Bay, putting the Roots through against the Burrito Club? I mean…

Lineups and Score Predictions

Bloom

God who is even available? Trayvon is hurt, Hack and Njie still have suspensions to work through. Not sure if Riley is fit yet, but Rasmussen is clearly back (although played 135 minutes or whatever it was in mid-week). So here’s my guess:

I think the Roots are doing a little better than they were, but I am not sure it’s enough to get past Detroit’s solid defense. 1-1.

Aaron

Hopefully, Roots can build on their momentum from the last two games. My hunch is that more chopping and changing means things will be difficult, but I like the spark we’ve seen from the attack when Memo and Johnny are in. On the other hand, I’m a pessimistic fan by nature, and who knows if this team, which hasn’t shown much in attack, can crack a stout Detroit defense. Or if Paul can stay healthy. 5-3 Roots.

Jon

Not totally sure who is available for this one. Starting with the back line, I’m going Gagi at right center back. I’m not sure if Riley is available, we weren’t clued on the matter even though this post will likely go out after the injury report is released. If Riley is back, I’m going him at RCB and pushing Gagi centrally. At LCB, I like Rasmussen after he put in a really strong shift against El Farolito. In the two-pronged CF spots, I’m going Reid and Johnny, while Cedeno slots into the CAM spot.

Get the chants rolling and vibes going; 3-0 ROOTS!

1. When I was 15 I thought this song was lame because I didn’t smoke weed and my friends who liked it also didn’t smoke weed. Then when I was 21, uh, some people smoked weed and I thought this song was lame because I was 21 and too cool for damned near everything. Now I’m 36 and don’t smoke weed and this song fucking slaps. ↩︎