Oakland Roots are bringing home three points from Birmingham Legion with a 1-nil victory, giving Benny Feilhaber his first win as head coach. The result improves their record to 4-2-8, keeping Roots tied with Lexington FC in 11th-12th. It marks an important result, putting them just three points behind Sacramento Republic in eighth place.
Roots scored its game-winner in the 56th minute after Ali Elmasnaouy draw a foul in the box. Stepping to the spot with cool poise was defender Kai Greene, sending in a shot to the right side of the net after a stutter-step run-up.
Oakland did a lot of its damage in the second half, producing six of their nine shot attempts and both of their big scoring chances.
Roots had a pair of potential goals wiped in the 39th and 65th minutes, where Peter Wilson was called offside on both. The first happened when a dummy ball played Jurgen Damm in behind down the left side. Damm squared a pass to Wilson charging toward the net, but he was a foot past Legion’s defender. As for the second, Tyler Gibson played a ball over the top to Wilson, who laid off another pass to Jose Luis Sinisterra in front before the play was called dead.
Here are our talking points from Saturday’s match.
Talking Points
- Strong second half performance
Oakland went into halftime clinging onto a 0-0 tie with both sides recording three shots that required one save apiece. Birmingham was largely controlling the better positioning with eight touches in the opponent’s box to Oakland’s four, but that changed in the second half. Roots began pushing the ball higher up the field, resulting in three times their first-half title with 12 to Legion’s four.
Coach Benny Fielhaber saw some signs at end of the first half that things were turning their way.
“I thought it was an excellent second half. I thought we started kind of like we ended the first half,” Feilhaber said after the game. “Forward facing, forward runs, getting on the end of things, and that’s how we create the action that leads to the penalty.”
The heatmap shows how Oakland began getting into Legion’s penalty area.
Roots could hardly get within yards of the box in the opening five minutes, but found a way to break through in the latter half. In addition to pushing farther down the field, Oakland was able to take two touches within the six-yard box and another touch in close vicinity. They also took four touches in a dangerous area on top of the box, compared to just once in the same area in the first half.
To Fielhaber’s point, Oakland started to turn things around offensively with Wilson’s wiped goal in the 39th. Five minutes later, Wilson took a shot on target inside the box when Sinisterra played him a great pass in behind, but the striker’s shot had no heat on it to challenge Legion GK Matt Van Oekle.
Sinisterra kept some pressure on with a shot that went very wide to start the second half in the 51st. Two minutes later, Elmasnaouy drew the penalty kick when Morey Doner found him free in the area. Doing well to brace himself, Elmasnaouy drew a shove in the back by Edwin Laszo.
Oakland kept their foot on the gas pedal when Elmasnaouy created a dangerous look a minute later, feeding Damm down the left side. Jurgen’s centering pass was deflected out for a corner.
After the second goal was wiped in the 65th, Gagi Margvelashvili nearly put the game away in the 75th with a powerful header after receiving a corner cross from Panos Armenakas.
- Kendall McIntosh more situational stoicism
Kendall McIntosh continues his impressive run as Roots’ starting goal keeper. He finished with just two saves, both by dives, but is perhaps best at capitalizing on the dirty plays that don’t show up on the stat sheet.
His nab of a low cross in the 9th minute that was targeting Ronaldo Damus in behind looked routine, but was underratedly important. He shut down a cross in a dangerous area by Kobe Hernandez in the 26th and then made one of his diving stops on a shot by Danny Trejo in the box three minutes later.
Then with the game on the line, McIntosh made a big diving stop in the 89th to prevent Tyler Pasher from tying the game.
He finished with one punch, two high claims, eight recoveries, and completed five long passes.
- Elmasnaouy keeps getting better
We named Ali Elmasnaouy our RootsBlog Man of the Match, continuing to prove he’s ready for the professional game. He’s now started all three of Benny Fielhaber’s matches in charge, with tonight being his first 90-minute performance.
He took Roots’ first shot of the game in the 24th minute when Tyler Gibson played him a long pass in behind. Drawing the penalty kick in the 53rd also showed great poise and anticipation. His best moment may have been in the 56th when tip toeing around the top of the box before finding Damm free on the left.
Ali finished with 52 total touches including two in the box, completing nine passes into the final third. He was highly efficient with 2/3 successful dribbles, 2/3 long balls, and won all three of his tackles.
It may be hard to unseat Gibson or Bobosi Byaruhanga for a starting job when he’s available. But if Bobosi’s absence lingers, Ali should keep getting the nod.
Elmasnaouy could be proving to be the next breakthrough from Project 51O.
RootsBlog Man of the Match – Ali Elmasnaouy
We name Ali Elmasnaouy our RootsBlog Man of the Match for his critical performance at just 20 years old.
He drew Oakland’s penalty kick in the 53rd minute after Morey Doner played him a nice pass in the box. Ali found himself in the area, taking a shove in the back to get his team to the spot. Stepping up for the PK was, surprisingly, Kai Greene–slotting his shot to the right of the net. He also showed some skillful footwork in the 56th minute to feed Jurgen Damm for a shot attempt.
Starting Lineups
- Oakland Roots
Ali Elmasnaouy gets his third straight start under Fielhaber, while Bobosi Byaruhanga is evidently unable to go despite the team having a clean injury report. As I wrote in this morning’s match preview, Jurgen Damm and Morey Doner start at the opposite outside back spots. Gagi Margvelashvili gets his second straight start, Neveal Hackshaw receives his third straight start on the left side CB spot, and Kai Greene starts on the right side. Peter Wilson and Jose Luis Sinisterra make up the twin striker roles, while Wolfgang Prentice makes up the #10 in the 3-4-1-2. Panos Armenakas moves to the subs list after starting the last two matches. No Baboucarr Njie.
- Birmingham Legion
Timeline
GAME TIME! Can Benny Feilhaber pick up his first win?
Quick yellow on Birmingham – 1′
Foul by Laszo on Doner.
McIntosh jumps on a low cross – 9′
Damus played into a dangerous position but he’s offside – 14′
Birmingham rolls a shot wide – 21′
Good work in transition by Hernandez, shots it narrowly wide.
Ali sends a shot wide – 24′
First shot of the game. Good job by Tyler Gibson to play him over the top into space.
Birmingham corner – 26′
Hernandez sends in a cross that’s batted out by McIntosh.
McIntosh big diving save – 29′
Trejo with a shot inside the box, but McIntosh with a quick dive to his feet to the right. Fernandez then has a shot deflected out for a corner.
Birmingham corner – 30′
Ball goes out the back.
Birmingham free kick -33′
Low ball sent in, Roots deflect it out for a corner.
Birmingham corner – 33′
Birmingham plays to Fernandez in front of the net, but he’s offside – 37′
Wilson goal wiped – 39′
Ball played to Damm in behind on a perfect dummy. He finds Wilson in front of the net unmarked, but he’s called offside. Would’ve been Roots’ first league goal since May 16 against North Carolina.
Roots long free kick – 42′
Foul drawn by Damm about 15 yards past midfield.
Gibson great ball in targeting Kai Greene, but ball deflects off him and out the back.
Wilson played in behind and takes a shot a couple yards into the box – 44′
Great buildup by Sinisterra, but Wilson’s shot has no power behind it and goes to the feet of Ven Oekel. Good chance missed.
Roots free kick – 45′
Another long distance look. Gibson over it, sends a ball that’s deflected out for a corner
Corner – 45′
Ball cleared out.
First Half Notes:
It remains tied 0-0 with both teams having some good looks. Wilson with a good chance but he can’t take a good shot, while Wilson was called offside on Roots’ best look of the game. Both teams with 3 shots and 1 on target. Oakland with just 4 touches inside the box to Birmingham’s 8 touches. Curious to see what changes can be made.
Long free kick – 51′
Played short to Sinisterra, he takes a long shot that rolls 10 yards wide. Didn’t make good contact.
Ali draws a penalty kick – 53′
Ball played to Elmasnaouy by Morey Doner. Ali takes a shove in the back.
Roots PK – 55′
Kai Greene lines up over it. He burries it to the right side with a shifty run up. Becomes the first goal of the Fielhaber era. Oakland’s first goal since their cup match at AV Alta and first league goal since NCFC on May 16.
Corner – 56′
Ball falls to Ali Elmasnaouy, he takes a few dribbles atop the box before feeding Jurgen on the left side. Damm’s pass deflected out.
Sinisterra sends a shot high – 57′
Damus sends a dangerous pass in, McIntosh jumps to grab a looping header – 61′
Free kick – 63′
Drawn by Sinisterra on the left side, about 10 yards outside the elbow.
Goes out for a corner
Corner – 64′
Another goal wiped for Roots – 65′
Ball played in behind to Wilson, who sends a pass to Sinisterra for the goal. However, Wilson called offside.
Panos on for Wilson – 69′
Corner – 73′
Corner – 75′
Gagi header tipped onto the crossbar. He tries for a follow-up and its blocked away. Gagi falls to his knees, knowing he just missed a big chance.
Birmingham corner – 79′
leads to another
Bravo comes on for Damm.
Birmingham corner – 80′
Ilya and Gomez coming on for Wolfgang and Sinisterra
Corner – 85′
Birmingham corner – 89′
Plays short and McIntosh pushes a shot wide. Big diving save by McIntosh on a shot from outside the box.
Birmingham corner – 90′
Five minutes of stoppage
Birmingham corner – 90+5′
Van Oekel up and they target him. Foul eventually called on Birmingham, that should be it.
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