Oakland Roots lost 2-1 to Colorado Springs Switchbacks at the Coliseum on Saturday night, scoring once in the second half but falling short of a comeback. The result moves Oakland down to 11th place in the USL Championship Western Conference, now four points behind Orange County, Phoenix Rising, and Switchbacks in sixth, seventh, and eighth.
“It’s always frustrating when you lose, especially at home and against a team that we’re obviously competing against for a playoff spot. I think the guys and the staff are obviously disappointed,” coach Benny Feilhaber said.
“Switchbacks have been on a good run as well. I know they were one spot above us, but they’re playing at a pretty high level. They are really good defensively and they took their chances.”
Oakland had its chances, generating 17 total shots, but turned just two on target. Roots had the better of looks, finishing with 1.38 xG compared to Colorado Springs’ 0.77.
“It’s always tough coming back after a break to be clicking, but at the same time, I think we had enough of the game in the first half to at least get to half-time at zeros, if not sticking one in the back of the net ourselves before they went up,” Feilhaber said. “I don’t think we had the same composure close to goal to create the types of runs, types of passes, and finishes that they did.”
Oakland managed to earn four corner kicks within the first 14 minutes of the game, but Colorado Springs was clinical with its first two shots on target of the match. In the 43rd minute, Marco Micaletto sent a well-placed through ball to find Jonas Fjeldberg charging into Oakland’s penalty area, sending a shot to the far post to beat Kendall McIntosh.
Then, Colorado Springs struck again just six minutes of regulation time later at the 49th minute early in the second half. This time, Fjeldberg found Quentin Huerman across the face of the goal for a clinical counterattack finish, making it 2-nil.
Roots pulled one back in the 59th minute when Bobosi Byaruhanga played a perfect long throughball to Peter Wilson just a couple of yards in front of the net for the goal.
Oakland now gets ready for the NorCal Derby against archrivals Sacramento Republic at Heart Health Park on August 16, representing another critical six-point match for Roots.
Here are our talking points coming out of Saturday’s match.
Good buildup, no finishing
Roots’ 2-1 loss to Colorado Springs had some similar undertones to their 1-nil loss to Orange County in the Jagermeister Cup, where Oakland had 11 shots with six on target and 24 touches in the box. This time versus Switchbacks, Roots had their most touches inside the box all season with 32, but only two of their 17 shot attempts went on target.
Feilhaber thinks inconsistent scoring may be having a mental impact, causing players to rush shots or not pick out the extra pass.
“I’d like to see us be a little bit more composed in front of their box. I wouldn’t even say the final third, but closer to the goal. We haven’t scored a ton of goals, and when you don’t, you almost view every opportunity like this is the ultimate chance. Your eyes almost get too big. I think there were moments that we maybe rushed the shot, there was an extra pass available, or the cross didn’t go to the right player,” Feilhaber said.
“I would love for us to get a little bit cleaner, more composed, and change a 20-30 percent chance into maybe an extra pass that gets you maybe a 50-60 percent chance to score. I think that’s kind of what was lacking a little bit, especially in the first half. Like the Orange County game, when you do fall behind, other teams are going to be tough to break down,” he added.
Roots had its chances, but Colorado Springs was able to thwart them each time. Morey Doner, Tyler Gibson, and Ali Elmasnaouy each had shots blocked in the 14th minute, which led to Danny Gomez narrowly missing Peter Wilson for a header from a corner. Gibson, Elmasnaouy, and Gomez also had shots trail high in the 20th, 23rd, and 41st minutes, respectively.
In the 28th minute, Roots had a counterattack killed when Elmasnaouy delivered a strong ball intended for Panos Armenakas, but it deflected to Wilson. However, Wilson couldn’t cut the ball across to the box for what would’ve been a certain goal.
“I would say that in the first half, it would have been nice to go up 1-0. The game is completely different if that happens, and we had some moments where we could’ve done that,” Feilhaber said.
Kai Greene pointed out that their struggles were two-fold: not finishing in the attacking half and not doing enough defensively.
“We were disconnected at times. It’s not even about finishing the chances that we get. At the end of the day, I’m upset we gave up two goals. It starts with having a clean sheet. With the way we play, we might be exposed a bit on the counter. The first goal was soft, and the second goal was a counter. It’s on both ends of the field to produce,” Greene said.
Urgency for results
Oakland ends the weekend in 11th place out of 12 teams in the USL Championship Western Conference, leaving them four points behind sixth, seventh, and eighth place. The next stretch of matches across the league could start to clarify the playoff picture, making it an important time for Roots to prove they can make the postseason.
“There are 12 games left, you just can’t lose many games now. If you lose too many games, you’re going to fall behind, and the season will be over before you know it. You have to get results, there’s no other way to dice it up,” Feilhaber said.
Feilhaber went into the match understanding that hiccups were bound to happen, but knows the final stretch will ultimately determine how things shake out in the West.
“What I told the players leading up to this game is that with 13 games left, I’m certain we’re going to lose some and we’re going to win some. Our mentality needs to be that we don’t have any hangover from a win or a loss. Every week is a new week. You can’t let the losses stack up, and if you lose five in a row, you’re going to be out of the playoffs,” Feilhaber said.
“You have to stack up the wins. But I do think this team is resilient and has enough quality. If we have the mentality of approaching every single week as if it were a final, then we’ll get enough points.”
Greene thinks there is “absolutely” a sense of urgency, reiterating that they know the final stretch will pose tests.
“Oh, absolutely,” Greene said. “We’ve spoken with Benny and we understand that we want to win everything going down the stretch, but there’s going to be some bumps along the road. We have to embrace those and learn from them,” Greene said.
With 12 matches left, Greene added that the marathon will become a sprint soon, and building momentum is of the utmost importance.
“This is starting to become a sprint to the finish line. It’s all about momentum; that’s what it is with getting into the playoffs, being the team that established momentum. I’ll take momentum going into the playoffs in seventh place as opposed to being first and losing the final games of the season. It’s about momentum, you see top teams fall in the first round. Teams with momentum have nothing to lose,” Greene said.
Peter Wilson scores his sixth
Peter Wilson got Roots on the board in the 59th minute, pouncing on a ball struck by Bobosi Byaruhanga from distance. It marked Wilson’s sixth league goal, equating to his ninth goal contribution, which ties him for 13th in the USL Championship.
Wilson has fallen under criticism after missing several chances in Roots’ 2-1 loss to Phoenix on July 12. Since then, he has now scored in back-to-back league games after helping lift Oakland to its win over Loudoun on July 19.
“Goals are a big part, and he’s scored in the last two that he’s played. That’s a massive weight off his back,” Feilhaber said. “He felt it in prior games that he didn’t get a goal when he had chances, so it’s great to see him finish those opportunities.”
To succeed in Benny-Ball, Feilhaber wants his striker to be active, selfless, and physically imposing.
“Our #9 in the system that we play needs them to be very active, selfless at times, and it’s a physically imposing position going up against two center backs. You have to shift left and right, and build out. That’s one thing that he can continue to add to his game; the ability to be available in those moments to open up the field for other guys as well,” Feilhaber said.
Greene expressed confidence in Wilson, calling him an “animal” on the field.
“Peter’s an animal. He’s one of those guys I hate playing against. He’s rapid, strong, and has all the potential in the world. I think really highly of Peter,” Greene said. “He’s a 15-20 goal type of guy. I know he’s been under some pressure, but we back him and support him with everything.
“We never worry about Peter.”
Bobosi Byaruhanga in a crowded midfield
Maybe it was a shot attempt, maybe it wasn’t. Regardless, Bobosi Byaruhanga’s assist to Wilson in the 59th minute came at a critical time, producing a goal contribution less than five minutes after his arrival off the bench.
“It looks like a shot from Bobosi and Peter committed to the run and was able to get on the end of it,” Feilhaber said.
Feilhaber named Bobosi as someone he’s waiting to see have a breakthrough, given that he’s been someone who impresses in training throughout the week.
“Bobosi did well coming in. We’ve seen a lot of things from Bobosi and Faysal [Bettache] in training. He was excellent at providing energy and the ability to drive the ball forward,” Feilhaber said.
The central midfield spot has become possibly the deepest position on the team. Ali Elmasnaouy and Tyler Gibson are getting frequent starts, while Danny Gomez is seeing the field in a higher position after previously getting time at the CM spots. For Bobosi, quickly producing after being subbed on was a testament to the position group’s quality.
Feilhaber described what he needs out of his central midfield for them to see the field.
“There are different qualities in each player. Within how the team plays, it’s about figuring out the best matchup together and who combines best together. Defensively, you have to cover ground. You also have to progress the ball from the center backs to the attacking players. Everybody has different elements to their game and you need to put two guys together that bring it all together. It’s great to struggle with that decision,” Feilhaber said.
Feilhaber hopes two central midfield options can separate themselves.
“In a perfect world, two guys start to really find their form, and it becomes a bit easier an answer. Everyone has done a really good job. Faysal and Bobosi had a really good game,” he said.
Derby Day at Sacramento
It is officially rivalry week! Oakland Roots visit arch-nemesis, Sacramento Republic, on Saturday, August 16th at Heart Health Park. For Roots, it represents another six-point Western Conference match. Republic ends the weekend in second place with 30 points, 10 points ahead of Oakland.
Last year, former coach Gavin Glinton led Oakland to a 3-2 win at Sacramento, giving the club its first win at Heart Health Park. It was a result that was a big part of Roots’ decision to remove Glinton’s interim tag.
Although it’s difficult to say if a win at Sac will also provide a launching point for Feilhaber, there’s obvious extra juice to next Saturday’s meeting with Oakland fighting for playoff contention.
“I don’t think I’ll have to motivate these guys. It’s going to be a Derby game and I’ve played a few of those in my day, I know it’s important for the fans and players. I think it’s a great game to have after a difficult loss because you have to quickly shift focus to it. Guys will be motivated and ready to play,” Feilhaber said.
Press Conference
Starting Lineups
- Oakland Roots
Only change from the last league match against Loudoun is Kai Greene starting in place of Camden Riley. Danny Gomez returns to the starting lineup while Faysal Bettache is on the subs list. Damm at least healthy enough to be on the bench.
- Colorado Springs Switchbacks
Timeline
Ivan
The wild wild Western Conference narrative continues as 2024 USL Championship defending champs Colorado Springs Switchbacks are in a similar position to Oakland Roots: on the outside looking in just over halfway through the season. This is a massive six-point swing for either team if they win tonight at the Coliseum.
A delay to the usual 7 pm (7:07 pm) start for some reason. Both teams passing the ball around. Eventually the ref signals a start at the center circle with the delay being for just a minute. (According to the XM Radio feed that Prentice was ineligible to play due to turning in an incorrect roster sheet).
Roots draw an early corner – 1′
Panos does well to draw it.
Corner – 2′
Low cross from Gomez targets Ali, his attempt blocked.
Gagi with a nervous moment – 4′
Touch almost gets loose from him.
Ivan – 5′
The ref is already a part of this story for some unusual circumstances, and he was very particular with where the Colorado Springs forward could stand in relation to the Kendall McIntosh goal kick. Once the ref blew for the kick, McIntosh narrowly cleared the ball in time before Juan Tejada could take it off him and tap in a goal.
Loose ball falls opportunely for Wilson in a good position, but he gets easily pick-pocketed – 7′
Corner – 10′
Doner does well to draw it when a cross was deflected out the back. Colorado Springs with a player down before the corner is taken.
Gomez targets Bravo, but Oakland called for a foul.
Ivan – Roots are aggressive early, getting their 2nd corner kick in the opening 10 minutes. A CS Switchbacks player is down injured inside his defensive box. Needing assistance from the trainer, the injured Fjeldberg makes his way to the sideline. The corners need improving though between the poor deliveries and the fouls in the box.
Doner with a hard shot blocked – 14′
Then Gibson had a shot blocked within the box, it falls to Ali–who takes another shot that’s blocked out for a corner.
Corner – 14′
Gomez ball jusssst missed Wilson.
Ivan – Doner winds up and shoots just inside the box from the right side (keeper’s left) but Akeem Ward blocks the shot. The ensuing play leads to another corner. Better delivery this time from Gomez and the second effort requires a punch out from former Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Adam Beaudry.
Ivan – 16’
Bravo’s cross is low but requires an acrobatic clearance from the Switchbacks defense.
Good play in behind to Doner, leads to a corner – 20′
Corner – 20′
Gagi header blocked. It falls to Gibson outside the area, he takes a shot on the volley that flies high over the net.
Ivan – Doner displayed strong initial control with a quick run down the right wing, but his first touch around the six yard box let him down. He salvaged a corner and the header from Hackshaw is blocked and dealt with.
COS near scoring opportunity – 21′
Nice break around midfield and into the box. Shot narrowly goes wide of the far post. Good chance missed.
Ivan – Enough cover from Gagi to turn Tejada’s shot wide for a goal kick.
Ali takes a shot that sails over – 23′
Good break downfield by Roots. Bravo with a centering cross deflects back to Ali, who takes an attempt on the volley a couple of yards above the area. Ali’s shot sails high by several feet.
Ivan – Ali Elmasnaouy hits it first time from 15 yards and it’s well hit, albeit just a little high.
COS wins a free kick in a good area – 24′
About 6 yards outside the area on the right side.
COS low cross cleared out, but they retain possession.
Ivan – 26’
CS generates a turnover on the right flank where Bravo levels Aidan Rocha, but play continues. Eventually the whistle is blown for a separate foul.
COS free kick in a similar area – 27′
Leads to a corner
COS corner – 27
They play short but it leads to a counter.
Roots counter killed – 28′
Ball feeds up to Wilson. He tries to settle the ball and look for a centering pass, but his pass is blocked and he relinquishes possession.
Ivan – Once again the referee is really picky about the five yards from a set play. Elmasnaouy on the counter attack delivers a strong ball intended for Armenakas, but the defender deflects it to Peter Wilson. If Wilson could cut the ball across to the box, it’s a certain goal with Beaury well off his line. Wilson’s left foot doesn’t get it done.
Ivan – 29’
Tejada once again nearly intercepts a pass while Gagi and McIntosh play a little back and forth. This press is relentless but eventually, they could get some success out of it. (Akeem Ward picks up a yellow card from a previous play)
Ivan – 32’
Long spell of possession by the visitors is briefly interrupted by a Neveal Hackshaw headed clearance before a counter attack is sprung, and promptly fizzles out.
Ivan – 34’
Gagi Margevelashvili picks up a yellow card. The free kick is taken just inside the Roots half. While initially dealt with, Jonas Fjeldberg (looking much healthier now) splits two Roots defenders. His cross was poor as it rolls into Kendall McIntosh’s gloves.
Wilson whiffs on a first-time shot – 38′
Ivan – Swing and a miss from Peter Wilson. Oakland Roots desperately need better play from their striker position, be it Wilson or Johnson.
Ivan – 39’
Panos Armenakas called for a foul on the left side of the box when he appeared to be just trapping the ball. As it turns out, there was a little too much shoulder involved for the referee’s liking.
Gomez sends a shot over the net – 41′
Good work from him to look for a pass then read the deflection off a defender.
COS goal – 43′
Not good defense. Ball finds Fjelberg breaking into the box, he’s way too unmarked in the box.
Ivan – Goal for Colorado Springs. It was precisely the same play as the move earlier where Tejeda had his shot deflected by Gagi. Unfortunately, no such defensive cover for McIntosh. Jonas Fjeldberg had a lot of the goal to shoot at and the Norweigan forward made no mistake. Marco Micaletto provided the assist, the more offensive minded of the midfield three.
Corner – 45′
Roots called for a foul.
Wilson skims a header attempt – 45+1′
Free kick good area – 45+4′
Could be the last play. They play short to Panos, he sends a long ball in that’s headed out.
First Half Notes:
Oakland Roots trail, conceding on Colorado Springs’ only shot on target. Roots dominated possession for much of the half and had 60% of the ball at one point, finishing with 55%. Oakland has recorded eight shot attempts and are getting into good areas with 12 touches inside the box, but they’ve done nothing overtly challenging with it.
Ivan – Oakland Roots couldn’t capitalize on their flurry of corners in the opening 20 minutes and Colorado Springs Switchbacks made good on their threat in the press and counter attack. That was the recipe that puts the 2024 Champions in front at the break.
Bravo whips in a dangerous pass – 47′
COS goal – 49′
way too easy for Colorado Springs. Smooth counter attack leads to an easy goal.
Ivan – Horrible start as a ball splits the midfield and fines Marco Micaletto. He get the ball to the left winger Fjeldberg who squares it to the Frenchman Quentin Huerman. That’s two goal contributions for Fjeldberg who started this game with an apparent injury, and the Switchbacks couldn’t be happier it was something he could overcome.
Free kick – 51′
Panos ball goes straight to the keeper
Free kick – 52′
Panos sends long pass to Gagi. He heads it centrally but keeper there to grab
Ivan – 52’
Kai Greene deals with Jonas Fjeldberg the only way it seems possible to stop him: by fouling him. Lucky not to receive a yellow.
Faysal and Bobosi on for Ali and Gibson – 55′
Hackshaw sends shot on volley high and wide – 57′
Ivan – Roots enjoy a lengthy spell of possession until Neveal Hackshaw sends a ball into orbit. He’s a man of many talents and positions, but not the player you want shooting it from there.
ROOTS GOAL- 59′
WHAT A PASS BY BOBOSI. Sends a low laser from 20-25 yards outside the box to Wilson running in behind right in front of the net.
Ivan – GOAL OAKLAND ROOTS! Patience paid off and suddenly this game is back on! Peter Wilson put his struggles earlier in this game to the side as he cashes in on a great assist by Bobosi Byaruhanga. Now the batlle is two fronted: keep the pressure on offense while staying strong defensively. The latter proves to be the greater concern.
Panos draws foul 2 feet above area – 71′
Panos shot goes into the wall. Ball falls to Faysal about 10 yards above box, shot on volley goes wide
Ivan – The free kick is finally taken and Bettache makes great contact, but the result is a CS goalkick.
Damm and Johnson on for Gomez and Gagi – 74′
Ivan – Looked like a good ball in from Gomez to Doner and a good run by Doner, but the offside flag is off. Second substitution window and pair of subs for Oakland. Johnson on for Gomez, Damm with an offensive sub for Gagi.
COS shot narrowly wide – 77′
Ivan 77’
5,063 attendance announced for this game against the Colorado Springs Switchbacks at the Oakland Coliseum on a cooling night in August.
Ivan 80’
Another flash of Jurgen Damm’s skill and athleticism on the right side deceiving the fullback before crossing a ball that’s dealt with.
Ivan 81’
Kai Greene lines up for a shot but only makes contact with a Switchback. Easy foul given.
Ivan 85’ Good pressure by both Wilson and Johnson to keep Beaudry on his toes. Can they get on the end of one more moment of magic?
Ivan 89’ Tyler Clegg on for Marco Micaletto. Micaletto has been one of the star performers for Colorado Springs tonight.
Free kick good area – 90+2′
Ball sticks around the attacking third but leads to nada
free kick long distance- 90+4′
Headed pass by EJ. CS keeper almost caught off line, Bravo pass cleared