After a dramatic six-game unbeaten steak turned the Oakland Roots season around, the club learned how large a gap remains between them and the league’s elite teams. Tampa Bay delivered that message crystal clear handing the Roots a 3-0 lopsided loss Friday evening.
The Atlantic Division leading Rowdies were in control from the opening tip and never seriously threatened by an Oakland side traveling across the county. In fact, it seemed the visitors were stuck on pacific time despite playing in the eastern time zone.
For the game, the Rowdies outshot the Roots twenty to four. Oakland only managed one shot on target compared to Tampa Bay’s nine.
The final scoreline could’ve easily been higher if not for the aggressive keeping of backup Oakland keeper Taylor Bailey.
He used his face to save a shot in the 13th minute, and had two more excellent saves in the 24th and 30th minutes, before conceding on a corner kick.
On the corner, the Rowdies’ Sebastián Guenzatti tapped in a ball right in front of the net after Bailey had made another nice save.
Tampa Bay’s Sebastian Dalgaard doubled the lead just before the break on a spectacular shot from distance that rocketed off the crossbar and into the net.
The Rowdies had a couple more good chances in the second half to add a third goal but it took until eight minutes left when Lucky Mkosana split the Roots defense and placed his shot past the save attempt of Bailey to put the game to bed.
So Oakland’s unbeaten streak ends at six games. They will look to start a new unbeaten streak against the Las Vegas Lights next Wednesday before returning home next Saturday against the San Diego Loyal.
