No matter what happens in his future soccer career, 18-year-old Timothy Syrel will never forget his debut in the USL Championship, helping to preserve the Oakland Roots’ 1-0 win over LA Galaxy II at Laney College on Saturday.
Syrel is a San Jose native who has been playing for the Roots’ developmental club, Project 51O. He is committed to UC Davis in the fall.
Yesterday the club announced they had signed Syrel to an Academy Contract that would enable him to play for either the Roots or Project 51O. They needed him to serve as the backup keeper since Taylor Bailey has been loaned to Forward Madison FC of USL League One and last season’s starting goalkeeper, Paul Blanchette, is recovering from a concussion.
Syrel entered the match in the 69th minute, when Benny Diaz was red carded for a rough tackle on LA’s Adrián González just outside the penalty area. For the remainder of the match, Oakland’s 9 remaining field players helped their young goalkeeper stand up to the challenge by blocking several shot attempts by LA players.
Syrel was only forced to make one save, on a shot by Cameron Dunbar in the 77th minute. LA’s best opportunity came in the 79th, when Rémi Cabral was open at the left post. Syrel rushed over to block it, but Cabral blasted his shot over the crossbar.
After the match, Head Coach Juan Guerra said he was proud of his young goalkeeper.
“As soon as Benny went for the tackle, even before the referee blew the whistle and turned around I knew he was gonna have to go in,” Guerra said. “We looked at him in the eyes, the goalkeeper coach talked to him, explained to him what we expected, and he stepped up and he did whatever was necessary for us to, to keep the zero. So I’m very happy for him. I think he deserves it.”
The Roots had dominated the match up until Diaz’s red card. In the 7th minute, Oakland earned three consecutive corner kicks. On the third, Charlie Dennis took the kick and found Óttar Karlsson at the near post; Karlsson flicked a header that hit off of the crossbar.
Four minutes later, Mikael Tørset Johnsen’s through ball founded Edgardo Rito streaking into the penalty area, but LA goalkeeper Eric López was able to deflect his shot over the endline.
Oakland scored the only goal of the match in the 35th minute, when LA’s Felipe Cobian clipped Dennis from behind in the penalty area. Karlsson converted the penalty kick, with a hesitation move that got López off balance, then the easy finish.
Guerra was happy with his team’s effort in earning their second win of the season.
“I think, at the end of the day it was an overall collective effort that led to a good result tonight,” he said. “So now we have to keep pushing.”
The red card means that Diaz will also be suspended for Oakland’s next match, the renewal of their rivalry with the Sacramento Republic. Guerra acknowledged he wasn’t sure who his goalkeepers will be for next Saturday’s match vs. Sacramento Republic.
“Benny will be suspended next week,” he said. “We’re gonna go in and we’re gonna have to start moving the pieces I have available and see how we can put together a team on the field that is gonna give us the ability to be successful.”
