For the second year in a row, the Oakland Roots snuck into the USL Playoffs as the final seed. For the second year in a row, the Oakland Roots shocked a heavily favored team to advance to the second weekend of the postseason.
Charlie Davies hits a spectacular strike from distance, Lindo Mfeka pounced on a mistake to double the lead, and Mattias Fissore put the game to bed in extra time to help Oakland claim a 3-0 victory over the San Diego Loyal.
“We had a lot of semi-finals before this, where we had to win, had to get results, and tonight was the real thing, so we’re just enjoying the moment right now,” said Roots interim head coach Noah Delgado after the game.
San Diego came into the game confident, scoring 68 goals this season and playing in front of a packed home stadium.
Within the first twenty minutes, the Loyal’s Charlie Adams had two good chances on target, but Roots keeper Paul Blanchette ably handled both.
Oakland score first
However, shortly after the half-hour, Oakland struck first.
Charlie Dennis started the play by kicking a lofted pass out wide to Lindo Mfeka who headed the ball into the box to Juan Azocar. The midfielder attempted to control and pass back to the onrushing Mfeka. Lindo could only get a touch but not control the ball, but it fortuitously fell to Dennis, who rocketed in a shot for the opening goal.
A clearly shaken Loyal side coughed up their second goal early in the second half.
In the 52nd minute, Loyal Defender Kyle Adams made a back pass to keeper Koke Vegas, but the ball didn’t have enough pace. Mfeka was opportunistic in pouncing on the poor pass, pushing it off and past the onrushing Vegas, and ran in alone on goal for the 2-0 lead.
San Diego start seeing Red
San Diego attempted several shots to get back in the game, but a rash decision by Loyal forward Thomas Amang precipitated their meltdown in the final fifteen minutes.
After Amang received a yellow card in the 76th minute for a play away from the ball for a foul on Roots midfielder Jose Hernandez, he decided to confront Hernandez physically. Hernandez was more than happy to fall after the confrontation. Referee Elton García quickly pulled out the second yellow and was ejected from the game. During the ensuing argument, San Diego’s Alejandro Guido was also shown his second yellow and ejected.
And in the 88th minute, San Diego’s Grant Stoneman was showing a second yellow for a bad foul and was ejected, leaving the Loyal with only eight players to finish the game.
A few minutes later, Roots forward Óttar Karlsson found Matías Fissore, and he put the exclamation mark on the game by slotting home a goal for the final 3-0 scoreline.
So once again, the Roots win a surprising first-round playoff game and next face off against first-place San Antonio on Friday night. Delgado is confident in their chances to advance.
“These guys come into work every day,” he noted. “Trainings are super intense, we’re getting at each other, and we are all fighting for one goal: to win the next game.”
