On a night where they struggled to keep possession, the Oakland Roots were able to come away with a 1-1 draw with Rhode Island FC at Beirne Stadium on Saturday night.
The result was not surprising, since the first year team from Smithfield, Rhode Island has tied 12 of its 24 matches, the most in the USL Championship.
Rhode Island dominated every statistical category in the match. They outshot the Roots 23-7, possessed the ball 60.6% of the time, and won 14 corner kicks, while Oakland took only four.
First Half: Oakland Takes the Lead
Neveal Hackshaw scored the Roots’ goal on a corner kick in the 33rd minute. Hackshaw ran into the open space and delivered a header from very close range, as Rhode Island defender Karifa Yao tried to push him away. Hackshaw’s shot turned out to be Oakland’s only shot on target in the entire match.
Oakland’s only other chance came on a counter attack in the 4th minute. Baboucarr Njie’s cross found Johnny Rodriguez as he made his run into the box. Rodriguez got his head on the ball just as Rhode Island defender Frank Nodarse stepped up to challenge him, but his shot was off target.
Paul Blanchette’s best save of the first half came in the 13th minute, on a shot by Noah Fuson that was headed for the lower left-hand corner of the net. But dove to the turf and punched the ball away.
Rhode Island hoped for a penalty in the 26th minute, when Albert Dikwa was taken down as he tried push the ball forward and get around Blanchette. But the referee ruled that the ball was out of Dikwa’s reach.
After the Goal
After Hackshaw’s goal, Rhode Island’s pressure intensified as the halftime whistle approached. Grant Stoneman’s header sailed just over the bar in the 36th minute and Jojea Kwizera’s shot in stoppage time was partially blocked by Bryan Tamacas and settled on the roof of the goal.
The home team’s onslaught continued 90 seconds into the second half. Stephen Turnbull got behind the Oakland backline on a counterattack, but Blanchette met him at the edge of the six-yard box and was able to deflect his shot attempt away.
Tamacas left the match temporarily in the 50th minute, due to an apparent knee injury. In his absence, Oakland’s Camden Riley blocked a shot to concede a corner kick and Rhode Island’s Clay Holstad blasted a shot from distance. Tamacas was eventually replaced in the 53rd minute by Lindo Mfeka.
The match got more contentious as it went on. By the 56th minute, players from both teams packed the penalty area, with Hackshaw injured on the field and Blanchette verbally jousting with several Rhode Island players, as they complained to the referee about Blanchette’s time wasting.
In the 59th minute, Rhode Island’s Mark Doyle blasted a shot from a difficult angle in the right side of the box. Blanchette made the quick reaction save.
Oakland is Reduced to 10 Men
The second momentum changing moment of the match came in the 72nd minute, and also involved Hackshaw. Rhode Island’s JJ Williams chased down a long ball out of the back, with Hackshaw the only Oakland defender in sight. Hackshaw pulled him down from behind as he approached the penalty area and received a straight red card.
Though reduced to 10 men, the Roots continued to hope they could hold on to their slim lead.
In the 80th minute, a poor attempted clearance by Mfeka gave Rhode Island’s Nodarse a clear shot on goal, but Blanchette made a diving stop.
Rhode Island’s equalizer came in the 87th minute, Joe Brito’s cross found Dikwa unmarked in front of goal and there was nothing Blanchette could do.
The home team had a couple of chances to earn the three points. In the 90th minute, Doyle had a header from close range that went straight into Blanchette’s arms. Doyle claimed that Blanchette was over the line, but the referee disagreed.
In the second minute of stoppage time, Karifa Yao got off a strong header, but once again, Blanchette was perfectly positioned for the save.
