The Roots came into Saturday’s game hoping to win their first game of the season aginst Rhode Island. Instead, three defensive mistakes within ten minutes doomed Oakland to a 3-0 loss on Saturday afternoon at the Coliseum.
After the final whistle, the Roots supporters section booed the players for the poor result.
“I’m tired of giving goals when we’re in numbers in positions,” said a visibly frustrated Roots head coach Gavin Glinton after the game. “Tired of giving goals when we’ve got easy passes to make, and we can break lines, and we want to take three or four touches and show I don’t know what. So, yeah, I’m pissed.”
Here is what we learned from the game:
Defensive miscues lead to easy Rhode Island goals
Looking to build on their first positive result last weekend, a draw with Las Vegas, Oakland came out seemingly composed before the wheels started coming off thanks to a defensive gaffe in the 40th minute.
First Roots right back Abdi Mohamed misplayed a simple pass from his goalkeeper too far from his body, allowing Rhode Island’s Jojea Kwizera to steal the ball and quickly whip in a cross that Albert Dikwa Lega converted in the 40th minute.
With the Roots seemingly stunned by the goal, Rhode Island went for the jugular.
Two minutes later, Rhode Island’s Maxi Rodriguez unleashed a shot from distance that Roots goalkeeper Kendall McIntosh was able to push out. However, the ball fell in the box to Rhode Island’s unmarked winger, Clay Holstad. His shot clattered off the crossbar and into the net to double the lead.
Disaster struck eight minutes later. The Roots pressed upfield to pull a goal back just before the halftime whistle. While on attack, the ball squirted out to Rhode Island’s Holstad. He saw the Roots defense pushed way up and delivered a simple pass over the defense to teammate JJ Williams.
McIntosh came well off his line in a desperate attempt to claim the long ball, but could not get there in time. Williams ran past McIntosh and calmly slotted Rhode Island’s third goal into an empty net.
“There is no sugar coating this,” said Glinton. “This is an unacceptable lack of responsibility.”
Players need to show ‘nasty’ side and refuse to lose
After the game, Glinton was disappointed with the team’s response after going down a goal.
“We’ve talked about making sure that we regroup, get back at it, and punch them in the mouth,” said Glinton. “And those are the moments where the game is difficult. These are moments where we need people to show up.”
Roots captain Neval Hackshaw also commented that his teammates need to show more fight and attitude on the field.
“I think we need to be more, how to say, more nasty,” explained Hackshaw. “They do it to me. I get kicked like, three, four times within the first two, three minutes. We need to be the same way. Nasty when we don’t have the ball, when they come into us and kick them if we have to. I don’t mean it in a bad way, to hurt them, but, you know, just to end the play. Just to get back and have the numbers, and then we go again. But I think it’s more just being ruthless.”
Hackshaw also shared how much he hates to lose a game and sometimes ends up in tears after a poor result. After the game, in the locker room, he told his teammates they should hate losing just as much as he does.
“No one knows I’m telling you that it hurts. I hate to lose. And I just told my teammates, if any one of you in here doesn’t hate losing, get out.”
Players need to stick to game plan and attack the goal
Often during the game, the Roots’ offense played conservatively against a Rhode Island team that came out in a defensive posture, daring the home side to hold the ball instead of directly attacking their defense. Afterwards, Glinton called out the multiple ways the players did not execute on the field.
We had a game plan, and the moments, the few moments where we executed it, we created chances,” noted Glinton. “We got it behind, and then, for some reason, we decide we should, you know, we want to take six touches and pass it to the guy right next to us so he can be in trouble. Our circulation speed, our ability to fight. We talked about picking up second balls. We were nowhere near them on the day. We talked about our rest defense, positioning to stop the counter attacks, and we got hit too many times just because, we didn’t feel like sprinting three seconds earlier. So we want to put ourselves in bad positions so we can recover. We talked about doing, having the details to fight and win battles and make sure that we were able to outnumber people. And you know, for the most part, none of that happened.”
Hackshaw also added that the team needs to play as a cohesive unit on the field to get results.
“Sometimes you need an individual talent to show, but not coming into a game thinking that you are the man. If it’s that, then go play a sport where you play by yourself.”
Patience wearing thin from the Roots faithful
After the game, Oakland Roots fans booed the players for the result, especially from the supporters section.
Afterwards, Hackshaw recounted his interaction with the supporters where they yelled at the players that they suck and need to start winning.
The frustration of the Oakland Roots fans is understandable. This year started with such hope and many new players. 26,000 fans attended the team’s season opener at the Oakland Coliseum, seeming to beckon a bright new future for the club. However, the club’s homestand only ended up with some anemic offensive soccer, gaining one point and scoring only one goal in three games from the Roots.
“I told them, they have the standards, and I accept that,” said Hackshaw about the interaction. “I’m not taking that away from them. They have to have high standards for us. You put pressure on us, and that makes us want to do better.”
As captain, Hackshaw took full responsibility for the result and ensured that the players heard the fans’ concerns loud and clear.
“It hurts that they were boo’ing us, but I applaud my teammates, to stand there and still applaud them,” explained Hackshaw. “It hurts. It hurts to know that we lose, and they want more. The fans have a standard, and I love that about them.”
Coach/Players believe positive results are coming
Despite the loss, Glinton and Hackshaw believe the club is about to turn the corner.
Some players, including Tyler Gibson and Camden Riley, were not available for the game. Glinton noted that Liberian striker Peter Wilson is still integrating himself into the squad, and defensive centerback Julian Bravo just started his first game in the back.
“I think, you know, the goal is to keep integrating and keep improving week in and week out. I thought we have been doing that,” said Glinton.
Hackshaw also believes that the team’s work on the training field will soon translate onto the game pitch.
“I’m sorry, in front of the fans that we lost, I would ask them to keep coming and fight for us and support us,” said Hackshaw. “I know I believe in the team that the results are gonna change, but it’s a process. We have more than ten new players, and we have to build a chemistry. It takes time.”
