Six saves by goalkeeper Paul Blanchette helped the Oakland Roots earn a 1-1 draw on the road against San Antonio FC on Saturday evening.
The game started out brightly for the visitors in the 29th minute with a set play off of a corner kick.
Juan Azocar took the corner kick short to Charlie Dennis and pretended to drop back before making a break along the end line and receiving the ball back from Dennis.
Azocar then lofted a short pass into the middle of the penalty box to an unmarked Joseph Nane who headed the ball into the back of the net.
From there San Antonio had several good chances on goal forcing Paul Blanchette to make three saves.
Just before the halftime whistle, a scramble in front of the goal ended with San Antonio’s Samuel Adeniran punching in a shot to tie the match in the second half.
San Antonio upped the pressure once again in the second half forcing three more saves from Blanchette.
As the final whistle blew the Roots once again earned a draw, their ninth tie of the season in eighteen games. No other team in the whole USL league has more than six ties this year.
Oakland returns home next Saturday to take on Atlanta United 2 at Laney College.
