It’s a move we’ve usually come to associate with Oakland—get the ball to the wingback streaking down the line, stretch the opposition, and then cut it back to a trailing teammate in the box for a shot on goal.
And go to it they did—often at the feet of Venezuelan standout Edgardo Rito, who created chance after chance down the right. But the Roots didn’t make the most of theirs and the visiting Hartford Athletic did, taking a page out of the hosts’ playbook to take all three points at Pioneer Stadium.
Despite the Roots’ overwhelming advantage in possession and set-pieces, the game was effectively decided within a five minute stretch in the first half when the hosts were caught out twice.
First, in the 31st, when Hartford played left wingback Antoine Hoppenot into space against a backpedaling defense. The French-American put in a pass that deflected off Roots centerback Daniel Barbir’s heel straight into the path of forward Prince Saydee, who fired a shot past Paul Blanchette on the near post.
Then, just four minutes later on the very same side, Hoppenot played a ball to midfielder Jeciel Cedeno, who managed to keep the ball from an Amro Tarek tackle to calmly slot home another shot past Blanchette, who couldn’t even react.
The two goals were enough to give the struggling Hartford side their much-needed first win of the league season. The only professional team in Connecticut recently handed the managerial reins over to USMNT great and former Houston Dynamo coach Tab Ramos in search of a spark.
Ahead of the clash against the Roots, Ramos said preparing for Noah Delgado’s side was “a simple scout.” Usually preferring a sort of 4-3-3 setup, Hartford debuted their own variation of a 3-5-2 that at times resembled Oakland’s shape.
Nevertheless, the Roots will feel hard done to not come away with at least a point. They played nearly the entire second half in Hartford’s side of the field and pulled back a goal via a Dariusz Formella penalty in the 73rd.
Hartford conceded the penalty when Lindo Mfeka’s in-swinging free kick hit the arm of Triston Hodge. The center back was already on a yellow card and should have been sent off, but the referees mistakenly applied the hand-ball to forward Kyle Edwards.
Later in the 83rd, a big switch found Oakland’s Rito again who was taken down in the box only to have his penalty shout fall on deaf ears. In the 90th, Anuar Pelaez put a header just wide of the box.
Saturday’s loss ends Oakland’s four game unbeaten run. Their only other loss this season came on opening night against the defending USL champions San Antonio FC.
The Roots have a tough week coming up with a cross-country trip to Loudoun United on April 23 before a quick turnaround to Sacramento for their third round US Open Cup clash against rivals Republic FC on the 26th.
