A gritty performance by the Oakland Roots was not enough to earn a point on Saturday night, after Louisville City SC snatched the game winner in stoppage time to notch a 2-1 victory in the first-ever meeting between the two teams.
The Roots were the clear underdog going into the match. They were playing in their third match in three different time zones in a little over a week. It was 85 degrees with 80 percent humidity at kickoff. Bryan Tamacas was unavailable, due to paternity leave.
Oakland was outshot 22-7, but they appeared to be headed for at least a draw until seconds before the final whistle when, with nearly every player packed into the penalty area, Louisville’s Tyler Gibson grabbed a loose ball and lobbed it into the path of Oscar Jiménez, who plucked the ball out of the air and volleyed it into the net.
Plenty of Chances for Louisville in the First Half, But Oakland Grabs the Lead
Oakland goalkeeper Paul Blanchette was tested early and often in the first half.
Louisville nearly scored in the 5th minute, as Elijah Wynder got behind the Oakland defense on a give and go with Jorge González. Wynder received the return pass at the edge of the 6-yard box, but Blanchette got his body in the way of Wynder’s shot from point blank range.
Blanchette made a pair of tough saves in the 16th minute to keep the match scoreless. He went to ground to stop González’s chip attempt from close range, then deflected away a rebound attempt from Ray Serrano.
A pair of events led to a huge momentum shift in first half stoppage time. In the second minute, Jiménez sent a cross into the penalty area. A pair of Louisville attackers crashed into Blanchette, who fell to the turf as the ball went into the net. But after a long delay the referee called a foul on González and disallowed the goal.
The Roots stunned the home crowd by taking the lead four minutes later. Danny Barbir sent a long pass to Memo Diaz as he made his run down the right side. Diaz’s cross found Johnny Rodriguez who headed the ball home from the edge of the six yard box.
Oakland Tries to Hold on in the Second Half
Diaz and Rodriguez teamed up for another scoring chance three minutes into the second half. Diaz’s cross found Rodriguez unmarked on the left side. Rodriguez’s low shot was on target, but Louisville goalkeeper Oliver Semmle got a foot on it to deflect it to safety.
In the 61st minute, there was another momentum shift when Louisville brought in three substitutions: Brian Ownby, Rasmus Thellufsen, and Maarten Pouwels.
Two minutes later, Pouwels had a shot attempt from close range that sailed over the bar.
And in the 70th minute, Ownby tied the match. A poor pass by Oakland’s Irakoze Donasiyano was stolen by Wilson Harris, who crossed it to a wide open Ownby standing in front of goal. Ownby lifted the ball with his feet and headed it into the net as he collided with an onrushing Blanchette.
Both teams had chances for the game winner in the remainder of the second half. In the 76th minute, Oakland’s Trayvone Reid had a shot from a sharp angle, but Semmle made the sliding kick save.
In the second minute of stoppage time, Pouwels got his head on a corner kick from Jiménez, but his shot hit the post.
Semmle saved the game for Louisville in the third minute of stoppage time with a leaping save on a shot from distance by second half substitute Anuar Peláez that was headed for the upper right hand corner of the net.
The game winner came in the 8th minute of stoppage time, and the final whistle blew two minutes later.
The Roots have a week to regroup as they prepare for next Saturday’s home match against their arch-rival, Sacramento Republic FC.
