The Oakland Roots’ first victory at the Oakland Coliseum might have taken longer than most fans would’ve hoped for, but Saturday afternoon’s 2-0 victory over Orange County SC showed how much the club has improved on both sides of the ball.
While the Roots’ previous three match Coliseum homestand ended in a draw and two losses, on Saturday a pair of first half goals and a strong defensive performance were plenty for them to take home the three points.
Head Coach Gavin Glinton was pleased with his club’s performance.
“We were able to hurt them where we wanted to hurt them,” Glinton said. “I thought we were probably unlucky not to have maybe one or two more today. Just really happy with where we’re going. I think a couple of tweaks that we’ve made over the last couple weeks have really started to work out for us, but most importantly, I think it’s the identity that we’re starting to see and starting to come out. Let’s keep it going.”
Roots Take a Quick First Half Lead, Then Add Another
The Roots got on the board in the 10th minute, when Wolfgang Prentice scored his fourth goal of the season, and his third in the past two games.
“Wolfie’s start has been fantastic,” Glinton said. “He’s a coach’s player. He listens, he really focuses in, and you really feel like you only have to tell him things once or twice and he’s locked in. He picks it up, so it’s been really good to see his start to the season. We’ve got big expectations for him, and I think he’s in a place where he’s mature, and he’s just locked in, and he’s focused.”
Peter Wilson set up the goal, intercepting a backpass from an Orange County defender. This put him in a one-on-one situation with Orange County goalkeeper Colin Shutler, who blocked Wilson’s shot attempt from point blank range. But Wilson was able regain possession and shuffle the ball off to Prentice, who took care of the rest.
“I was in a great position,” Prentice said after the match. “It was a great interception by Peter, and his great vision to see me. I just did a little bit of magic to fake the guy out and hit it into the corner. The boys were really happy to get three points at home.”
Wilson scored the second goal, as four Oakland players flooded the box in the 31st minute. Baboucarr Njie crossed the ball into open space on the right side for Jürgen Damm to run onto. Damm returned the favor, crossing the ball into a crowd of players in front of the goal. Wilson timed his jump perfectly, finding a bit of space between a pair of defenders and heading the ball home.
Second Half Stalemate
There were only a few chances in the second half, as the Roots shifted into a more defensive posture.
Oakland had a chance to grab a third on a cross by Justin Rasmussen in the 77th minute. Julian Bravo’s header was heading for the far post, but Shutler grabbed it.
Less than a minute later, Orange County responded with a short cross from Benjamin Barjolo. Christopher Hegardt trapped the ball with his chest, but his one-timer trickled wide.
Wilson had another chance with a one-timer in the 79th minute, but Shutler was there to make the stop.
And as the final whistle blew, the crowd of 6,058 spectators had already begun their celebration.
“I think the fans were really looking for [a chance to celebrate], and we’re really looking to make this a fortress where it’s tough to play, where we can get some good results in,” Prentice said. “I’m really happy that we’re able to do that for the fans today and for us, too, because I think both the fans and the players needed that.”
Upcoming Matches
The Roots next match is their inaugural match in the Jägermeister USL Cup, facing USL League One side Spokane Velocity Sunday, April 27th at 4 PM.
They return home to prepare for face their bitterest rival, Sacramento Republic FC, who make their first appearance at the Coliseum on Sunday, May 4 at 4 PM in a match that will be televised on the CBS network.
