After three weeks of strong performances that ended in somewhat disappointing ties, the Oakland Roots crashed to a 3-1 defeat at El Paso Locomotive SC’s Southwest University Park on Wednesday afternoon.
Oakland had the opportunity to pull within 1 point of El Paso with a win while El Paso had been in poor form, with 2 ties and 3 losses in their previous 5 matches.
But this match was always going to be a challenge. Roots had been on the road for nearly a week and this time they’d be facing 81 degree temperatures and an unusual 1 PM weekday starting time to facilitate school field trips.
Roots Head Coach Benny Feilhaber continued to experiment with his starting lineup, which was also required in part by the suspension of Gagi Margvelashvili after he was red carded at the end of last weekend’s match in Phoenix.
The biggest surprise was the benching of Kai Greene who not only was left out of the starting 11, but was also the only field player among the substitutes who did not take the field at any time during the match.
Instead, Bobosi Byaruhanga and Ali Elmasnaouy were moved to the backline and Camden Riley was in the starting lineup for the first time since July 19.
Roots Succumb to El Paso Press in First Half
This time it was the hosts asserted their authority in the first 45 seconds of the match thanks to a goal by Amando Moreno, whose perfectly timed overlapping run enabled him to tap home a cross from Gabi Torres.
El Paso’s Eric Calvillo effectively put the game out of reach in the 5th minute, when his shot from distance deflected off of Neveal Hackshaw’s head, leaving goalkeeper Raphael Spiegel flatfooted.
El Paso continued to test Spiegel, but he was up to the task, making saves on a shot from distance from Roberto Avila in the 10th minute, a shot from Wilmer Cabrera in the 20th minute, and another shot from distance by Calvillo less than one minute later.
Oakland was able to generate a few chances in the first half, including an 8th minute shot from Wolfgang Prentice that was deflected away from the goalmouth by El Paso goalkeeper Jahmali Waite as well as a header by Panos Armenakas in the 24th minute that went wide of the mark.
The most controversial play of the match came in the 28th minute, when Peter Wilson appeared to be taken down from behind just as receiving a pass behind the El Paso backline. At first, the referee showed a yellow card to the El Paso player, then rescinded it, presumably for offside.
Waite had to leave the match in the 65th minute due to injury. He was replaced by Sebastian Mora-Mora.
Oakland Brings in Offensive-Minded Subs, While
El Paso’s Moreno Hunts for Another Goal
In the second half, Feilhaber brought in Danny Gomez for Ali Elmasnaouy, Danny Trejo for EJ Johnson, and Faysal Bettache for Wolfgang Prentice.
But Moreno wasn’t done in his search for more goals.
In the 49th minute, Moreno made a run down the left side, but Riley made a sliding tackle that helped deflect the ball over the crossbar.
In the 63rd minute, Moreno got behind the Oakland backline, but Spiegel went to ground to deflect the ball away.
The third goal finally came in the 65th minute with Moreno’s bicycle kick floated over a pair of Oakland defenders and settled in the far right corner of the net.
Roots’ goal came on the final kick of the match, extending Peter Wilson’s streak to 10 goals in his last 9 appearances for the Roots. Danny Gomez’s header deflected off of Wilson’s foot in front of goal. Mora-Mora reached out his hand to swat the ball away, but the referee ruled that the shot had already crossed the line.
Next Game
Roots return to the Oakland Coliseum to host Hartford Athletic on Tuesday at 7PM.
