Gagi Margvelashvili’s first goal of the USL Championship season enabled Oakland Roots to complete their comeback from a two goal deficit and earn a 3-3 draw with New Mexico United at Isotopes Park on Sunday afternoon. (He also scored another last April in Jägermeister Cup play.)
While Oakland had been eliminated from playoff contention earlier this week, New Mexico was hoping to earn the three points in order to move into the #2 seed in the upcoming Western Conference playoffs, pending the results of next week’s matches.
But even though they trailed for much of the match, Oakland was often the better team, with a total of 15 shots (8 on goal) and 8 corner kicks. By contrast, New Mexico had 10 shots (2 on target), and 2 corner kicks.
Wilson Takes Lead in Golden Boot Race
Peter Wilson scored both of Oakland’s first half goals by successfully converting a pair of penalty kicks. This enabled Wilson to take the lead in the race for the USL’s Golden Boot trophy with 17 goals, passing a pair of Charleston Battery players: Cal Jennings (16 goals) and MD Myers (15).
If Wilson scores again in next week’s season finale, he will also equal Hadji Barry’s record of scoring a goal in 8 consecutive games in the USL Championship regular season. Barry accomplished the feat in 2018.
Constant Pressure in the First Half
The match was played at a torrid pace, with both clubs applying consistent pressure and taking advantage of opportunities for shots on target.
New Mexico goalkeeper Kristopher Shakes was tested early and often, as New Mexico defenders struggled with giveaways in the penalty area.
The pressure began early, with Shakes making a pair of tough saves on shots by Danny Trejo in the 5th and 8th minute.
But the host side got on the board first. In the 13th minute, Dayonn Harris intercepted an errant pass by Gagi and fed the ball to Mukwelle Akale just inside the box. Akale took a couple of steps and fired a low shot that tucked inside the far post.
Roots got a lifeline two minutes later when Gagi was taken down from behind by New Mexico’s Zico Bailey. Wilson calmly converted the subsequent penalty kick.
In the 19th minute, disaster struck for Oakland when Neveal Hackshaw stuck his foot out to redirect a cross by New Mexico’s Christopher Gloster and ended up putting the ball into his own net for an own goal.
New Mexico padded their lead in the 27th minute, when Akale was taken down on a clumsy tackle from behind by Ali Elmasnaouy. A slight stutter step from Jon-Talen Maples was enough for Kendall McIntosh to reveal his intended diving location and Maples did the rest.
Elmasnaouy nearly scored in the 31st minute, but his shot from well beyond the penalty area hit the crossbar and bounced away.
Wilson earned the third penalty of the match in the 41st minute, after being taken down by Kalen Ryden in a breakaway situation. A quick pause as he approached the ball was all the information Wilson needed to deposit it in the bottom right corner.
Oakland had another chance in the second minute of first half stoppage time, when a rocket from distance by Bobosi Byaruhanga required a diving stop by Shakes.
Fewer Clear Chances in the Second Half
There were fewer obvious chances in the second half, but the fast pace continued.
In the 71st minute, New Mexico had a good chance on the counter attack, when Valentin Noël made an overlapping run into the box and served a well placed cross to Akale, but his shot sailed over the bar.
Ten minutes later, New Mexico’s Luther Archimède missed a sitter from close range, as Oakland defenders called for offside.
Gagi tied the match in the 82nd minute, after a corner kick. Wilson chest trapped the ball into his path, and Gagi did the rest, stepping up to the ball and blasting his shot into the top corner of the net.
After the goal was scored, tempers flared and several players from each team converged in the goalmouth. Shakes and Oakland’s Jürgen Damm were shown yellow cards.
Gagi, Wilson, and Akale all had shot attempts in the waning moments of the match, but none were on target.
Next Match
Roots’ final match of the season is Saturday, October 25th at 7 PM at the Oakland Coliseum against Lexington SC.
