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USL Oakland Roots

Oakland Roots Head to Southern California Starting with Orange County SC

October 3, 2023 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Oakland Roots News Release


Oakland Roots SC will look to build upon their positive performance against San Antonio FC on Saturday when they face Orange County SC in Irvine on Wednesday Night.

Although Roots Head Coach Noah Delgado and his players were disappointed not to come away with all 3 points from their clash against the reigning champions over the weekend, there are certainly positives that Roots can take from the match. Squandering a 2-0 lead at home certainly isn't ideal, but considering the quality of the opposition, a draw was a result that most Roots fans would've taken if offered before the game. Oakland now find themselves one point clear of fellow California outfit Monterey Bay FC for the 8th and final playoff spot having also played one fewer game, leaving the team a clear path to playoff qualification. However, Roots will need to pick up points from this week's trip to SoCal in order to keep Monterey at arm's length.

First up are Orange County SC, who have mounted a late-season surge towards the top of the Western Conference. After a rocky start to the season, OCSC parted ways with Head Coach Richard Chaplow, and Assistant Coach Morten Karlsen stepped up as Interim Head Coach. The Dane has done a spectacular job of turning Orange County's season around since then and even led the team to a club-record 8-game winning streak which only ended one month ago. The team's top goal-scorer is 2021 USL Golden Boot winner Milan Iloski who has 13 this season and is also the club's all-time record goalscorer. Last month, OCSC agreed to a deal with Danish outfit FC Nordsjaelland for Iloski's transfer, but the Escondido native will remain with the team through the conclusion of this season. The Roots have a new all-time record goalscorer of their own though, as forward Johnny Rodriguez equaled Óttar Magnús Karlsson's mark with his magnificent opener on Saturday against San Antonio. Rodriguez came off the bench in these two clubs' last meeting back in May, which ended in a convincing 3-0 win for Oakland at Pioneer Stadium.

Delgado will be hoping to orchestrate another convincing Roots victory over OCSC despite their significant improvement since Karlsen's appointment. With both teams still vying for playoff positioning, this match seems poised to deliver one of the most entertaining encounters of the year. We hope to see you all at the official Oakland Roots watch party at Sláinte Oakland on Wednesday night!

Quick Look:

Date: October 4, 2023

Time: 7:00 PM PT

Location: Championship Soccer Stadium, Irvine, California

How to Watch: KTVU Plus

Where to Watch: Sláinte Oakland, 131 Broadway, Oakland, CA 94607

Match Preview:

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