April 17, 2024 – United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Oakland Roots News Release
Oakland Soul SC on game day
(Oakland Roots)
Oakland had to take advantage of an extra 30 minutes of play, but got it done in the third round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in a thrilling 2-1 victory against NPSL club El Farolito in Hayward on Tuesday night.
The visitors looked every bit worth their Cinderella story so far in the Open Cup to open the match, putting early pressure on Roots and earning numerous scoring chances in the first few minutes.
This pressure culminated in an attacking play that saw an El Farolito winger put a cross towards the far post where a waiting forward fanned on a shot. The ball deflected off of a Roots player only to find El Farolito’s Dembor Benson who lofted a header over keeper Tim Syrel to give the visitors a 1-0 lead in the 12th minute.
Following the goal, play began to shift in Oakland’s favor with Roots nearly equalizing in the 39th minute when Miche-Naider Chéry took a shot from in close that pinged off the post.
Oakland’s determination in the first half was eventually rewarded, when a beautiful cross from Ilya Alekseev outside the box found Memo Diaz waiting in front of the net, who finished a header of his own into the top corner to level the match at 1-1 heading into the halftime break.
Physicality picked up in the second half of play, with El Farolito’s Edgard Kreye earning his second yellow card of the match, forcing the visitors to play with 10 for the remainder of the contest.
Despite the man advantage, El Farolito continued to press Roots’ defense, and the field looked to tilt back in their favor. Subs from Oakland saw the team start to press forward themselves once again, but neither side could find a winner before the regulation whistle.
Eight minutes into the first overtime frame, Roots scored what would eventually become the game winner when Ali Elmasnaouy put a ball into the twine just minutes into his professional debut.
A second yellow card for Trayvone Reid erased Oakland’s man advantage in the 116th minute of play, but it was too little too late for El Farolito, who couldn’t find an equalizer to bring the game to penalty shots before the final whistle.
Roots will either play Sacramento Republic or MLS club San Jose Earthquakes in the Open Cup’s Round of 32, with the drawing scheduled for Thursday, April 18th. Oakland will now head on the road for a quick turnaround as they prepare to face Detroit City FC in USL Championship…