Oakland Roots at Orange County SC Match Preview 3/8/2025

The 2025 USL Championship season has arrived. Roots will begin the new campaign on the road as they prepare to face Orange County SC at Championship Soccer Stadium in Irvine, California this Saturday, March 8th at 7 p.m. PT.

Following a 2024 season which saw Oakland finish with a 13-16-5 record, and a first-round exit in the playoffs, Roots will enter the new year with a refreshed lineup and a reimagined style of play following head coach Gavin Glinton’s first full offseason as gaffer.

With additions in Peter Wilson, Jürgen Damm, and Panos Armenakas, Oakland looks to bring a new level of pace and excitement to the pitch on match days. Also featured for the revamped Roots are newcomers Abdi Mohamed, EJ Johnson, Tyler Gibson, Bobosi Byaruhanga, Oakland-born Kendall McIntosh, and the return of Kai Green.

Heading into Saturday’s fixture Neveal Hackshaw will enter as the team’s new leader in matches played for Roots with 51 starts in 56 appearances for the club, and having played as the team captain for 28 games – just five shy of the top spot on the all-time leaderboard.

Roots will look to continue their recent success versus Orange County in the season-opener, having won four of their last five against OC, most recently a 2-0 road victory in June of last year. With a victory, Oakland will have won three straight over Orange County, which would tie the club record for most consecutive wins against an opponent.

Oakland will also look to start another streak on Saturday, seeking to claim victory in back-to-back season openers for the first time in club history.

Following the match Roots will inch closer to their first home contest on Oakland soil since October, 2022. After making a pit-stop for a USL Championship contest in the season’s first iteration of the pacific derby with a visit to Monterey Bay FC on March 15th, Roots will return to Oakland on March 22 to face San Antonio FC at the iconic Oakland Coliseum for the club’s home opener.