Roots Return to Action at Home Versus Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC

After a week of rest to start the month of August, Oakland Roots are back in action this Saturday, August 9th at the Coliseum as they prepare to host visiting Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC in a USL Championship matchup at 7 PM PT.

Oakland currently sits just below Colorado Springs in the Western Conference table, holding a 6-2-9 record and 20 points on the campaign — only two under the current playoff line. As the season crawls nearer to the finish line, results in games like these become more and more crucial.

In the weeks leading up to Roots’ bye, mid-season coaching hire Benny Feilhaber had transformed Oakland’s porous back line into one of the sturdiest defenses in the league — but finding ways to score themselves has been an issue that the club has seemingly yet to solve.

Ideally, the extended break will have given the team time to work a solution — but Colorado Springs has proven to be a historically tough team to score on for Roots.

Oakland has been shut-out in each of the last four meetings between the two sides, and in five of their eight all-time fixtures.

But moments such as this are excellent opportunities to seize momentum moving forward.

Roots found a winner in transfer Morey Doner, who now sits third on the team in scoring with just seven starts under his belt, and Saturday could mark the regular season debut of another potential breakout transfer in Faysal Bettache who accounted for two of Oakland’s seven shots on target in USL Jägermeister Cup action versus Orange County just after his signing.

The match could also see the regular season professional debut of Oakland-born Ali Elmasnaouy, who had become a mainstay in the lineup under coach Feilhaber while playing on an academy contract, but inked a pro deal with the club on July 24th.

Following the match, Roots will hit the road for back-to-back away games starting with a late-night rivalry clash with Sacramento Republic FC on August 16th at 8 PM PT.