Roots Takeaways from Draw Versus Sac

Late heroics from Oakland saw Roots salvage a point in the latest edition of the NorCal derby. The match was fraught with drama from start to finish, ending in a 3-3 draw that felt more like an Oakland victory. At this stage of the season, points are crucial and scoring late to earn the draw could mean a massive difference in momentum for Roots, who now head to Kentucky for a crucial matchup with Lexington SC as both sides jockey for position within the Western Conference playoff picture. Until then, we take a look back at Saturday’s classic in Sacramento to draw some takeaways:

The Bigger They Are

Entering Saturday’s contest, Sacramento was a defensive juggernaut in the USL Championship. Their 13 goals allowed were tops in the league and they boasted a defense that hadn’t allowed multiple goals in a game since April.

But Roots found their offensive footing at just the right time, finding their first three-goal game of 2025 and doing it against a top defense. Even in a draw, Saturday’s offensive showing is an ideal foundation to build momentum on as points become more valuable in every match.

True Grit

Rivalry games are always important, and Roots showed belief and grit in front of the huge swath of traveling fans, overcoming not one, but two deficits within the match to salvage a point.

It’s the kind of showing that instills confidence in the team’s ability to battle back, and their commitment to winning — and it comes at just the right moment.

Wilson!

Peter Wilson has found his footing in the attack recently, bagging another goal in Saturday’s fixture to make it three straight league matches with a score for the number nine.

It’s a promising development for a squad that has struggled to score on a consistent basis as of late, and paired with the new addition of Danny Trejo who looked dangerous up top in his debut, could be a harbinger of an offensive turnaround for a club that has found a way to make all other aspects of their game click under new coach Benny Feilhaber.