Roots Return Home to Face Western Conference Leaders FC Tulsa

Coming off an important road trip in which Oakland was able to secure a point versus one of the top teams in the USL Championship, Roots will be tasked yet again with scrapping for points versus a high caliber foe. This time, it’s Western Conference leaders FC Tulsa who visit the Coliseum this Saturday, September 20th for a 7 PM PT fixture.

Sitting in a tie for 10th place in the West with Las Vegas Lights FC at 25 points, and currently six points below a three-way tie for the all important 8th place playoff spot, Roots are entering a truly make-or-break stretch of games to close out the season.

Tulsa will be a tough nut to crack given their recent run of form, having only lost one of their last eight contests. But Oakland has succeeded in this position before.

With only four losses on the year, Tulsa has the second fewest league-wide behind only Louisville City FC. One of those four, however, came at the hands of Roots in their last meeting in Oklahoma on April 12th earlier this season.

Tulsa hasn’t officially clinched a playoff spot just yet, so they will have plenty to play for in Saturday’s match, and in all four past meetings between the two sides it has been the visiting team who has emerged victorious at the end of 90 minutes.

But Roots quite simply need this one more than Tulsa does, and if Oakland’s draw against Charleston Battery’s juggernaut offense in their last action serves as any indication, Roots will not be going down without a fight.

With a brace in their last contest, club scoring leader Peter Wilson was named the league’s Player of the Week, and Oakland will look to see his hot-streak in recent matches continue in what could ultimately be Roots’ most important match of the season so far.

Following Saturday’s matchup, Oakland will hit the road once again for another important six-point-swing game at Phoenix Rising FC on Saturday, September 27th at 7 PM PT.