Roots Look to Continue Strong 2026 Start at Home Versus FC Tulsa

Through five games to start the 2026 USL Championship season, Oakland have picked up points in four of them. At 2-2-1 Roots are off to their strongest start in club history, and fresh off a draw against then-league leaders Tampa Bay will look to keep rolling as they prepare to host visiting FC Tulsa at the Oakland Coliseum this Saturday, April 18th at 7 PM PT.

The match will represent the sixth meeting between the two sides, with the all-time series deadlocked, both clubs holding a 2-1-2 (W-D-L) record against one another. But Oakland has had a slight edge in recent contests, going undefeated against Tulsa (1-1-0) in their last two fixtures.

Tulsa enters the match a bit worse for wear compared to their form of a year ago, as the defending Western Conference Champions currently sit in 9th place in the West at 1-2-2, and 24th out of 25 teams league-wide in scoring with just four goals in those five matches.

Roots’ strong defensive showing in the early going, their 1.2 goals allowed per game ranking in the top-third of the league entering the contest, has them positioned favorably in Saturday’s matchup, and a victory would mark the first time Oakland has earned three wins in a season before exiting April.

Oakland will hope to see their offense continue to make strides forward as well, so far leaning on the boot of the club’s most familiar face Wolfgang Prentice, who first signed with Roots all the way back in March, 2022, and leads the club in both goals scored (3) and goal contributions (4).

Following Saturday’s match, Roots will face a quick turnaround, hosting Las Vegas Lights FC at the Oakland Coliseum just four days later on Wednesday, April 22nd for more USL Championship regular season action at 7 PM PT.