Roots Host Spokane Velocity FC for Prinx Tires USL Cup Match at Merritt College

For the last time in 2026, Roots will play a Group Stage fixture of the Prinx Tires USL Cup this Saturday, July 11th as Oakland plays host to USL League One side Spokane Velocity FC in a Members only home match at Merritt College at 12 PM PT.

The match will provide an opportunity for Roots head coach Ryan Martin to take a look under the hood and perhaps tinker with new strategies as Oakland has already been eliminated from moving on in the tournament.

But it is far from a meaningless matchup, as Spokane currently sits in second place in the Group 1 table behind Sacramento Republic FC. A win for them, in addition to a favorable outcome in Republic’s last match of the Group Stage, could see Velocity top the group and advance to the knockout stage of the tournament.

Saturday’s matchup will represent the second ever meeting between the two sides after Velocity defeated Roots 1-2 in Spokane during the Group Stage of the 2025 edition of the USL Cup, and a return to the East Bay for two former Roots players in Spokane’s Gagi Margvelashvili and Anuar Peláez. 

The match will also be Roots’ second ever appearance at Merritt College. Oakland defeated LA Galaxy II by a final score of 2-1 in their last contest at the venue, a USL Championship fixture on August 14th, 2021.

Following the match, Roots will return to USL Championship play on the road versus Lexington SC on Wednesday, July 22nd at 4 PM PT.