The opening match of the USL Championship Quarterfinals looked good for both teams for the first 30 minutes. Playing on their home turf at Weidner Field, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC pushed forward consistently from the start, while the visiting Oakland Roots SC maintained a disciplined and organized formation that successfully kept their opponents from posing a significant threat.
Just as the Roots began building momentum, the first big opportunity of the game went to the Switchbacks. A well-placed corner kick required a crucial save from Roots goalkeeper Paul Blanchette, keeping the score level at 0-0.
The Switchbacks broke the deadlock in the 41st minute after a couple of deflections slipped through the Roots back line, allowing Jairo Henriquez to capitalize with an easy finish, giving the home side a 1-0 lead.
Heading into the halftime break, the Switchbacks held onto that 1-0 lead after a tense first half. In the 56th minute, the Colorado Springs side was awarded a penalty kick, which Ronaldo Damus calmly slotted into the side netting, extending the home team’s lead to 2-0.
Head Coach Gavin Glinton made multiple substitutions following that second goal, hoping to find a way back into the game. But Colorado Springs maintained control until the final whistle, and the Oakland Roots’ season came to an end following the 2-0 defeat in Colorado Springs.
Summary
Scoring:
- COS: Jairo Henriquez 41
- COS: Ronaldo Damus 55
Discipline:
- COS: Tyreek Magee 49’ (yellow)
- OAK: Gagi Margvelashvili 55’ (yellow)
- OAK: Camden Riley 64’ (yellow)
- COS: Yosuke Hanya 70’ (yellow)
- COS: Quenzi Huerman 79’ (yellow)
- COS: Aidan Rocha 80’ (yellow)
- OAK: Memo Diaz 90+’ (yellow)
- OAK: Baboucarr Njie 90+’ (yellow)
Oakland Roots SC
Lineup: Paul Blanchette, Baboucarr Njie, Neveal Hackshaw, Gagi Margvelashvili, Memo Diaz, Camden Riley (Dom Dwyer), Rafael Baca (Irakoze Donasiyano), Justin Rasmussen (Trayvone Reid), Daniel Gomez, Luis Sinisterra (Ilya Alekseev), Johnny Rodriguez
Unused subs: Niall Logue, Miche-Naider Chéry, Tim Syrel
Line: Shots: 7 | Shots On Goal: 2 | Corner Kicks: 3 | Fouls: 9 | Offside: 1
Colorado Springs FC
Lineup: Christian Herrera, Matt Mahoney, Aidan Rocha, Matt Real, Duke Lacroix, Zach Zandi, Speedy Williams, Tyreek Magee (Quenzi Huerman), Yosuke Hanya (Aidan Rocha), Ronaldo Damus (Justin Dhillon), Jairo Henriquez (Juan Tejada)
Unused subs: Joe Rice, Delentz Pierre, Koa Santos
Line: Shots: 11 | Shots On Goal: 4 | Corner Kicks: 5 | Fouls: 7 | Offside: 1
