Club continues lengthy road stretch at San Antonio FC next week
HAYWARD, Calif. (May 27, 2023) – San Diego Loyal SC played to a 2-0 loss at Oakland Roots SC in an USL Championship match Saturday night at Pioneer Stadium on the campus of California State University East Bay.
Johnny Rodriguez scored an early goal while Anuar Peláez added one in stoppage time to help the hosts earn three points in the Western Conference matchup. Oakland opened the scoring in the seventh minute after Rodriguez took a pass by Guillermo Diaz and beat a pair of SD Loyal defenders. The forward then fired a shot past Duran Ferree, who started in place of an injured Koke Vegas. The play left the 16-year-old Ferree, who made his second start of 2023 and his fourth USL Championship appearance, without a chance. Peláez sealed the scoring in second half stoppage time after corralling a missed-timed SD Loyal clearance into a counter attack at a time when SD Loyal was looking to equalize as Oakland bunkered its defense.
Saturday night was SD Loyal’s second of three-straight road matches this month. The club will finish its road series at defending champion San Antonio FC next Saturday, June 3.
Against Oakland (5W-4L-2D, 17 points), SD Loyal (6W-4L-2D, 20 points) was kept at bay from finding an equalizer despite the visitors controlling possession and creating a handful of scoring chances. In the 59th minute, Evan Conway had a chance with a point-blank shot at the goal line but was denied by Oakland goalkeeper Paul Blanchette after Elliot Collier sent a rolling ball from left to right. In the second half, Alejandro Guido sent a shot that curved toward goal after dribbling into the penalty area but Blanchette punched the effort away in the 73rd minute. SD Loyal nearly equalized just seconds into second half stoppage time when substitute Ronaldo Damus almost scored with a quick shot that went just wide of the post.
Nick Moon, Tumi Moshobane and Blake Bodily also had chances in the first half but Blanchette was there to make a save on each play.
After finishing its road stretch at San Antonio FC next week, SD Loyal will return to Torero Stadium to host first place Sacramento Republic FC on Friday, June 9 (7 p.m.). Tickets to the upcoming home match are available now at sdloyal.com/tickets.
GOAL SCORING RUNDOWN
OAK – Jonathan Rodriguez (Guillermo Diaz), 7th minute: Rodriguez took a ball from Diaz and sent it in with a right-footed shot. OAK 1, SD 0
OAK – Anuar Peláez, 90+5 minute: A missed-timed clearance from the SD Loyal defense sends Pelaez into a one-on-one breakaway, where he buried his chance past Duran Ferree. OAK 2, SD 0
Palomar Health Man of the Match: Nick Moon
