August 15, 2022
USL Championship Regular Season Match
Keyworth Stadium, Hamtramck, MI

Atuahene’s late goal saves the point

The Oakland Roots.  No strangers to Keyworth Stadium.

In the 2020 NISA Fall Tournament, the Roots came to Keyworth with a community culture approach, similar to ours.  We faced them in the Group Stage of the tournament, defeating them 2-1, thanks to a Sean Claud Lawson 80th minute game-winning goal on September 24, 2020.  Then we met them in the Tournament Final, winning our first trophy with another 2-1 victory, thanks to Ryan Peterson’s 84th minute game-winning goal on October 2, 2020.  The next season, Oakland departed from NISA, jumping up to the USL Championship.

Only one player remains on the roster for Oakland from their last visit – Johnny Rodriguez, who scored the Roots’ goal in the NISA final match.

The Roots finished their inaugural season 4th in the Western Conference with an 11 win,  8 draws, and 13 loss record.  They eliminated El Paso Locomotive, 1-nil, in the first round of the playoffs, but bowed out in a match against Orange County SC on penalty kicks (6-5) after a scoreless 120 minutes.  Currently, they sit 10th in the West with 6 wins, 11 draws, and 7 losses, and have been held scoreless in their last two matches.

City wore their charity kit for Special Olympics of Michigan and the kits were designed by Jon Hevron.  An auction for these kits took place with the proceeds going to Special Olympics.

DETROIT CITY FC
STARTING XI

Nate Steinwascher – GK
Michael Bryant – D
Stephen Carroll – D
Matt Lewis – D
Rhys Williams – D
Deklan Wynne – M
Maxi Rodriguez – M
Brad Dunwell – M
Connor Rutz – F
Pato Botello Faz – F
Antoine Hoppenot – F

OAKLAND ROOTS
STARTING XI

Paul Blanchette – GK
Emrah Klimenta – D
Alejandro Fuenmayor – D
Tarek Morad – D
Edgardo Rito – M
Jose Hernandez – M
Malias Fissore – M
Juan Azocar – M
Charlie Dennis – F
Mikal Torset Johnsen – F
Dariuz Formelia – F

It was a feisty affair between the two former NISA clubs, resulting in 27 fouls and 7 yellow cards distributed by referee John Griggs.  Griggs was the head referee in 28 previous USL-Championship matches dating back to 2019.  He has also officiated 3 NWSL matches since 2021, 1 NWSL Challenge Cup match, and the US Open Cup contest between the Richmond Kickers and Penn FC in 2018.  The assistant refs were Michael Nickerson and Jacob Little.

Nate Steinwascher prevented a couple of really good chances by Oakland in the 9th and 18th minutes of the match that could have put City in a hole to dig out of.

City then marched the ball downfield in 19th minute, creating a chance of their own.  Catching the keeper off-guard,  Antoine Hoppenot hit the post, the ball rebounding out to Pato whose shot was saved by the keeper, Paul Blanchette.  Had the ball found the back of the net it would not have counted because the offside flag had been raised.  The first half ended scoreless.

In the second half, Oakland broke the deadlock.  In the 50th minute, a rare, errant clearing pass by Nate was intercepted by Charlie Dennis, who had only Nate and the goal in front of him, and well, the goal is much bigger.  Dennis buried it low in the far corner, just under the hands of Nate’s dive.

Johnny Rodriguez entered the match in the 69th minute for the Roots, replacing Mikal Torset Johnsen.  Detroit City FC substituted Maxi Rodriguez with Francis Atuahene in the 73rd minute, sparking the offense.

In the 76th minute, a beautifully placed ball by Deklan Wynne from a corner kick found Connor Rutz.  His header forced Blanchette into dive in front of a defender who cleared it away from goal.  After Oakland made a substitution, inserting Joseph Nane for Jose Hernandez in the 82nd minute,  Antoine Hoppenot had another opportunity.  He cut into the box around two defenders, but the third defender ran in to block his shot.

With the push City was giving, you knew that something would happen.  And it did in the 87th minute.  Moving the ball up field along the far sideline, it found its way to Hoppenot once more.  He laid a sweetly weighted pass into the path of Francis Atuahene.  The forward drove in and buried the equalizer, bringing the City faithful to their feet (those who were not already on their feet, of course).

PHOTO GALLERY

STATS

Detroit City FC 1, Oakland Roots 1

Oakland: Charlie Dennis (Oakland) 50′
Detroit City: Francis Atuahene (Antoine Hoppenot) 87′

ATTENDANCE:  7,283

Possession: DCFC 52.5%, Oakland 47.5%
Offsides:  DCFC 3, Oakland 0
Corners:  DCFC 7, Oakland 5
Passes:  DCFC 422, Oakland 381
Passing Accuracy: DCFC 71.6%, Oakland 70.6%
Shots:  DCFC 10, Oakland 12
Shots on Target: DCFC 3, Oakland 3
Blocked Shots:  DCFC 4, Oakland 5
Fouls: DCFC 12, Oakland 15
Yellow Cards:  DCFC 3 (Hoppenot 40′, Bryant 72′, Carroll 90+2′), Oakland 4 (Jose Hernandez 40′, Juan Azocar 45′, Edgardo Rito 57′, Malias Fissore 70′)
Red Cards:  DCFC 0, Oakland 0

KEEPER KIT RECORD (Both USL Championship and Open Cup)

A draw in the charity kit.

• Purple Kit:  3 draws, 1 loss.
• Yellow Kit: 5 wins, 3 draw, 1 loss 4 clean sheets
• Blue Kit: 6 wins, 1 draw, 4 loss, 3 clean sheets.
• Charity Kit: 1 draw