Oakland Roots SC Set to Host Las Vegas Lights FC in Second Match at Coliseum

Following a 1-2 home-opening loss to San Antonio in what was otherwise one of the most memorable nights in club history, Roots will look to put their first notch in the win column of 2025 on Saturday, March 29th as they prepare to host Las Vegas Lights FC at the Oakland Coliseum at 7 PM PT.

It has been a slog for Roots to start the new USL Championship season. Oakland will enter Saturday’s contest still winless at 0-0-3 on the season, and including the end of last season have lost five consecutive matches — tied for the franchise’s longest streak without earning a point.

Despite the slow start, defenseman Justin Rasmussen — who scored Roots’ first goal at the Coliseum — says that the team is not worried.

“Tightening our lines, getting our timing right of when to step and when to drop back, and just being a cohesive unit — it takes some time, but we feel it,” Rasmussen said. “We all believe in that locker room that it’s about to strike for us.”

While the results haven’t been stellar, Roots’ offense has shown that it is an improvement over years past. Oakland’s five goals thus far are the most the club have scored through the first three games of a season since 2021.

Las Vegas will walk onto the pitch on Saturday having not played in two weeks. Their last USL action came on March 15th in a 2-3 loss to New Mexico United, and the club now sits at 1-0-1 on the young season.

One key to victory for Roots could be to get off to a quick start. Las Vegas has yet to score a goal this season before the 72nd minute — getting out ahead of the Lights before they have time to settle into the match could be the difference in Oakland earning their first points of the season.

After Saturday’s fixture, Roots will have one more game in their Oakland homestand — a matinee contest versus Rhode Island FC at 1 PM PT on Saturday, April 5th — before heading back out on the road for their first action outside of California this season.