Orange County played to its fullest potential against a helpless Las Vegas. However they will not have the opportunity to carry that momentum into a game that matters.
It is the last game of the USL group stage and it is only pride that is left to be played for. Oakland do have a slim chance of advancing as a wild card, but that will require both Sacramento and Monterey to lose to their respective League One opponents. So, really, this game will be a great chance for certain players to show what they can offer.
Orange County did play a very young lineup in their last USL Cup game at home against Sacramento and ended up coming away with a 1-0 victory. Just because the average age of the expected roster might not be able to drink does not mean this game can be written off.
THE OPPONENT - OAKLAND ROOTS SC
Oakland might be coming off one of the more impressive displays of the season after coming away from Loudoun with a 2-0 victory. That result was very much needed just to keep afloat in the Western Conference as a whole. Oakland have been making some moves off the field as well. In the past week they have acquired two new players which we will get more into detail later. Oakland in the group stage has been an adventure to say the least. They were lucky enough (or unlucky) to face both the League One teams in the group. They lost to both. But Oakland did defeat Monterey Bay in their last USL Cup game, so what does anyone know? The truth is that this game will not be on the spotlight on Saturday.
Oakland overall have been playing a bit better overall and they have picked up wins against quality teams like Loudoun and Birmingham. They are playing to their potential and can take the season series over Orange County in the rubber match.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Oakland have made moves off the field this past week. The most notable one will be the academy prospect who they just signed to a professional deal. Ali Elmasnaouy has spent time within the Oakland Roots system since 2022. The Oakland native began with Project 510 (the Roots academy team) and made his professional debut last season in the Open Cup. In 2025, Elmasnaouy had recorded 13 appearances across all competitions with the senior team who rewarded him on Thursday with his first professional contract. Expect him to feature on Saturday.
On the orange side of things, Gavin Karam has featured in the three previous USL Cup games for Orange County and I do not see a reason why he will stop there. The 18-year old midfielder from Newport Beach has been within the Orange County system for a year now and made his professional debut this season. Karam is a local talent and part of a surplus with the OC system but he should get the opportunity on Saturday in a hostile environment and will look to continue on his offensive prowess that he displayed while with the OCSC II team.
PREDICTED STARTING XI
Dylan’s predicted starting 11 for Saturday afternoon’s cup game in Oakland.
Dylan’s lineup sees a very young backline that will stand in front of a very young keeper in Kadono. The midfield will actually remain quite the same with Dunbar, Partida and Benalcazar all earning minutes. The academy team did play this weekend as well but the majority of the two-way players did not feature in that game.
Nathan’s predicted starting 11 against Oakland on Saturday.
As for myself the only change that I made that is worth mentioning is that Karam will get the start and I think we will see a lot more youth. Tristan Trager needs more minutes and this will be a good test run. Likewise Bryce Jamison needs a bit of a confidence boost and hopefully his scoring touch can return. Mohamadou War can also get a chance to further his argument for a starting spot.
THE MATCH UP
Orange County’s last visit to Oakland was not a very fun one as they were easily dispatched in what was one of the more negative performances of 2025. In fact, Orange County has had a real hard time playing in Oakland, having lost the last four away games there. This includes shutouts, blown leads and three different stadiums. I do not expect these two teams to meet again in the postseason, so this will likely be the last time for 2025. Oakland must win to have a fighting chance at advancing out of the group stage.
WHAT TO KNOW
Game - @ Oakland Roots SC (USL Jägermeister Cup Group Stage)
When - July 26th, 1:00 PM PST
Where - Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum (Oakland, CA)
OCSC Form - WLDWW
OAK Form - WLWWW
All-Time Series - 6-1-6 (13 Matchups)
TV - ESPN+