The Oakland Roots delivered one of their gutsiest offensive performances of the season to close out their 2025 road schedule, as they fought back from a two-goal deficit to earn a 3-3 draw with New Mexico United on Sunday, October 19, at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque.
The Roots might have been eliminated from playoff contention prior to the opening kickoff, but from the way the players fired out of the gate, it looked more like a team protecting home-field advantage. Within the first five minutes of the match, Oakland had rung the left post twice, and the offensive pressure kept coming through much of the first phase of play.
Against the run of play, however, Mukwelle Akale delivered New Mexico the first lead of the contest when a sloppy turnover from Roots near their own penalty area gave United space to work in the box, eventually leading to a gut-punch goal that made it 1-0 in favor of the home team in the 13th minute.
That lead would not last, though, as the Roots were awarded a penalty kick when Gagi Margvelashvili, who had committed the turnover leading to the New Mexico goal, worked into the box and was tripped from behind.
Club scoring leader Peter Wilson took Margvelashvili’s place at the spot, scoring his 16th goal of the season in the 16th minute to tie it up at 1-1.
United earned one back just moments later when Neveal Hackshaw put an awkward touch on the ball in his own box, inadvertently sending it into the back of the net for an own goal to give United a 2-1 lead in the 19th minute.
New Mexico stretched their lead to 3-1 when they were awarded a penalty of their own after Ali Elmasnaouy was beaten in the box and tried to compensate with a challenge that caught a bit more of the attacker than the ref was willing to allow. Jon-Talen Maples converted from the dot in the 28th minute to give his side a two-goal cushion.
In the 39th minute, the Roots earned their second penalty kick of the match after Wilson found space in the back and the United defender made a decision to prevent the one-on-one with a hard foul from behind. Wilson converted once again to take sole possession of the Golden Boot race lead with his 17th goal of the season, making it 3-2 in the 41st minute.
New Mexico looked rejuvenated in the second half, spending much of the final frame trying to extend their lead. But the Roots were steadfast in their game, leaving everything out on the pitch despite playing only for pride.
Oakland leveled the match in the waning moments of regulation time after Peter Wilson settled the ball off his chest in the New Mexico box, leaving it at the feet of Gagi Margvelashvili, who sent the ball into the top twine in the 82nd minute to tie the match at 3-3.
The Roots scrapped until the final whistle, desperately searching for a winner to spoil New Mexico’s night completely, but the match ended without any further scoring.
The Roots will be home for their final contest of 2025 when they host Lexington SC at the Oakland Coliseum this Saturday, October 25, at 7 p.m.
Summary
Scoring:
- NM: Mukwelle Akale 13’
- OAK: Peter Wilson 16’ (PK)
- NM: Neveal Hackshaw 19’ (OG)
- NM: Jon-Talen Maples 28’ (PK)
- OAK: Peter Wilson 41’ (PK)
- OAK: Gagi Margvelashvili 82’
Discipline:
- NM: Gedion Zelalem 32’ (yellow card)
- NM: Kalen Ryden 39’ (yellow card)
- NM: Valentin Noël 53’ (yellow card)
- OAK: Daniel Gomez 55’ (yellow card)
- OAK: Jürgen Damm 83’ (yellow card)
- NM: Christopher Shakes 83’ (yellow card)
- NM: Ousman Jabang 85’ (yellow card)
Oakland Roots SC
Lineup: Kendall McIntosh, Gagi Margvelashvili, Camden Riley (Morey Doner), Daniel Gomez, Peter Wilson, Tyler Gibson, Neveal Hackshaw, Kai Greene (Jürgen Damm), Ali Elmasnaouy (Bobosi Byaruhanga), Faysal Bettache, Danny Trejo (Wolfgang Prentice)
Unused subs: Julian Bravo, Raphael Spiegel, Ilya Alekseev
Line: Shots: 15 | Shots On Goal: 8 | Corner Kicks: 8 | Fouls: 10
New Mexico United
Lineup: Kristopher Shakes, Kalen Ryden, Jon-Talen Maples, Chris Gloster (Jaylin Lindsey), Kipp Keller, Valentin Noël, Gedion Zelalem (Sergio Rivas), Zico Bailey (Ousman Jabang), Greg Hurst (Luther Archimede), Dayonn Harris (Marlon Vargas), Mukwelle Akale
Unused subs: Kyle Hofmann, Will Seymore, Alexandros Tabakis
Line: Shots: 10 | Shots On Goal: 2 | Corner Kicks: 2 | Fouls: 11
