Spokane, WASH. — In the first-ever matchup between the two teams — and the opening match of the 2025 USL Jägermeister Cup — Spokane Velocity FC needed just three shots in the first half and a strong defensive effort to secure a 2-1 victory over Oakland Roots SC.
In the first minute, Spokane looked poised for a fast start after a goal was deflected in off a free kick to take an early lead, but it was disallowed due to an offside call.
A header off a throw-in in the 24th minute by Oakland Roots SC nearly found the back of the net, but Carlos Merancio made a crucial save, batting the ball away to keep the match scoreless.
In the 26th minute, Spokane broke the stalemate when midfielder Luis Gil headed a crossed pass into the back of the net, giving Velocity FC a 1-0 lead.
Velocity FC struck again before halftime with a goal from forward Anuar Peláez in the 43rd minute. A beautiful fast break involving three Velocity FC players left Peláez wide open to score, sending Velocity FC into the locker room up 2-0.
In the second half, another excellent save by Merancio came in the 46th minute when a clean shot by Oakland Roots SC was conceded, maintaining the clean sheet at that point. Merancio reflected on the match afterward:
“They had a lot of shots, but the guys were blocking and putting bodies on the line,” said Merancio. “I’m just glad I saved what came to the goal… We’re still grinding and growing as a team.”
Spokane Velocity FC defense held strong throughout the second half, securing the 2-1 win — their third victory in the last four matches and a strong start to their 2025 USL Jägermeister Cup campaign.
“We want to get respect, and to get respect you have to earn it.” said Andre Lewis after the match. “So, we try our best to do that.”
Velocity FC head coach Leigh Veidman echoed that sentiment, especially praising the effort in the midfield.
“The work those guys put in is incredible,” said Veidman. “It takes a ton of pressure off the back line. Even when they’re tired — you can see it in their body language — they still make the effort, which is a minimum standard.”
Spokane Velocity FC will be back at ONE Spokane Stadium Sunday, May 4, against Westchester SC at 4:00 PM PT. The theme of the next Velocity FC home match is Star Wars — costumes are strongly encouraged. For tickets to the match, visit: https://www.uslspokane.com/velocity-fc-tickets/.
