SEASIDE — For all the momentum generated a week earlier in an international victory over Pachuca of Mexico, it was nothing more than an exhibition match.
The return to the pitch Saturday for its United Soccer League Championship opener didn’t produce similar results, as Monterey Bay FC was blanked 1-0 by rival Oakland at Cardinale Stadium.
The Union, who were shutout 14 times last year in missing the playoffs for the fourth straight year, have overhauled the roster with an European flavor and nine new members in its fifth season.
The expectation is the chemistry on the field with a handful of new starters will take a few matches, as the speed of the game in the regular season intensifies with the start of USL play.
Last year the Union dropped their opener on the road in San Antonio, then proceeded to put together a five-game unbeaten streak, which catpulted them into first place in the Western Conference for 10 days.
The Roots, who took two of three last year from Monterey Bay FC, produced the game’s only goal in the 85th minute when Marc Fisher squeezed a ball past goalie Fernando Delgado, who was making his debut.
Dating back to last year, the Union have won just once in their last 17 regular season matches in the USL, including a 1-0 loss to the Roots.
Although the Union outshot their closest rivals 11-8 – with 10 of those attempts coming in the crease, Oakland controlled possession 60 percent of the match.
Monterey Bay will search for its first goal and its first points of the season next Saturday when it entertains El Paso — who played Colorado Springs to a 2-2 draw in its opener.
