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San Diego 0 : 1 Club America
Club America progressed to the next stage of the CONCACAF W Cup with a solitary goal win against a Wave side reduced to ten players for most of the match.
The two key moments to the outcome involved the Club America’s Missouri native Sarah Luebbert.
In the 22nd minute, Wave keeper Kailen Sheridan was sent off for a foul way outside her penalty area. She was 40 yards off her goal line when her side lost possesion and as Luebbert outpaced the last defender, Sheridan brough down the American.
The denial of a clear goal scoring opportunity gave referee Crystal Sobers no alternative but to issue a red card. Sheridan had been dismissed for a similar offence very recently against North Carolina.
The unfortunate Maya Jones was withdrawn to allow the Wave to bring on Hillary Beale, the reserve goalkeeper.
Photo: Club America Feminil twitter
Wave still required just a draw to proceed in the competition but had to defend that draw for over an hour.
Between those moments Perle Morroni appeared to be fouled while through on goal but Sobers adjudged it a clean tackle.
The same player nearly stole a lead for the ten women team but America keeper Sandra Paños managed to palm the effort onto the bar.
However, Luebbert was to have more success in the 58th minute.
Mexican international and club captain Kiana Palacios’ weakish effort was not cleanly gathered by Beale and the substitute keeper could only shuffle the ball onto her right hand post.
Luebbert was the first to react and scored easily.
A goal and a player down, Wave coach Landon Donovan made some necessary and serious changes, introducing Savannah McCaskill and Kyra Carusa for Danielle Colaprico and Jaedyn Shaw.
These changes worked well and Wave proceeded to have their best spell of the match, even a woman down. With America not needing another goal, they were more content to defend but the ferocity of the Wave response delighted a sparse 6490 crowd.
The best chance came on 70′ when the lively Delphine Cascarino drew Paños into a fine save.
That apart, the visitors rode the storm comfortably and will proceed to the nest stage of the CONCACAF W Cup.
