01 Jul Match Recap: ASC Women Improves Through Final Whistle of Season
June 30th, 2019 — The ASC San Diego Women wrapped up their inaugural season Saturday with a mid-day matchup against the San Diego Parceiro Ladies. Three 1st half goals for San Diego Parceiro was more than enough. ASC San Diego’s Monica Navarro scored in the 71st minute to make things interesting, but ASC were unable to find the back of the net again.
As both teams struggled to find a rhythm in the early stages of the 1st half, Parceiro forward Tally Romaine snuck in behind the ASC San Diego backline on a throw-in to score the first goal of the match in the 18th minute. Romaine found herself one-on-one with keeper Erica Fox, who almost came up with an incredible save from point blank range. Minutes later, Romaine took advantage of an ASC turnover in the middle of the park to score her 2nd goal in just a span of two minutes to make it 2-0 in the 19th minute.
To no one’s surprise, ASC continued to give it their all despite going down 2-0 in the first 20 minutes. Looking to draw closer before the break, ASC pushed forward adding extra attackers. With pressure on the Parceiro defense, ASC earned a corner kick in the 43rd minute. ASC had filled the box with bodies, but a clearance from the corner left the ASC backline exposed. Parceiro’s Nikolina Musto found the cleared ball, passed it forward to Kotone Morimoto for a one-on-one with the keeper. From nearly 30 yards out, Morimoto’s shot just slipped past the charging Erica Fox and rolled into the side netting for a 3-0 lead at halftime.
The “Never Quit” mentality that ASC has demonstrated all season was on full display in the final 45 minutes of the 2019 WPSL season. From the very beginning of the half to the final whistle, ASC controlled the ball, created chances, and kept Parceiro under constant pressure the entire 2nd half.
30 seconds into the 2nd half, a dangerous ASC cross from the right wing was swatted away by the Parceiro keeper. From there on, ASC created chance after chance, but the ball would just not bounce their way. In the 52nd minute, a long Aletse Camacho shot was just tipped over the crossbar. A cross to the back post in the 57th minute just skipped out of play for a goal kick. In the 64th minute, Ana Sofia Salas fired a shot from the right side that was saved by the diving Parceiro keeper. A few minutes later, Salas fought off a Parceiro defender in the penalty area. Her shot was somehow kept again by the Parceiro keeper. In the 71st minute, a long diagonal pass from Denise Castro found Monica Navarro just outside the penalty area, who put the ball past the keeper to make it 3-1.
With 20 minutes left in the season, ASC continued to push up the pitch and create more chances. In the 84th minute, Castro saw her long shot just saved for a corner kick. With one last chance in the 90th minute, a Salas cross to Castro making a run near the back post was just out of reach to keep the final result at 3-1.
As with every match this season, Coach Eloisa’s women work hard, improved as a team, and competed until the final whistle. The improvement of the team over the 2nd half of the season should have you excited for the 2020 WPSL Season.
“My coaching staff and I already started to work towards next season. This first year was a great experience to understand the league and the opponents. We look forward to shape team and to bring it to the next level”.
Photo credit : Peter Durdaller, Sports Photography
—– MATCH RECAP PRESENTED BY SOCCER AMERICA —–
