Portuguese captain Edite Fernandes grabbed both goals to
condemn the Welsh to defeat, avenging Wales’ victory in last year’s tournament.
Wales started well, Natasha Harding was inches away from
connecting with a Sarah Wiltshire cross, before the latter wasted a one-on-one.
But Portugal slowly began to turn the pressure up, and when
Wales were a little over-zealous trying to block an attempt at goal a penalty
was given. Fernandes stepped up and sent Nicola Davies the wrong way.
She then fired against the crossbar, with Davies, hoping the
tournament may help her find a new club, being alert to catch the weak rebound
attempt.
In to the second half, a Jess Fishlock free-kick from near
the half-way line evaded everybody and forced the home ‘keeper in to a save.
Portugal again hit the woodwork when a seemingly tame cross
dropped on to the top of the crossbar on the hour mark, before Fishlock again
went close with a cheeky flick off a cross.
On 74 minutes the game was seemingly over when the
Portuguese No9 raced on to a through ball and, after rounding Davies, did well
to avoid the covering defenders and pick out Fernandes with her cut back, who
gratefully slammed home.
The Welsh defeat was compounded first by an injury to Nadia Lawrence,
who will now miss the rest of the tournament, before Ladd’s second bookable
offence in the last minute.
Amy Wathan will now replace Lawrence in Portugal, with Wales
set to play Mexico and Hungary before the final positional play-off match.
0 comments:
Post a Comment