CARSON, California – The second match of the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup Prelims saw Haiti and Puerto Rico face each other for another ticket to get into the Group Stage on Saturday evening at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson, with Puerto Rico emerging with a 1-0 win.
After Haiti’s historical participation at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia/New Zealand last summer, and the football both teams showed in the Road to W Gold Cup, fans were excited to see who would get the second ticket of the day to the Group Stage.
Haiti had early chances to take the advantage, as in the 20’ FW Shwendesky Joseph was in the area after GK Sydney Martinez failed to clear, but Joseph sent her shot over the crossbar.
Haiti Captain Nerilia Mondesir tried to find the back of the net in the 28’ from distance, the ball going over the crossbar once again.
Even though Haiti had more possession, it was Puerto Rico who found the back of the net in the 41’ from the boots of MF Jillienne Aguilera after the referee called for a penalty when her teammate Danielle Julia Marcano received a foul in the area, giving Puerto Rico a 1-0 lead.
¡Gol de Puerto Rico! ¡Aguilera marca de penal y abre el marcador! 🇵🇷⚽ pic.twitter.com/rlhEWEUsWU
— W Gold Cup (@GoldCup) February 18, 2024
Haiti didn’t stop trying to level the game, and had a chance when, after a VAR revision, the referee awarded a penalty in the 74’. Mondesir took the shot, only to be stopped by Martinez, who stretched to her left to make the save. Martinez would finish with 15 saves and a precious clean sheet.
¡Sydney Martínez ataja el penal de Mondésir y mantiene la ventaja para Puerto Rico! 🧤🇵🇷 pic.twitter.com/irE5g6ys94
— W Gold Cup (@GoldCup) February 18, 2024
With this win, Puerto Rico advance to Group B to face Brazil, Colombia and Panama. Puerto Rico open versus Brazil on Wednesday evening at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California.
