Angels fall to spirited Fuego 2-1

This was Fuego’s second win, after blanking Dragons in their opening match 5-3, and saw them jump over Rush, Oilers (both with four points) and Angels (three).

Angels took the lead courtesy of a penalty from Jodi Ann McGregor but Fuego responded with strikes from central defenders Ermelinda Izquierda and Anastacia Prescott.

And Angels’ misery was worsened in the second half when striker Rafaela De Vargas was sent off for her second bookable offence.

Few could have predicted the result as Angels took advantage of proceedings from the get-go, with their attacking trio of captain Maylee Attin-Johnson, De Vargas and Kandace Franklin, as well a playmaker McGregor dictating the pace. Attin-Johnson got a pass from left-back Jodie Redgrave but her lobbed effort went wide, with goalkeeper Leticia Bussato beaten, while Bussato did well to block a close-range shot from Franklin.

In the 18th minute, Franklin, making a run in the penalty box, was taken down by left-back Tenesia Vassell and, from the spot, McGregor sent Bussato the wrong way, as the ball nestled to the bottom left-hand corner. That setback seemed to spur on the Fuego team, as they replied with two goals in the space of five minutes. Against the run of play, burly midfielder Shanelle Warrick swung in a free-kick, near to the left corner flag, and Izquierda rose above the Angels defenders to place her header to the left of goalkeeper Tynetta McKoy.

And five minutes later (31st), Warrick’s corner from the left came back to her and her cross was met by fellow midfielder Jamila Matlin who, in turn, teed up Prescott to slot home from close range. Those pair of goals seemed to knock the stuffing out of the Angels team, especially Attin-Johnson, who was frequently arguing every call made against her side by referee Crystal Sobers.

She did get a call in her favour in the 61st, with a quickly-taken free-kick to De Vargas but her right-footer was well held by Bussato.

However, De Vargas was sent off two minutes later and Fuego was hardly troubled afterwards, as they slowed the pace, to their liking.

Angels were forced to make a late change, in the 82nd, when McKoy was rushed to hospital after suffering a concussion, after colliding with Fuego captain Tasha St Louis.

And substitute Claudia Sancedo almost netted in added-on time, as she banged her right-footed shot against the crossbar, with substitute keeper Beth Seaman beaten.

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"Angels fall to spirited Fuego 2-1"

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