CyberRays and Spirit End in 2-2 Draw
July 3, 2003 - Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)
San Jose CyberRays News Release
SAN JOSE, CA â On a night when the CyberRays' leading scorer Pretinha was sitting out the game on a red card violation, and captain Brandi Chastain out as of the 19th minute with a strained hip, it came down to two Brazilians to score a pair of goals in a wild 2-2 finish against the San Diego Spirit.
Tonight's point pulls San Jose up a notch and into a crowded three-way tie for fourth place in the WUSA, where they join the New York Power and Washington Freedom.
The game off to a harried start when Chastain, playing in the midfield, went down in the grass in the fourth minute without being touched. Although she continued and nearly headed in a goal off a Keri Sanchez cross two minutes later, in the 19th minute, Chastain was out of the game for good. She will travel with the CyberRays to New York for their game Saturday against the Power and is expected to play.
San Diego capitalized on the unexpected change in personnel, when forward Christine Latham scored the first goal of the game (and her second of the season) in the 43rd minute, heading in the ball off a right-side cross from Julie Fleeting. San Jose midfielder Mandy
Clemens, Chastain's substitute, had the opportunity to tie it up a minute later off a breakaway, but her shot on goal went wide left of the net.
A glimmer of false hope for the CyberRays presented itself just one
minute into the second half when forward Keri Sanchez kicked
a perfect shot into the goal's lower right corner only to have it called offsides. But Katia's goal in the 49th minute did tie the game and was especially sweet for her, because it snapped an eight-game goalless streak.
Sissi connected from 40 yards out in the 79th minute to the far post to give the CyberRays a 2-1 lead. But in the 90th minute, Latham struck again, sliding onto an Allie Sullivan cross from the right side from 10 yards.
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Women's United Soccer Association Stories from July 3, 2003
- CyberRays slowly climbing table, end compressed schedule in N.Y. - San Jose CyberRays
- San Diego's MacMillan Fined - WUSA
- San Diego ties CyberRays 2-2 in final minute - San Jose CyberRays
- CyberRays and Spirit End in 2-2 Draw - San Jose CyberRays
- Latham's Two Goals Lead Spirit to 2-2 Tie With San Jose - San Diego Spirit
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