![Brenda Cerén runs towards the camera with her arms out in celebration and a wide grin on her face.](https://equalizersoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/cwgc-prelims-gol-brenda-ceren.jpeg)
Picture through Concacaf W Gold Cup
On Saturday, at Dignity Well being Sports activities Park six completely different groups confronted off in a battle for the ultimate three spots within the group stage of the Concacaf W Gold Cup. In Carson, California every crew performed one win-and-advance match, hoping to maneuver on to the competitors’s subsequent stage kicking off this Tuesday. Here’s a fast recap of the outcomes and what it means for every crew transferring on.
For extra on the match and what there’s to look ahead to, take a look at The Equalizer’s 5 issues to know concerning the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup.
Guyana 0, Dominican Republic 1
The primary sport of the Concacaf W Gold Cup play-in spherical was additionally the primary ever performed between the perimeters. Ultimately, the Dominican Republic recorded the primary victory between the 2, incomes themselves a spot in Group A. Each side had possibilities to attain however the Dominican Republic took the lead within the fifty fifth minute due to Kathryn González. The ahead clinically dispatched a top quality shot from exterior the field instantly upon receiving the cross again from her teammate attempting to recycle a nook try.
The eventual victors had a number of possibilities to extend their lead and customarily dominated the sport however couldn’t rating one other. One purpose ended up being sufficient to advance the Dominicans to group-stage matches in opposition to the USA, Mexico, and Argentina. They are going to face the USA girls’s nationwide crew first, opening their Group A play on Tuesday.
Haiti 0, Puerto Rico 1
There have been excessive expectations for Haiti after their efficiency on the 2023 Girls’s World Cup however Puerto Rico upset the favorites, incomes the final spot in Group B. The sport-winning purpose got here due to the penalty conversion by Jillienne Aguilera within the forty first minute. NWSL followers could acknowledge the goalscorer from the Chicago Purple Stars but it surely was goalkeeper Sydney Martínez whose heroics ensured her purpose was the winner. Martínez completed the sport with 15 saves, together with a penalty cease within the 74th minute on Nerilia Mondesir.
Puerto Rico will now face Brazil, Colombia, and Panama within the group stage. They are going to open group play in opposition to Brazil on Wednesday night time at Snapdragon Stadium, the host of the 2023 NWSL Championship match, in San Diego, California.
El Salvador 3, Guatemala 1
The final ticket to the group stage was earned in dominant trend by the Brenda Cerén led El Salvador girls’s nationwide crew. Cerén scored a hat trick to information her crew to victory over Guatemala. She began the scoring early, netting the sport’s first purpose in simply the nineteenth minute.
After a VAR assessment within the thirty sixth minute, Guatemala have been decreased to 10 gamers when Savianna Gomez had a yellow card upgraded to a purple. Making the most of the state of affairs, Cerén doubled the lead in first-half stoppage time with a composed end in-behind the protection. The star of the night time accomplished her hat trick within the 69th minute with a penalty conversion.
Regardless of the scoreline, Guatemala didn’t surrender, scoring a classy 77th minute purpose to scale back the deficit. Ana Lucía Martínez confirmed off her ball management as she dribbled by defenders and fired a shot from distance simply over the palms of the outstretched goalkeeper.
Ultimately, El Salvador secured the final spot in Group C alongside Canada, Costa Rica, and Paraguay. They are going to play their first group stage sport in opposition to the Canadians on Thursday on the Shell Vitality Stadium in Houston, Texas.
![](https://equalizersoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/equalizerWhite-1.png)