Aug 2, 2024; San Jose, CA, USA; Bay FC defender Maddie Moreau (24) and Club America forward Noemi Granados (6) battle for the ball during the first half at PayPal Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
SAN JOSE–Bay FC had a familiar face return to PayPal Park on Friday night as Scarlett Camberos, who recently departed from the club, returned with her new team Club America for the NWSL x Liga MXF Summer Cup. Head coach Albertin Montoya went with a slightly more experienced lineup than we’d seen previously in the Cup, but Maddie Moreau, who has certainly impressed over the course of the tournament, remained in the starting 11. Bay FC picked up the win Friday night just getting by Club America 2-1.
Bay FC Starting XI: Rowland, Dydasco, Menges, Beattie, Moreau, Malonson, Pickett, Bailey, Hill, Boade, Castellanos
Club America Starting XI: Panos, Rodriguez, Granados, Guerrero, Hernandez, Orejel, Avilez, Enciso, Luebbert, Palacios, Camberos
The game started off with quite a bit of physicality and it seemed to center around Tess Boade early in that regard, which isn’t unordinary with her style of play. Bay were creating chances in the opening minutes but Club America were defending responsibly.
Moreau got her second professional goal just seven minutes into the match, when the ball landed at her feet with an empty net directly in front of her. She has been earning Montoya’s trust, and it’s well deserved.
Camberos launched an attack for Club America in the 10th minute, but her former teammate Emily Menges defended her perfectly kicking the ball out for a corner that was caught by Katelyn Rowland. In the 18th minute, Bay had another prime scoring opportunity as the ball went straight through the box but nobody was there to tap it into the netting.
Moments later, the ball found Kiki Pickett, but her shot went wide of the goal. Club America got their best opportunity to this point in the match in the 23rd minute when they were able to cross it across the box a couple of times, but were unable to make anything of it.
Besides Camberos, it seemed like their most involved player was Nicolette Hernandez who fired a shot on target whenever she got an opportunity to do so. Noemi Granados nearly gifted Bay a goal in the 25th minute as she slipped with the ball at her feet, handing it to Boade who created a 2-on-1 rush with Rachel Hill but Club America was able to recover defensively.
Camberos scored in her return to PayPal Park in the 29th minute off of a pass from Sarah Luebbert. It was a moment that seemed somewhat inevitable, and she was able to accomplish it very early on. Bay FC had been playing well up until the goal, and it was vital that they didn’t let a single moment derail their performance.
The summer of Moreau nearly continued with a goal in the 38th minute, but her shot went just wide. The first half came to an end after 45 minutes, with no stoppage time and a 1-1 tie.
Joelle Anderson and Jordan Brewster entered the match to start the second half for Bay FC with Boade and Menges coming out as a result. Deyna Castellanos tried to restore her team’s lead in the 48th minute with a powerful shot from outside of the box, and although a diving Sandra Panos wasn’t able to get in front of it, it went just wide of the goal.
Club America nearly got a lead of their own when Luebbert got behind the defense but was slightly tripped up and ended up falling into the goal while Rowland gathered the ball. Rachel Hill was taken down inside the box in the 50th minute, but to the dismay of the crowd, a foul wasn’t called by the official. Bay FC regained the lead in the 53rd minute, as a Jen Beattie header placed the ball right on the goal line following a corner and Dorian Bailey toe-poked it into the goal.
Club America attempted to equalize it in the 55th minute with a header of their own, but it went just over the crossbar. Castellanos came out in the 60th minute for Princess, while Aylin Avilez came out for Miah Zuazua.
Princess immediately got a scoring chance in the 61st minute, but her touch knocked the ball slightly out of reach of a shot and as a result, Panos was able to take away her shooting angle. Granados and Leubbert came out for Club America in the 64th minute with Nancy Antonio and Natalia Mauleon entering the match.
Albertin Montoya made another change in the 68th minute when Caprice Dydasco came out for Savy King. Bailey got another opportunity in the 70th minute but once again, her first touch was too heavy and the ball bounced to the goalkeeper Panos.
Camberos nearly got her second of the night in the 77th minute, but the shot went wide of the goal. Rowland went down in the 82nd minute and received some medical attention before getting back up to her feet and remaining in the game.
A collision between Princess and Sabrina Enciso in the 88th minute saw Enciso go down in considerable difficulty before she ultimately got back up and stayed in the match.
There were four minutes of stoppage time awarded at the 90-minute mark, meaning a Bay FC victory was very close, they just needed to hang on for a few more minutes. Moreau seemed to be cramping up around this point in the match, as she went down for a moment while by herself but got back up and played with no further difficulty.
Camberos was tackled inside the box in the 92nd minute, but once again the official decided there was no foul on the play. Time eventually ran out for Club America, and Bay FC walked away with their first and only victory of the Summer Cup, with a 2-1 final score at PayPal Park.
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