China overcame a first half red card to secure victory over Haiti

• China overcame a first half red card to beat Haiti 1-0 and record their first win at the ongoing 2023 Women’s World Cup
• The Steel Roses went into the match as favourites considering Haiti had suffered defeats in six of their last seven games

China overcame a first half red card to beat Haiti 1-0 and record their first win at the ongoing 2023 Women’s World Cup.

Midfielder Zhang Rui was sent off after 29 minutes of play for a dangerous tackle but that did not end the Steel Roses hope of winning the match. Wang Shuang scored the only goal of the fixture, which was a penalty, in the 74th minute.

China earned their first victory in this year’s Women World Cup by beating Haiti. Photo/ beIN SPORTS.

Speaking after her side secured victory at Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide, coach Shui Qingxia described Haiti’s challenge as a tough one.

“It was a very tough match today, the players did well and I’m very proud of them. We encountered difficult circumstances but thankfully the team managed to adjust to the situation accordingly. I’m very, very emotional right now and I need to go back to calm down and do a review of the match. The next game will be even tougher but, as long as we come together to play as a team, I believe there will be miracles.” Shui Qingxia said, as per The Straits Times.

How China Beat Haiti 

China went into the match as favourites considering Haiti had suffered defeats in six of their last seven games. The Steel Roses started well by dominating possession and moving forward.

They had their first big chance of the day after 15 minutes of play when Lou Jiahui released an overhead kick attempt. However, the shot had no power and didn’t cause panic to goalkeeper Kerly Theus.

Midway through the first half, Haiti received a huge boost when China’s Zhang Rui was sent off following a tackle that was reviewed by VAR. Despite being ten players on the pitch, China continued to dominate. They were, however, lucky when Nerilia Mondesir’s effort was ruled out for offside.

As the second half progressed, the Steel Roses struggled to break Haiti’s defence. However, a golden opportunity came their way when Zhang Linyan was upended in the box, leading to a penalty. Wang Shuang did exactly what she was supposed to and gave her side the lead in the 74th minute. Coach Shui Qingxia’s side held on to their narrow lead until the referee blew his whistle to signal the end of the match.

Ten-player China beat Haiti 1-0. Photo/ Times of Malta.

China’s victory means Group D is still open and leaders England have not yet qualified for the last 16 despite beating Denmark earlier on Friday. The Lionesses would have advanced straight to the knockout stages with a match to spare if China had been held to a draw or lost to Haiti.

Group D’s last fixtures will be played on Tuesday, with England facing second-placed China. Meanwhile, Denmark will be looking for a second win of the tournament while facing a Haiti side who have no point after two defeats. Just like any other member of Group D, Haiti have a chance of progressing to the knockout stages. However this will only happen if they beat Denmark and other results go on their favour.