China overcomes red card to defeat Haiti 1-0 in Women's World Cup Group D clash
Shui Qingxia, Head Coach of China PR, speaks to the media in the post match press conference Credit: Aitor Alcalde - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
Despite being a player down for over an hour, China managed a crucial 1-0 victory over Haiti in their Women's World Cup Group D match at Adelaide's Hindmarsh Stadium on Friday.
The game saw an early shift in momentum when China's Zhang Rui was sent off for a high, studs-up tackle on Sherly Jeudy just before the half-hour mark.
Referee Marta Huerta de Aza initially awarded a yellow card but then upgraded it to a red after reviewing the pitch-side monitor. This meant the Steel Roses had to fight with a numerical disadvantage for most of the match.
In a surprising move, Haiti brought Melchie Dumornay from the bench at half-time, creating an immediate impact.
Dumornay made a quick strike towards the goal following a penalty-box scramble, but China's goalkeeper Zhu Yu foiled the attempt with a spectacular save at point-blank range.
The game's turning point came when China's Zhang Linyan was fouled in the box by Ruthny Mathurin.
Despite an initial offside ruling, the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) reversed the decision, paving the way for Wang Shuang to score the only goal of the match from the penalty spot.
Haiti had a glimmer of hope when they were awarded a late penalty after Chen Qiaozhu appeared to barge into Roseline Eloissaint.
However, after a review, the referee overturned the decision. Haiti's last opportunity fell to captain Nerilia Mondesir, but her shot from a tight angle went wide, leaving the score at 1-0 in favor of China.
China's victory, despite being a player down, marked the first time a team has won a match after receiving a red card in these global finals.
This victory puts China's knockout-stage pursuit in a promising position for the final matchday.
