Canadians in action: Leon scores first for Wave
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Adriana Leon opened her account in San Diego, while Vanessa Gilles scored in a Lyon rout and Evelyne Viens wasn't enough in a Roma loss.
Here's a look at Canadians in action over the weekend.
Adriana Leon and Kailen Sheridan, San Diego Wave and Bianca St-Georges, Utah Royals
Back for a third stint in the National Women's Soccer League, Mississauga, Ont.'s Adriana Leon found the scoresheet for the first time this season as the San Diego Wave picked up three points against the Utah Royals. It didn't take long for the hosts to get on the board, but not without a little good fortune. The Wave come out from the back with Kennedy Wesley finding Kenza Dali to break forward. After a fine run through midfield, Dali was briefly dispossessed before recovering and sending a deep ball into the far corner that Gia Corley did well to keep in play. Pressed by Nuria Rabano, Corley was able to spin away on the touchline and sprint towards goal. He delivery across the face of goal went through Leon's legs, but Maria Sanchez arrived to poke home to open the scoring in the seventh minute. The hosts would grab a second before halftime. Delphine Cascarino came down the right, running at Ana Tejada. Heading for the touchline, Cascarino cut back inside with a pass for Leon to deflect home to make it 2-0 in the 37th. The goal was the first in a Wave shirt for Leon and her first NWSL goal since 2017 when she was a member of the Boston Breakers. It was Leon's 11th goal in NWSL competition. Just as it appeared the Wave would cruise to a win, the visitors flipped the script starting in the 61st. From just over 20 yards out, Claudia Zornoza curled in an outstanding free kick that a diving Kailen Sheridan was powerless to stop to make it 2-1. Replays showed that the Pickering, Ont. native picked up on the ball a little late behind the wall and by the time she saw it, it was too late. The Royals would even things up just over 10 minutes later with a fine team move that started with an interception of Sheridan's goal kick and finished with an outstanding through ball from Ally Sentnor to Mina Tanaka, who hammered home in the 72nd to make it 2-2. The parity was fleeting, though. A horrible error from Mandy McGlynn. Her short goal kick, presumably meant for Maddie Pogarch, landed directly at the feet of Corley just outside the area. Corley added a goal to go with her earlier assist with a strong right-footed effort to give the Wave the lead back at 3-2 in the 74th. The edge wouldn't be relinquished and the hosts would hold on for the victory. Leon finished her evening after 65 minutes, picking up a booking to go with her goal. Though she conceded two goals, Sheridan also recorded a save in the win. For the Royals, Saint-Charles-Borromée, Que.'s Bianca St-Georges played 81 minutes in the loss. She had 25 touches and one shot attempt.
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Vanessa Gilles, Lyon and Sarah Stratigakis, Saint-Étienne
Chateauguay, Que.'s Vanessa Gilles made headlines earlier this month when she told Lyon's Le Progrės outlet that she didn't intend to return to Angel City upon completion of her loan at Lyon in June, citing the American political climate. “I don’t see myself going back to the United States with the current geopolitical situation," the 29-year-old defender said. It’s a bit complicated to go back there as a Canadian." Gilles initially joined Angel City in their inaugural city after three seasons at Bordeaux, but only made seven appearances before signing for OL on loan. Gilles has spent the past three seasons at Lyon with the club looking poised to win its first Premiere Ligue title in three seasons. Gilles did her part on Saturday in a comprehensive dismantling of Toronto's Sarah Stratigakis and Saint-Étienne. Only nine minutes in, the visitors were on the board. Amel Majri sent an inviting cross into the area for Gilles, but her powerful header was directly at Maryne Gignoux-Soulier. The goalkeeper could only parry, though, and the ball eventually found itself at the feet of Eugenie Le Sommer to power home and make it 1-0. Lyon wasn't finished with scoring in the first half. In the 36th, Sofia Huerta curled a cross to the far post for the run of Ada Hegerberg. Stratigakis and Morgane Belkhiter appeared to have the 2018 Ballon d'Or winner marked, but there was miscommunication. Stratigakis knocked the cross out of the air, but it fell right to Hegerberg to poke over the line and make it 2-0 in the 36th. The rout was on in first-half stoppage. Majri intercepted a Saint-Étienne clearance and found Sara Dabritz to beat Gignoux-Soulier and up the lead to 3-0. Gilles would find the scoresheet just after halftime. Gilles was the first to a Majri free kick to head past Gignoux-Soulier, taking advantage of some indecision in the Saint-Étienne backline in the 51st. The goal was Gilles' sixth on the season. Melchie Dumornay would add another in the 74th to round out the scoring and finish the match at 5-0. Stratigakis played 63 minutes in the loss, recorded 17 touches and an interception. The victory put OL 10 points clear of Paris Saint-Germain with four matches to play.
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Evelyne Viens, Roma
Roma's chances of making it three straight Serie A titles appeared to be a distant longshot at best heading into Saturday's date with Milan, but after the match, those chances were essentially gone. In a match the Giallorosse simply couldn't afford to lose, they did just that. L'Ancienne-Lorette, Que.'s Evelyne Viens did her part for Roma, but it wasn't enough. Viens opened the scoring early by benefitting by a bit of good fortune. Frederikke Thogersen's cross was knocked down by Julie Piga right at the feet of Viens to slot home to make it 1-0 in the fourth. The goal was Viens' sixth on the season to go along with six assists. The visitors would pull even in the 28th when Roma simply couldn't clear the ball. Chanté Dompig did well to maintain possession and send a ball into a crowded area. An attempted clearance only got as far as Emma Koivisto whose low shot bounced off of a pair of defenders before falling to Evelyn Ijeh to beat Isabella Kresch to make it 1-1. The match would stay level until just after the hour-mark. Taking a pass from Ijeh, Dompig cut into the area and her low drive skipped past Kresch to make it 2-1 in the 62nd. Kresch would leave the match injured only a few minutes later, seemingly dealing with a hip ailment. Any hope of a Roma comeback was snuffed out in stoppage. With Roma committing numbers forward, the hosts were loose at the back and Milan took advantage with Giorgia Arrigoni wrapping things up at 3-1. The loss leaves Roma in third, one behind second-place Inter and 11 adrift of leaders Juventus.