Lady Cardinals fall 2-1 in home opener on last-minute Har-Ber goal

For what surely looked like a match going into overtime, Monday’s home-opener for the Webb City Cardinals soccer team quickly turned into a heartbreaking loss.

Tied at 1-1 with less than 30 seconds left in regulation, Har-Ber scored to win 2-1.

Har-Ber started the game with 2 shots on goal within the first 3 minutes of the match. Addie Brown made a couple of nice saves to keep it tied at nil-nil. The Cardinal offense then found its composure.

Dakota DeGraffenreid had a shot on goal in the 5th minute, but a Har-Ber save kept it tied.

In the 11th minute, Har-Ber caught a Gabrielle Stodghill corner kick.

Har-Ber finally broke the deadlock in the 24th minute with a Kaylyn Roman shot that Addie Brown couldn’t quite corral.

But 3 minutes later in the 27th minute, Alex Maturino found the goal herself for Webb City. Her first shot was blocked, but a collision by Avery Allen and Har-Ber’s goalkeeper allowed Maturino to find the empty net.

With a tied score at halftime, Har-Ber came into the second half the same way they started the first half: with a couple of shots on goal in the early minutes.

Addie Brown had a big second half, including what could have been a game-saving save. In the 64th minute, with what looked like an easy Har-Ber score, Brown came up with a nice save using her hands to reach behind her to block the shot.

The Lady Cardinals had several chances to take the lead, including an Avery Pogue shot in the 78th minute that was just too high above goalpost.

In the 79th minute with 24 seconds left to go, Har-Ber’s Marina Gonzales won her solo challenge against Brown to give the Wildcats a 2-1 lead and victory.

The loss brought Webb City’s record to 2-2.

After a trip Tuesday to Lebanon, Webb City returns home Thursday for a match against Central.