Denver Summit FC fought back to claim a deserved 1-1 draw with Boston Legacy FC on Sunday night at Centennial Stadium, with Janine Sonis holding her nerve from the penalty spot to cancel out Sammy Smith’s first-half opener.
Boston took the lead in the 34th minute through Sammy Smith, who put the visitors ahead against the run of the overall shot count and sent Legacy FC into the interval with a 1-0 advantage.
Denver responded with greater urgency after the break. The hosts controlled more of the attacking territory, finishing with 13 shots, seven attempts on target and six corners, compared with Boston’s six shots and two on target. Their pressure finally told in the 72nd minute, when Janine Sonis converted from the penalty spot to make it 1-1.
The equaliser set up a tense closing stretch, but neither side could find a late winner. Denver committed 12 fouls in a physical contest, while Boston’s Devin Lynch was booked in the 65th minute.
The draw leaves Denver Summit FC at 5-5-6, while Boston Legacy FC move to 5-5-8. Boston will take encouragement from another resilient away performance, but Denver can point to their second-half response and attacking output as evidence that a point was a fair return.
Goals
- Boston Legacy FC: Sammy Smith, 34′
- Denver Summit FC: Janine Sonis, 72′ (penalty)
Match Stats
- Possession: Denver Summit FC 49.7% – 50.3% Boston Legacy FC
- Shots: Denver Summit FC 13 – 6 Boston Legacy FC
- Shots on target: Denver Summit FC 7 – 2 Boston Legacy FC
- Corners: Denver Summit FC 6 – 3 Boston Legacy FC
