Having set up the first goal, Zigiotti continued to be a key player, creating another fantastic chance for United in a similar area of the pitch. This time, she located Melvine Malard in the inside-right channel. However, after taking a touch towards the goal, the forward, in excellent form, sent her shot across the target and wide.
The Reds had been close to extending their lead to two goals, but the dynamics of the match were about to shift. Dominique Janssen received a yellow card for a challenge on Gio Garbelini, but after referee Eleni Antoniou reviewed the incident on the VAR monitor, the card was upgraded to red.
Following the unintentional yet painful collision between Janssen’s knee and Garbelini’s ankle, Garbelini was taken off the field on a stretcher. Subsequently, the resulting free-kick required a quick reflex save from Phallon Tullis-Joyce to prevent Jayde Riviere from inadvertently directing the ball into her own net, after which Le Tissier and Anna Sandberg worked together to clear the danger from the line.
