Ten-man St Joseph did it the hard way against Lynx

St Joseph 3
Lynx 1

It was not the start that league leaders St Joseph had anticipated in their match against Lynx. Within the first five minutes, St Joseph missed a penalty, and almost immediately after, Lynx took the lead on their first attempt.
Coming off a recent draw against Lincoln Red Imps, St Joseph faced Lynx in what had been expected to be a straightforward match. However, Lynx, known for their fighting spirit, shut down opportunities well after taking the lead and limited St Joseph’s chances in the opening thirty minutes.
Although St Joseph dominated possession and kept Lynx pinned in their own half for most of the first period, they struggled to create clear chances on goal. They had to stay alert to Lynx’s quick counter-attacks, which further disrupted their play. St Joseph had a promising opportunity in the 30th minute, but a late challenge as Rae dove to collect the ball ended the chance at Lynx’s goalmouth, marking the second delay after a recent injury had already paused play for a few minutes.
Despite mounting pressure on Lynx’s goal, a resilient Lynx defense kept their composure. In the 37th minute, Blas sent the ball wide of the target in what was St Joseph’s clearest chance yet. Moments later, Lynx defended a corner amid penalty claims from a collision in the box.
An uncharacteristic urgency in St Joseph’s game sometimes saw them losing their shape, allowing Lynx to regain possession and disrupt St Joseph’s rhythm. Both head coaches watched from the stands due to sanctions. In the 44th minute, St Joseph wasted a free kick, sending it into a crowded area with no one there to meet it. Lynx’s time-wasting tactics led to frustrations on the field and among fans in the stands.
It wasn’t until two minutes into injury time that Lynx managed to reach St Joseph’s penalty area, briefly stalling St Joseph’s momentum as they went into halftime with Lynx still leading.
The second half began with corners at both ends. Lynx earned the first, only to find themselves defending as St Joseph went on the offensive. Neither side managed to retain possession in the disjointed first five minutes, far from the start St Joseph wanted as they searched for an equalizer. Lynx’s defensive tactics continued to hamper St Joseph’s attempts to regain control and mount a comeback.
St Joseph had a lucky escape from a potential red card after a player deliberately grabbed a Lynx player’s foot during a breakaway; a yellow card was awarded instead, sparking jeers from Lynx supporters.
By the tenth minute of the second half, St Joseph struggled to build any real momentum. Their first attempt in the penalty area came just past ten minutes, but the cross was no threat to Lynx. Finally, in the 60th minute, Lynx keeper Rae was tested, blocking two consecutive attempts in quick succession. St Joseph was beginning to build pressure, and just a minute later, Juanfri controlled a low cross in the box and fired it into the top corner to equalize.
Now in high spirits, St Joseph kept Lynx pinned back. A controversial penalty claim ended with a yellow card for St Joseph, resulting in a sending-off and causing further friction on the touchline. This was St Joseph’s second consecutive match ending with ten players.
In the 71st minute, St Joseph tested Rae again from a corner, and after a blocked rebound, another attempt found the net, completing the comeback. Despite calls for offside, the referee—standing just meters from the goal scorer—allowed the goal.
With Lynx now crumbling, St Joseph took a corner that curled in behind the defenders. Running in to meet the cross, St Joseph scored their third goal with a header into the top of the net, just three minutes after taking the lead. Surprisingly, St Joseph seemed more effective with ten players, as they now led with a two-goal advantage.
St Joseph carried the momentum, while Lynx, demoralized, struggled to get back into the game. With just one match left to complete their first round, St Joseph had dropped as many points as their nearest rivals, Lincoln Red Imps, who had played fewer matches. This latest victory highlighted the team’s confidence this season, as they overcame a difficult first half and a sending-off to stage a dramatic comeback and secure all three points.