Kathryn Nesbitt ran the sidelines, waving a flag, blending in for all the right reasons. The 32-year-old from Philadelphia became the first woman to work as an on-field official for a World Cup qualifier in North and Central America and the Caribbean, serving as an assistant referee Thursday night when Canada opened with a 5-1 rout of Bermuda at Orlando, Florida.
There were no controversies in a match that featured Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies setting up three goals for Besiktas’ Cyle Larin.
Nesbitt disappeared into the background as much as one can while working in a yellow jersey and black shorts, an orange and yellow flag in her hands. “I’m hoping that people will bring her to the to the men’s World Cup in a couple of years instead of