Commentary: ‘It was not safe’: Why the U.S.-Canada Gold Cup semifinal shouldn’t have been played

Alex Morgan of the U.S., above, collides with Canada’s Vanessa Gilles during Wednesday’s CONCACAF W Gold Cup semifinal match in San Diego. SAN DIEGO —

A light rain was falling when the U.S. and Canadian national teams headed to their locker rooms before Wednesday’s CONCACAF W Gold Cup semifinal at Snapdragon Stadium.

When they returned to start the game 15 minutes later, the drizzle had become a deluge and the field was under water. Lots and lots of water.

“It’s obvious that the game was unplayable,” Canadian coach Bev Priestman said.

That was the consensus opinion of everybody not on the officiating crew headed by Mexican referee Katia García. She told the teams to get on with it and the…