WPS Championship - FC Gold Pride vs. Philadelphia

Philadelphia Independence (10-10-4) at FC Gold Pride (16-3-5)
Pioneer Stadium, Hayward, CA – September 26 (2:30 pm ET, 1:30 pm CT, 11:30 am PT)

Probable Rosters:
Philadelphia: GK-Val Henderson, Karina LeBlanc; D-Allison Falk, Nikki Krzysik, Heather Mitts, Holmfridur Magnusdottir, Sara Larsson, Estelle Johnson, Sarah Senty; MF-Lori Lindsey, Caroline Seger, Tina DiMartino, Jen Buczkowski, Kelly Henderson; F-Amy Rodriguez, Lianne Sanderson, Danesha Adams, Lyndsey Patterson.

FC Gold Pride: GK-Nicole Barnhart, Brittany Cameron; D-Rachel Buehler, Candace Chapman, Ali Riley, Kandace Wilson, Kristen Graczyk, Niki Cross; MF-Shannon Boxx, Becky Edwards, Camille Abily, Carrie Dew, Kimberly Yokers; F-Marta, Christine Sinclair, Kelley O’Hara, Tiffeny Milbrett, Kiki Bosio.

Previous Meetings (2010)
June13 – FC Gold Pride 3 @ Philadelphia 1
July 17 – Philadelphia 0 @ FC Gold Pride 2
September 11 – Philadelphia 1 @ FC Gold Pride 4

FC Gold Pride is 8-1-3 at home with a 20-8 edge in goals.
Philadelphia is 3-8-2 on the road being outscored 13-20 in the regular season, 1-0 on the road in the playoffs.

Top Performers in Series
Philadelphia: DiMartino (1 goal), Sanderson ( 1 goal), Lindsey (1 assist), Patterson (1 assist), Henderson (2 games, 3.00 goals against, LeBlanc (1 game, 3.00 goal against).

FC Gold Pride: Marta (3 goals, 4 assists), Sinclair (4 goals, 1assist), O’Hara (2 goals, 1 assist), Boxx (1 assist), Abily (1 assist), Gulbrandsen (1 assist), Barnhart (2 games, 1.06 goals against), Cameron (1 game, 1 shutout, 0.00 goals against).

Matchups:
Goalkeepers
Val Henderson vs. Nicole Barnhart

You can’t argue much with the results that Henderson has given Philadelphia, just one goal allowed in 240 minutes of playoff soccer. She wasn't tested much in game one and at times, she looked a little unsure in the match against Boston, but overall she has been solid. She is likely to be tested a great deal more by Gold Pride. Henderson faced them twice during the season, giving up two goals in the first and then four in the final match of the regular season. I guess there is still an outside chance that Riley might go with LeBlanc, who is more experienced and started last year’s championship match, but that’s not likely given Henderson’s record so far in the playoffs.

Barnhart, was the WPS Goalkeeper of the Year, with a sparkling 0.77 goals against average and eight shutouts to her credit. She also has USWNT experience, which could help in a match of this importance. She gave up a goal in each of her two starts against the Independence this year. Strangely enough, it was Brittany Cameron who earned the only shutout for FCGP against Philly this season.

Barnhart is experienced and had a great season. Give credit to Henderson for what she’s accomplished so far, but the edge goes to Gold Pride here.

Defenders
Allison Falk, Nikki Krzysik, Frida Magnusdottir, and Estelle Johnson (or Heather Mitts) vs. Rachel Buehler, Candace Chapman, Ali Riley, and Kandace Wilson.

The Independence defense has done the job so far, but they have had loads of trouble stopping Gold Pride’s attack this season. The most disturbing thing about Thursday’s match was how easily Fabiana was able to get around the Philadelphia defense on several occasions. They can’t have those kind of lapses in this match. Frida Magnusdottir, perhaps Philly’s most versatile weapon, must be careful not to get caught upfield lest the back line gets exposed by the Gold Pride counterattack. Overall, Falk and Krzysik have been solid and the rookie Estelle Johnson has been surprisingly strong, but in this match, they will have to rise to a whole new level to stop the best offense in the league.

Rachel Buehler had an outstanding season in 2010. She leads a Gold Pride back line that has greatly improved over the course of the season. Chapman was a key free agent signee and helped to solidify the defense. Riley and Wilson give Gold Pride two of the most dangerous and perhaps the two fastest outside backs in the league. The Independence midfielders will have to watch flank runs by those two, which could open up the middle for Boxx and Abily.

Again, Philadelphia has done an admirable job to this point. But they haven’t stopped Gold Pride all season and they can’t match their speed. I have to give the edge to Buehler and FCGP.

Midfielders
Lori Lindsey, Caroline Seger, Tina DiMartino, and Jen Buczkowski vs.
Shannon Boxx, Camille Abily, Becky Edwards.

There’s only one player that can say that she’s played every minute of every playoff game ever played in WPS. That’s Jen Buczkowski, who is hoping to be on her second championship team in a row. The Independence midfield has been tough as nails in the playoffs. Lindsey and Seger form the veteran core of perhaps the best midfield in WPS. Tina DiMartino has been impressive, both during the regular season and the postseason. She assisted on both game winners in the playoffs. DiMartino was literally all over the field on Thursday night.

The Gold Pride midfield is strong as well, starting with the great veteran leadership of Shannon Boxx. There is probably not a more respected player in the league and rightfully so. At her best, she can control the pace and flow of the game from her midfield position. She’s a strong defender and gets into the attack very well when opportunities arise. Boxx and Abily combined for 11 assists, although not quite as many as the Lindsey/Seger duo, still quite impressive. Becky Edwards turned in an impressive rookie season, in spite of being overshadowed in a strong rookie class. I think her performance has often been unfairly overlooked this season.

We’ll find out just how much stamina the Independence have in this match. Coming off 240 minutes of soccer in less than a week, they will have to cover a quicker Gold Pride team that has the weapons to spread the field very effectively. I absolutely love Philly’s midfield, but it would be hard to understate the importance of Boxx in this match. I would say that the midfields are as even as they can get, with maybe an infinitesimal edge to the Independence.

Forwards
Amy Rodriguez and Lianne Sanderson vs. Marta, Christine Sinclair, and Kelley O’Hara (or Tiffeny Milbrett).

In spite of not scoring, I thought Rodriguez had a heck of a game against Boston. On Philly’s first goal, she ran down a ball in the midfield, quickly got the ball to DiMartino and then had great vision to find Seger alone on the right side, earning an assist. On another play she worked against the defense until she saw an opening, sending a nice ball through to Seger, whose first touch was a little heavy. Throughout the match, she was dangerous. But she has not had much success against Gold Pride this season. She missed one match while on the USWNT and in the other two, she did not figure in the scoring.

Sanderson needs to be more dangerous in this match than she was against Boston. It appeared that she was playing kind of a half midfielder/half forward position on Thursday. Since the Independence midfield will have to hang back farther to defend against Gold Pride’s many weapons, Sanderson may become Rodriguez’s primary support in this match. Controversy or not, Danesha Adam’s play on the winning goal was still exceptional. Look for her to be a factor late in this match as well, especially if the Independence can stay close.

Meanwhile, Gold Pride’s forwards have simply destroyed Philadelphia this season. Marta, Sinclair, and O’Hara have combined for nine goals and six assists in just three matches. Not much more can be said about Marta that hasn’t already been said. She is the best player in the world, perhaps the fastest player in the world, and certainly as determined as they come. She has figured in seven of the nine goals that Gold Pride has scored against the Independence in 2010. I honestly don’t think Philly’s back line has enough speed to stay with her for an entire match.

And if Marta wasn’t enough to deal with, then there’s Sinclair who scored four goals against Philly, including at least one in each game. There’s O’Hara, one of the most exciting young forwards in the league with two goals to her credit against Sunday’s opponent. And on top of that, there’s the crafty veteran, Tiffeny Milbrett, to cause opposing defenses even more problems. Add to that Kiki Bosio and her flip throws and you have the best offense in WPS.

Rodriguez has truly become a top notch forward this season. But Gold Pride’s forwards are fast, talented, and there are just too many weapons there to stop. The edge has to go to Gold Pride here.

Coaching
Paul Riley vs. Albertin Montoya

I think Riley has done a magnificent job coaching his team to two overtime victories. After a sluggish finish to the regular season, his team has come out and played two strong matches.

Many have discounted Montoya’s coaching performance, saying that any team that has Marta should win. While there is some truth to the fact that Marta has had a great effect on Gold Pride’s success, Montoya has had a lot to do with it as well. This will be his first playoff match, so it will be interesting to see how he matches up against Riley in a tactical chess match.

Call it dead even.

Intangibles
Gold Pride has been aces at home, going 8-1-3 over the course of the season. The only negative is that they were inexplicably blanked three times at home, all of those in Pioneer Stadium. Philadelphia has not been a good road team, but they beat the odds on Thursday night in Boston. In the two contests they played in northern California this year, they were beaten twice and neither game was really that close.

As far as playing three games in a week, I think that works both ways. It will certainly hurt that Philadelphia has had to play 240 minutes of soccer to get here. But there is something to be said for having two games of playoff experience under your belt. The two week layoff may also hurt a Gold Pride team that was clicking quite nicely at the end of the season. All you have to do is look at 2009 and the Sky Blue/LA Sol matchup.

Slight edge to Gold Pride for the home field advantage and in light of Philly’s game and travel fatigue.

My Prediction
It’s hard to see Gold Pride losing this match, but the same was said about the Los Angeles Sol last season. Surely though, Marta and Boxx remember last year’s game and will make sure that it doesn’t happen again. In the three regular season matches, there was no scoring in the first 39 minutes of any of the games. Gold Pride scored at the end of the first half in each of those matches. Philadelphia cannot afford a lapse in concentration toward the end of the half.

I think the first goal in this match will be critical. Having played so much soccer, it will be much harder for the Independence to come from behind in this one. They need to follow Sky Blue’s blueprint in last year’s championship. After the early goal and Falk’s subsequent red card, the Sol seemed almost in a daze for nearly 25 minutes before reality and urgency settled in. Gold Pride is a highly confident bunch and feeling the sting of an early goal, especially against a team that they handled so easily in three previous meetings, might throw a shock into them.

But putting one on the board before Marta and company do the same is easier said than done. Gold Pride has throttled Rodriguez, while their speedy forwards have ripped the Independence defense. Unless Paul Riley has a few more tricks up his sleeve, I see it…
FC Gold Pride 3, Philadelphia Independence 1.

Adams OT Goal Nets Win for Independence

It didn't quite take 120 minutes for the winning goal as in Sunday's match, but Danesha Adams overtime goal gave Philadelphia a 2-1 Super Semifinal victory over the Boston Breakers, sending the Independence to the west coast for a final's date with FC Gold Pride. The goal, which came in the 103rd minute, was somewhat controversial and left the Breakers complaining about the lack of a call on the play.

With the end of the 1st overtime approaching, Tina DiMartino dribbled from the right wing toward the box and crossed the ball to the far post. Danesha Adams gained some separation from Amy LePeilbet and rose for a header just at the left post and maybe two yards off the line. The ball went off Adams downward, inside the post, and just over the line. There was some question as to whether the ball had touched Adam's hand or not, but veteran referee Kari Seitz did not wave off the goal. Several replays were inconclusive as to whether the ball hit Adams hand or whether it went off her head. For their part, the Breakers signalled almost immediately for a hand ball, but to no avail.

The first half of the game was played at a fast pace, leaving one wondering whether either team would have the energy for an overtime. The Independence got the first good chance of the match as Frida Magnusdottir took a free kick from 30 yards out. Magnusdottir struck a bullet which was bending away from Breaker goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher and toward the left corner of the net. Naeher completely layed out to catch the ball cleanly with a great save.

Boston then seemed to control possession for awhile, gaining two chances, with a Fabiana shot over the bar and a Kristine Lilly volley that Val Henderson was barely able to get her hand on to deflect wide.

The Breakers were the first to strike. Lianne Sanderson lost possession to Jordan Angeli at midfield in what appeared to be heavy contact. Kristine Lilly then sent a long ball up to Lauren Cheney. Cheney caught Henderson well off her line and chipped it perfectly from 22 yards, with the ball grazing the bottom of the crossbar and going into the net.

Boston's lead lasted all of seven minutes as the Independence quickly drew even. Amy Rodriguez hustled to gain possession inside Boston's half and passed the ball to Tina DiMartino. DiMartino sent it back to Rodriguez who found an open Caroline Seger charging in from the right side. Seger's low shot to the far post beat Naeher to tie the score. It appeared that Naeher had to hesitate, wary of DiMartino who was making a run at the near post.

After the break, Rodriguez had two chances at an open net, putting both wide. In the first, she caught Naeher out of the box, but her diving shot rolled just wide of the goal. On the second, she touched the ball past Naeher, but was unable to get her shot on frame from a bad angle.

Jen Buczkowski picked up her fourth yellow card of the year against Boston for taking down Kelly Smith in the 68th minute. Both teams seem to tire toward the end of the 2nd half.

The Breakers were to come close twice in the closing minutes of the 2nd half. First, Cheney was able to get off a shot from the side of the box, which Henderson parried safely away. In the 89th minute, LePeilbet sent a long ball forward to Kelly Smith. Smith made a brilliant first touch to bring the ball to her left foot, but her blast from 20 yards went just over the crossbar and the score remained 1-1 after regulation time.

The Independence seem to gain a second wind with the start of the overtime. They nearly scored in the 102nd minute, with DiMartino crossing the ball to Adams whose shot from eight yards went over the crossbar. But it was only a minute later that the two paired up for what would be the game winning goal. Adams had been a second half substitution by Paul Riley.

The Breakers did not go quietly. Midway through the 2nd overtime, a scramble in front of the net was temporarily cleared by Philadelphia, but Kasey Moore was able to win possession for Boston. She saw Henderson a bit off her line and launched a shot from 30 yards that hit the crossbar. The ball rebounded to Alex Scott, who was all alone in the box, about 12 yards out with only Henderson between her and the goal. A bouncing ball and tired legs did Scott in as she nearly fanned on her shot and the Independence were able to recover in time to clear the ball out of trouble. It would be the last good opportunity that the Breakers would have.

Philadelphia was able to kill the remaining time to put away the 2-1 victory. Several players on both teams had excellent games. Although she missed some opportunities to score, Amy Rodriguez worked tirelessly throughout the match and her hustle led to the first goal. Tina DiMartino seemed to be everywhere, among several great efforts from the Independence midfielders. Alyssa Naeher's great save early on was the best of the match. Veteran Kristine Lilly had a strong match as well.

The shots ended up nearly even with the Independence having the slight edge at 18-17. The Breakers had a heavy advantage in corners at 8-2 and a slight one in shots on goal at 8-6.

Philadelphia will now travel to Pioneer Stadium in Hayward, California to face FC Gold Pride. The 2010 WPS Championship presented by Citi will be played at 2:30 Eastern, 11:30 Pacific on Sunday, September 26. The game will be televised on Fox Sports Net.

WPS Super Semifinal - Boston vs. Philadelphia

Philadelphia Independence (10-10-4) at Boston Breakers (10-8-6)
Soldiers Field Soccer Stadium, Cambridge, MA – September 23 (8 pm ET)

Probable Rosters:
Philadelphia: GK-Val Henderson, Karina LeBlanc; D-Allison Falk, Nikki Krzysik, Holmfridur Magnusdottir, Estelle Johnson, Heather Mitts, Sara Larsson Sarah Senty; MF-Lori Lindsey, Caroline Seger, Tina DiMartino, Jen Buczkowski, Kelly Henderson; F-Amy Rodriguez, Lianne Sanderson, Danesha Adams, Lyndsey Patterson.

Boston: GK-Alyssa Naeher, Ashley Phillips; D-Amy LePeilbet, Ifeoma Dieke, Alex Scott, Stephanie Cox, Kasey Moore, Taryn Hemmings; MF-Kristine Lilly, Jordan Angeli, Lindsay Tarpley, Liz Bogus, Chioma Igwe; F-Kelly Smith, Lauren Cheney, Laura del Rio, Fabiana.

Previous Meetings (2010)
April 18 – Philadelphia 1 @ Boston 1
July 4 – Boston 2 @ Philadelphia 1
August 8 – Boston 2 @ Philadelphia 2
August 29 – Boston 2 @ Philadelphia 1

Boston is 5-6-1 at home with a 21-17 edge in goals.
Philadelphia is 3-8-2 on the road being outscored 13-20.

Top Performers in Series
Philadelphia: Magnusdottir (2 goals), Rodriguez (1 goal), Falk (1 goal), Lohman (1 goal), Sanderson (1 assist), Lindsey (1 assist), Seger (1 assist), LeBlanc (4 games, 1.75 goals against).

Boston: Smith (3 goals, 2 assists), Cheney (2 goals), Cox (1 goal, 1 assist), Lilly (1 goal, 1 assist), Naeher (3 games, 1.33 goals against), Phillips (1 game, 1.00 goals against).

Matchups:
Goalkeepers
Val Henderson (or Karina LeBlanc) vs. Alyssa Naeher

Coach Paul Riley surprised me a little by going with the lesser experienced Henderson over LeBlanc in the playoff opener and it paid off with Henderson earning the shutout. To be fair, she wasn’t tested all that much, but any shutout under the pressure of playoff competition is praise worthy. Interestingly, LeBlanc started all four of the meetings against the Breakers this season, so if Henderson gets the start, it will be her first action against Boston.

Alyssa Naeher has been Boston’s starting keeper for the last two-thirds of the season and she was in goal for the two Breaker wins over the Independence. Naeher posted three shutouts in her last eight starts of the season, so she has been coming on as the season progressed.

There have been no shutouts in the matches between these two teams. In the battle of the two young keepers, I see it as being pretty even.

Defenders
Allison Falk, Nikki Krzysik, Frida Magnusdottir, and Estelle Johnson (or Heather Mitts or Sara Larsson) vs. Amy LePeilbet, Ifeoma Dieke, Alex Scott, and Stephanie Cox.

The Independence defense hadn’t posted many shutouts this season, but they played a strong match and got one when they needed it against the Freedom. However, they were facing a Freedom offense that is often heavily dependent on one player. Boston presents a whole different problem with two strong forwards and several offensive-minded midfielders. Stopping both Kelly Smith and Lauren Cheney might prove a tougher task. I expect a fairly physical confrontation between Philly’s tough back line and Boston’s forwards.

Boston’s back line couldn’t offer much more in experience. LePeilbet is the two-time WPS Defender of the Year and a mainstay on the USWNT. Cox has extensive USWNT experience as well. Scott is regarded as one of the best outside defenders in Europe and Dieke plays for the Scottish National Team. This might be the top back line in WPS.

Magnusdottir gave Boston fits in one of their matches, but even with the Independence defense coming off of a strong game against Washington, you have to give the Breakers the edge here. The experience is mind-boggling and with LePeilbet in the middle, they will be a tough team to beat.

Midfielders
Lori Lindsey, Caroline Seger, Tina DiMartino, and Jen Buczkowski vs.
Kristine Lilly, Jordan Angeli, and Lindsay Tarpley.

When it comes to attacking midfielders and forwards for the Boston Breakers, the line is pretty much blurred. Smith, Tarpley, Lilly, and Fabiana can be considered either when it comes to positioning. The “defensive” midfielder of the group is Angeli, but she finished as the Breakers’ second leading goal scorer for the season with seven goals. Tarpley has had a strong season coming off of a serious injury and her arrival from St. Louis along with the insertion of Angeli into the lineup sparked Boston’s turnaround. Whether considered a forward or midfielder, Lilly usually does most of her damage from the wing, where she is adept at pinpoint crosses. Boston does miss Leslie Osborne who suffered a season-ending injury toward the latter part of the campaign.

The Independence has to consider their midfield as their strength. The absence of Lohman will hurt, but Philadelphia is still loaded with Lindsey, Seger, and DiMartino. Buczkowski is a rugged defensive mid and Seger isn’t afraid to mix it up as well. But also note that Buczkowski has received three yellows against Boston, ending in one ejection. Both Lindsey and Seger are in the WPS top six in assists for 2010. This midfield helped stymie Washington in the 2nd half of their playoff match and if they could control this match anywhere as well, they just might be headed to California this weekend.

This is a really tough call on advantage. Lindsey, Seger, and DiMartino have a combined 7 goals and 13 assists, not counting DiMartino’s assist in the first round. Lilly, Tarpley, and Angeli have a combined 14 goals and 9 assists. Again, I have to call this virtually even.

Forwards
Amy Rodriguez and Lianne Sanderson vs. Kelly Smith, Lauren Cheney, and Fabiana (or Laura del Rio).

It’s the speed of Rodriguez and Sanderson against the power of Smith and Cheney. Early in the season, the talk would have been about the return of Rodriguez to Boston, the team that traded her away. But she scored 12 goals this season and has come into her own as one of the league’s premier forwards, so I think it would be a disservice to her to make much of that now.

Smith and Cheney have both had success against the Independence this season. Smith scored three goals (including a penalty) and added two assists in her four appearances against Philadelphia. Cheney notched two goals of her own. It’s much harder stopping a team with multiple weapons and Philadelphia has had trouble with such teams this year, going 0-5-2 against the Breakers and Gold Pride combined. Smith is one of the most skilled players in the world and one of the toughest as well. Cheney is one of the best young forwards in the world and has very few peers with her back to the goal.

The Independence forwards have been limited to just one goal (Rodriguez) and one assist (Sanderson) on the same goal when the teams met in July. They must make a difference in this match if Philadelphia is to win. Games like Sunday’s against the Freedom would have frustrated Rodriguez a year ago. It speaks to her maturity as a soccer player that she didn’t let a few near misses get her down and her tenacity paid off in the 120th minute of that match. Sanderson has been both a starter and a key sub for Philly. Lohman’s injury pushed her into the starting lineup against Washington, but it almost seemed like she was less of a factor in that role. I still like the speed and excitement she can bring to the team.

Both teams have other players that could make a difference. Danesha Adams could see late action for the Independence, while del Rio and Fabiana could very well be factors for the Breakers.

I have to give the edge to Smith and the Breakers at forward. Smith has a world of experience and Boston’s forwards have had a lot of success against Philadelphia. Still, it would not surprise me to see Rodriguez or Sanderson get behind Boston’s defense a couple of times in this match, which could test Naeher. The Breaker defense, while very good, is not invincible.

Coaching
Paul Riley vs. Tony DiCicco

It’s hard to argue with the success of either coach this season. Riley took an expansion team and instantly made them into playoff contenders. DiCicco took a team that looked dead in May and coached them to 2nd place in the turnaround of the season.

It’s hard to pick one over the other, so I’ll call it even.

Intangibles
The Breakers didn’t exactly have a convincing home record at 5-6-1, but they were 5-2 over their last seven home games, so you can probably throw the season’s record out the window. This will be a different field for them, however, so the advantages of knowing the playing surface from playing on it for several months is not one that the Breakers will enjoy in this match.

The Independence had a lot of problems on the road this season and lost their final three road matches of the regular season, scoring only three goals in their final six road matches. Their three road victories were all over non-playoff teams, although they did manage a tie in their only trip to Boston this year. And Philly does have a playoff game under their belt, while Thursday night’s contest will be the first ever for Boston.

Much will be made of the short rest for Philadelphia after playing on Sunday afternoon. However, this didn’t seem to faze the Independence in the least during the regular season. They played seven matches on four days of rest or less and managed an impressive 4-1-2 record in those matches. Two of the wins and the loss were on occasions where they had short rest, while their opponent had a full week or more. But none of those matches were after a long season and after a 120 minute pressure-packed match. Paul Riley will have to use his substitutions wisely.

The victory over Washington should give the Independence some momentum, but Boston has been on a long hot streak, going 10-3-2 over their last 15 matches. However, it should also be noted that the Breakers were shut out in their final two matches. I would give a slight edge in intangibles to the Breakers based on the home field, not having to travel, and longer rest. But remember Sky Blue in 2009…

My Prediction
I missed the playoff opener, not thinking it would turn into a defensive struggle and not thinking that the Indpendence could win such a game. My mistake, but I just think there are too many little things going against them here. I like Smith’s experience and Boston’s back line.
Boston Breakers 2, Philadelphia Independence 1.

Philly Advances on Overtime Goal by Rodriguez

It took all of 120 minutes and then some, but the Philadelphia Independence defeated the Washington Freedom 1-0 to advance to the WPS Super-Semifinal. Amy Rodriguez scored in stoppage time of the second overtime period, with the match being within seconds of heading to penalty kicks.

The Independence will travel to Boston to meet the Breakers on Thursday evening at Harvard's Soldiers Field Soccer Stadium. The winner of that match will face FC Gold Pride in the final next Sunday.

The first half of the match was fairly evenly played, with Philadelphia having a slight edge in chances. However, the Independence created chance after chance in the 2nd half and came close to scoring several times.

The best opportunity came very late in regulation as Rodriguez hit the post with her shot and the rebound by Lori Lindsey was cleared. Freedom goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris was able to stop all other threats, as she did an excellent job of keeping the game scoreless through regulation. Meanwhile, in spite of a few Washington opportunities, Val Henderson was rarely tested at the other end. The Freedom were credited with no shots on goal for the match.

After a scoreless first overtime and with just seconds left in the second overtime, Tina DiMartino sent a pass to Rodriguez at the 18. She was able to get clear for a shot and put it in the left side of the net, just past Harris, for the winner.

Philadelphia outshot Washington by a 24-6 margin and held the edge in shots on goal by 9-0. In this, the fifth meeting between the two teams, the home team has won every match. For the second year in a row, Washington lost in the first round of the playoffs. The Freedom are the only team to have made the playoffs in both WPS seasons.

Philadelphia will now take on a red hot Boston Breakers club that has held the advantage over the Independence in 2010. Boston won two of the four meetings with the remaining two matches ending in ties.

Playoff Preview - Washington Freedom at Philadelphia Independence

Washington Freedom (8-9-7) at Philadelphia Independence (10-10-4)
John A. Ferrell Stadium, West Chester, PA – September 19 (2:30 pm ET)

Probable Rosters:
Washington: GK-Ashlyn Harris, Meghan McCray; D-Cat Whitehill, Nikki Marshall, Becky Sauerbrunn, Rebecca Moros, Brittany Bock, Kristi Eveland; MF-Sonia Bompastor, Sarah Huffman, Homare Sawa, Allie Long, Anita Asante, Beverly Goebel, Jill Gilbeau; F-Abby Wambach, Lene Mykjåland, Christie Welsh.

Philadelphia: GK-Karina LeBlanc, Val Henderson; D-Allison Falk, Nikki Krzysik, Heather Mitts, Holmfridur Magnusdottir, Sara Larsson, Estelle Johnson, Sarah Senty; MF-Lori Lindsey, Caroline Seger, Joanna Lohman, Tina DiMartino, Jen Buczkowski; F-Amy Rodriguez, Lianne Sanderson, Danesha Adams, Lyndsey Patterson.

Previous Meetings (2010)
April 25 – Washington 1 @ Philadelphia 3
May 30 – Philadelphia 1 @ Washington 2
June 26 – Washington 2 @ Philadelphia 3
August 4 – Philadelphia 0 @ Washington 2

Philadelphia is 7-3-2 at home with a 24-16 edge in goals.
Washington is 1-7-4 on the road being outscored 14-21.

Top Performers in Series
Washington: Wambach (4 goals, 1 assist); Mykjåland (1 goal); Moros (1 goal); De Vanna (1 goal); Bompastor (1 assist); Whitehill (1 assist); Welsh (1 assist); Harris (1 game, 1 shutout, 0.00 GAA); McLeod (2 games, 2.00 GAA)

Philadelphia: Rodriguez (3 goals); Sanderson (3 goals); Falk (1 goal); Lindsey (3 assists); Seger (1 assist); Buczkowski (1 assist); V. Henderson (3 games, 1.67 GAA); LeBlanc (1 game, 2.00 GAA).

Matchups:
Goalkeepers
Ashlyn Harris vs. Karina LeBlanc or Val Henderson

A little over a month ago, I would have given Philadelphia a heavy edge here, but Harris, the rookie out of UNC, had a spectacular month of August and has a 0.57 GAA over her last seven matches. She has posted four shutouts including one over Philadelphia, the only shutout in the series between the two teams.

My guess would be that LeBlanc would start this match, but Henderson started three of the four matches against the Freedom during the season. LeBlanc had the edge in starts this season with 14, but both keepers have identical 1.50 goals against averages. LeBlanc has the edge in experience over both Harris and Henderson, given her time with the Canadian National Team and a season with the Sol. Not to mention, she is the only one of the three that has played in a WPS playoff game before.

Harris has been the hotter goalkeeper, but LeBlanc has the experience, making it a tough call on the advantage. So I’ll call it even.

Defenders
Cat Whitehill, Nikki Marshall, Becky Sauerbrunn, and Rebecca Moros vs. Allison Falk, Nikki Krzysik, Heather Mitts, and Holmfridur Magnusdottir (or Sara Larsson).

There is some question here about how Paul Riley will configure his defense. He could move Magnusdottir to midfield and have Larsson in the starting lineup.

Whitehill might be the veteran leader and Sauerbrunn might be the steady performer, but Nikki Marshall has been the difference maker here. She has been solid over the latter half of the season and gives the Freedom something they didn’t really have on their back line…speed. After getting torched for 15 goals over a five game span in midseason, this group came together as Marshall returned to the back line, taking what appeared to be the team’s biggest weakness and making it a strong point.

Early in the season, Philadelphia looked like a team that was going to win a lot of low scoring matches. Nearly overnight, they appeared to transform into a high-powered offensive team that would win just by outscoring their opponents. Lately, they haven’t been winning period. The Independence posted only four shutouts during the season and only one after mid-May. This is also a defense that has had trouble containing Abby Wambach.

It's a given that Whitehill is one of the best in the league on long-range free kicks, but ultimately, I think Philly has the better back line when it comes to offense. Falk can be very dangerous on set pieces and if Magnusdottir starts as an outside defender, she can give opponents fits with her flank runs. But overall, a defense’s first job is defense and I think the Freedom have the edge there.

Midfielders
Sonia Bompastor, Sarah Huffman, Allie Long, and Anita Asante or Homare Sawa vs. Lori Lindsey, Caroline Seger, Joanna Lohman, Tina DiMartino, and Jen Buczkowski

This will be one heck of a battle between two very talented midfields. Washington has several veteran steady performers with Huffman, Asante (who may also play defender, her natural position), and Sawa. Bompastor is the quarterback and the engine that makes this team run. Maybe her stats aren’t as gaudy as her 2009 numbers, but make no mistake on her importance to the Freedom. Meanwhile, Allie Long sometimes performs under the radar and it wouldn’t surprise me to see her get a goal or make a big play in a match like this. Brittany Bock gives the Freedom depth at both midfield and defense.

Philadelphia’s midfield definitely has the statistical edge over their Freedom counterparts. Lindsey has two goals and eight assists, Seger has a goal and five assists, Lohman has five goals and DiMartino four goals. That’s a lot of offense out of a midfield. Lindsey and Seger are the heart of this midfield. Both are heavy in international experience and have excellent skills. Lohman has been one the pleasant surprises for the Independence and no one will outwork her on the pitch. DiMartino is one of the more underrated midfielders in the league. Buczkowski is primarily a defensive specialist, who had an excellent playoff run last season with Sky Blue.

I have to give Philadelphia the edge here, because of their offensive arsenal. However, don’t sell Bompastor and company short. The Freedom unit is a veteran group that does the little things to get the job done. Another area where Philadelphia needs to be wary is their tendency to take bad and unnecessary fouls. Seger, Buczkowski, and Magnusdottir have all been red carded this year and Philly was second only to Chicago in fouls committed. They cannot afford to go a player down in this match nor can they afford to give up a lot of set pieces to a Freedom team that is very adept at exploiting such opportunities. Edge to Philadelphia, but not by a lot.

Forwards
Abby Wambach and Lene Mykjåland vs. Amy Rodriguez and Lianne Sanderson.

Philadelphia often goes with a lone forward to start the match, inserting Sanderson at halftime or early in 2nd half to provide additional offense.

In both cases, the star performers for each team have stood out in this series. Rodriguez has three goals against the Freedom, while Wambach has four goals and an assist against the Independence, albeit two goals coming on penalties. What we have here are two highly skilled forwards, with totally different skill sets and games, that are often paired together on the USWNT and almost perfectly complement one another. But on this weekend, they will be on opposite sides.

Rodriguez game is speed and precision. She is one of the fastest forwards in the league and this season, she improved her runs greatly, both in timing and in the angle of the run. Wambach's game is more power, often fighting off defenders to get a shot off. And there is simply not a better player in the world when the ball is in the air. Not only are her headers normally on frame, they have more power behind them than some players can shoot with their feet. That’s not to take anything away from Wambach’s skill, because she is enormously talented, but the power game is when she is at her best.

Mykjåland has scored four goals for the Freedom this year and you can’t discount her experience internationally. The wildcard in this matchup may be young Lianne Sanderson. She scored five goals this season, but three of them were against the Freedom. Sanderson will often come off the bench, fresh and full of energy, and exploit tired defenders in the 2nd half of games. Of her three goals against the Freedom, one was in the 67th minute and the other two came in stoppage time after she had come off the bench as a 2nd half sub.

I have to give an edge to the Freedom here. Wambach has been through the wars with over 10 years of international experience. Big games are the norm for her. Washington is likely to get a number of set pieces in this match and Wambach will have opportunities. Rodriguez came into her own this year, but she has scored only one goal in her last eight matches and none in her last five. Edge to the Freedom, but beware of Sanderson late.

Coaching
Jim Gabarra vs. Paul Riley

Paul Riley was WPS Coach of the Year and has to be given a lot of credit for preparing his team and building them into a competitive side very early on. But he hasn’t been able to find the answers lately as the Independence are on a four game losing streak, being outscored 9-2 over that stretch. In his defense, Philadelphia was probably hurt more by international call ups than most teams, losing players such as Seger, Larsson, and Magnusdottir for quite a few matches.

Jim Gabarra has a lot of experience and is a capable coach. He went through a similar bad stretch in June and July, with a 0-6-4 record over a ten game winless streak. However, he has managed to right the ship just in time, with the Freedom making a nice run down the stretch to edge out Sky Blue for the final playoff berth. Give him a lot of credit for the decision to move Marshall back to defense where the need was far greater than at forward.

I’d say it’s a virtual wash here, with neither side having much of an advantage.

Intangibles
The Independence have the home field advantage in this one and in the four meetings between these two teams, the home team has won on each occasion. Philly was a stronger team at home, with one of their losses coming against regular season champs Gold Pride and the other two losses were one goal decisions against Boston. Washington has a terrible road record, with their only road victory coming in May against Atlanta.

The Freedom have one thing going for them, though, and that’s momentum. They played a lot of meaningful games down the stretch, finishing the season off at a 4-1-2 clip. They are a confident squad right now, while the Independence have been a bit listless as of late. Both teams are pretty experienced, with the one area of question possibly being young Ashlyn Harris in goal, but she has performed admirably in a number of big games during the past month.

Again, this is pretty much a wash, with Philadelphia having an edge with the home field advantage and Washington having the edge in momentum and confidence.

My Prediction
My feeling is that the Independence have had trouble scoring lately, while Washington has been in big game mode for quite some time, given their battle for the final playoff spot. Playoff games often come down to one play at the right time and with set pieces being a strong suit for the Freedom and Abby Wambach, that tilts the scales their way.
Washington Freedom 2, Philadelphia Independence 1

WPS Playoff Schedule and Final Standings

The WPS Playoff Schedule has been announced. Gold Pride clinched the first seed and home field advantage in the final early on. Boston edged out Philadelphia for 2nd place. Washington earned the 4th playoff berth on the final day of the season.

The first round match will be played at Philadelphia's home field, John A. Ferrell Stadium in West Chester, Pennsylvania. It has been announced that the SuperSemifinal, to be hosted by the Boston Breakers, will be played at the brand new soccer specific stadium at Harvard, Soldiers Field Soccer Stadium. The final will be played at Pioneer Stadium in Hayward, California, home of FC Gold Pride.

Final Regular Season Standings:
1) FC Gold Pride (16-3-5, 53 pts); 2) Boston (10-8-6, 36 pts); 3) Philadelphia (10-10-4, 34 pts); 4) Washington (8-9-7, 31 pts); 5) Sky Blue FC (7-10-7, 28 pts); 6) Chicago (7-11-6, 27 pts); 7) Atlanta (5-13-6, 21 pts).
Playoff qualifiers in red.

2010 WPS Playoffs presented by MedImmune:
WPS First Round
Sunday, September 19 - Washington Freedom at Philadelphia Independence (2:30 pm eastern)

WPS Super-Semifinal
Thursday, September 23 - Winner of First Round Match at Boston Breakers (8 pm eastern)

WPS Championship presented by Citi
Sunday, September 26 - Winner of Super Semifinal at FC Gold Pride (2:30 pm eastern).

WPS Weekend Preview - September 5

Washington Freedom (7-8-7, 28 pts) at Chicago Red Stars (6-11-6, 24 pts)
Toyota Park, Bridgeview, IL – September 5 (6 pm ET, 5 pm CT)

Rosters:
Washington: GK-A. Harris, M. McCray; D-C. Whitehill, B. Sauerbrunn, N. Marshall, R. Moros, K. Eveland, B. Bock, A. Asante; MF-S. Bompastor, H. Sawa, A. Long, S. Huffman, B. Goebel, J. Gilbeau; F-A. Wambach, C. Welsh.
Not Active: L. Mykjåland, B. Klein, M. Abegg, C. Miskel.

Chicago: GK-J. Loyden, A. Whitworth; D-K. Markgraf, W. Engen, M. Dalmy, N. Spilger, L. Vandenbergh, C. Shaner; MF-K. Carney, K. Chapman, Formiga, M. Rapinoe, S. Reiser; F-Cristiane, E. Masar, C. Nogueira, V. Boquete.
Not Active: J. McDonald (knee), E. Weber (hip), N. Washington (knee), E. Masar (septum).

Previous Meetings (2010):
Chicago 2 @ Washington 2
Chicago 0 @ Washington 0
Chicago 0 @ Washington 2
Washington leads the all-time series at 2-1-4.

Playoff Outlook:
Washington can clinch a playoff berth with a win combined with a Sky Blue loss or tie. They can also clinch with a tie combined with a Sky Blue loss. They can still finish in 3rd place by winning their final two matches combined with a Philadelphia loss.
Chicago has been eliminated from playoff contention.

What To Look For: This is a big match for the Freedom, who could clinch a playoff spot depending on what Sky Blue does. With only a match against Atlanta remaining, the Freedom have the inside track on the fourth and final playoff berth. Chicago has nothing to play for except pride, but they showed quite a bit in their Wednesday night victory over the Independence.

While the Freedom are playing well as a team right now, three players have stood out over the past month of play. One is the obvious choice, Abby Wambach, who has scored six goals in Washington’s last six matches. In addition to her scoring, she is also tied for the league lead in assists with eight.

The other key players are rookies Nikki Marshall and Ashlyn Harris. Marshall scored three goals in her brief tenure at forward, but it was her return to the back line which has helped spur the Freedom’s recent success. The rookie out of Colorado has shown great versatility and ability in her first WPS season. After Erin McLeod went down with injury, Harris stepped in and had a stellar month of August, giving up just two goals in five starts, one of which was an own goal.

Meanwhile, Veronica Boquete made an instant impact for the Red Stars, playing in her first match on Wednesday after finally getting her visa situation cleared up. She scored just minutes into the game and came close on another, while giving the Red Star offense a spark that they have been missing for much of the season. Good thing, too, since leading scorer Ella Masar will miss this game after surgery to her septum.

Marian Dalmy has been one of the best offensive back line players in WPS this season and she scored her first goal against Philadelphia. In what has been an up and down season for goalkeeper Jill Loyden, she is now second in WPS with six shutouts.

Washington would like to clinch a playoff berth this weekend, but would need help. Anything less than victory could put their playoff hopes in jeopardy.

Sky Blue FC (7-10-5, 26 pts) at Atlanta Beat (5-12-5, 20 pts)
KSU Soccer Stadium, Kennesaw, GA – September 5 (6 pm ET)

Rosters:
Sky Blue: GK-M. Burke, S. Myers; D-C. Rampone, D. Koster, M. Schnur, K. Dowling, J. Grubb, K. Fletcher; MF-H. O’Reilly, L. Kalmari, Y. Averbuch, B. Taylor, K. White, C. Lloyd; F-Rosana, T. Kai.
Not Active: P. Panico (national team), J. Branam (knee), K.Parker, D. Johnson, A. Salem, I. Trotter.

Atlanta: GK-H. Solo, B. Maron; D-T. Ellertson, K. McNeill, L. Robinson, S. Bishop, K. Fountain; MF-A. Miyama, M. Yamaguchi, L. Chalupny, J. Rasmussen, A. Kerr, C. Blank, M. Zerboni, R. Nolin; F-M. Ocampo, R. Bachmann, A. Cinalli.
Not Active: E. Aluko (hamstring), M. Lofton-Malachi, L. Sesselmann.

Previous Meetings (2010):
Sky Blue 1 @ Atlanta 0
Atlanta 1 @ Sky Blue 0
Sky Blue 2 @ Atlanta 1

Playoff Outlook:
Sky Blue still has a chance at the fourth playoff spot, but a loss or tie could eliminate them depending on the outcome of the Washington match. Atlanta has been eliminated from playoff contention.

What To Look For: Sky Blue needs to keep winning and hope for help from someone against Washington. A Gold Pride goal in stoppage time was a blow to SBFC’s playoff hopes. Atlanta has been blown out in their last two starts, but hopes to rebound in their final home game of the season.

Sky Blue has scored more than one goal in only one of their last 11 matches. The bright side is that Tasha Kai has scored in the last two games, including a beautiful effort on Wednesday night. Patrizia Panico will be away on national team duty, but Laura Kalmari could be back from injury to give the Sky Blue offense a boost. Meghann Burke has taken over goalkeeping duties for Sky Blue following injuries to both Bardsley and Branam. Brittany Taylor, who is up for rookie of the year honors, is having a fine season.

Atlanta will be without Eniola Aluko, who has a hamstring injury. The Beat haven’t done a very good job in stopping their opponents lately, giving up 18 goals in their last six matches. With Aluko being their only consistent offensive threat, the Beat aren’t likely to outscore anyone in her absence.

The Beat have to feel a bit snakebitten in this series. In their two losses to Sky Blue, the winning goals were own goals. This is nearly a must win game for Sky Blue if they are to have a chance for a repeat of their 2009 season.

Boston Breakers (10-7-5, 35 pts) at FC Gold Pride (14-3-5, 47 pts)
Pioneer Stadium, Hayward, CA – September 5 (9 pm ET, 6 pm PT)

Rosters:
Boston: GK-A. Naeher, A. Phillips; D-A. LePeilbet, A. Scott, I. Dieke, S. Cox, K. Moore, T. Hemmings; MF-L. Tarpley, K. Lilly, J. Angeli, Fabiana, L. Bogus; F-K. Smith, L. Cheney, L. del Rio.
Not Active: S. Walsh (knee), C. Igwe, A. Lipsher, A. Marquez.

Gold Pride: GK-N. Barnhart, B. Cameron; D-R. Buehler, C. Chapman, A. Riley, K. Wilson, C. Dew, N. Cross; MF-S. Boxx, B. Edwards, K. Graczyk, K. Yokers, R. Tantillo; F-Marta, C. Sinclair, T. Milbrett, K. O’Hara, K. Bosio.
Not Active: C. Abily (national team), E. Guthrie.

Previous Meetings (2010):
Gold Pride 2 @ Boston 1
Boston 0 @ Gold Pride 1
Gold Pride 2 @ Boston 1
Gold Pride leads the all-time series at 4-1-1.

Playoff Outlook:
Gold Pride has clinched first place and home field advantage in the final.
Boston has clinched at least 3rd place and could clinch 2nd place with a victory here.

What To Look For: This will be a matchup that could be a preview of the WPS Final. Gold Pride has won all three matches this year, all by one goal margins. It is also a matchup of two of the world’s best players in Kelly Smith and Marta.

Smith leads the Breaker offense with 11 goals and 5 assists, but unlike 2009, she has a lot of help. Jordan Angeli has seven goals and Lauren Cheney has five. Add to that USWNT veterans Lindsay Tarpley and Kristine Lilly and Boston has gone from a team that had trouble scoring any goals to one of the most formidable offenses in WPS. The Breakers have now scored in 13 consecutive games. Alyssa Naeher has been reliable in goal since taking over at midseason.

Gold Pride has offense of their own starting with Marta and her 17 goals. Christine Sinclair not only has nine goals of her own, but she's become one of WPS’s best setup players with eight assists. Becky Edwards’ stoppage time goal earned a tie against Sky Blue. Rachel Buehler is having a standout season in the back and Candace Chapman has proven to be one of the better free agents signees of the past winter.

This game won’t have the intensity that a potential final between these two teams would, but it should be an interesting matchup nonetheless.

The WPS Playoff Picture

We're coming down to the wire for the WPS regular season and while Gold Pride has clinched a berth and Philadelphia is nearly there, there is much to be decided before the season is finished. Right now, I'm thinking it will take 29 or 30 points to make the playoffs (4th place). Here is a summary of the 2010 WPS playoff picture.

FC Gold Pride
Record: 12-3-4, 40 points.
Remaining Schedule: 8/22 at CRS; 8/28 at Atl; 9/1 at SBFC; 9/5 vs. BOS; 9/11 vs. PHI.

Outlook: They should be able to clinch home field in the final soon, although Philadelphia continues to keep the pressure on. They have a six point cushion over the 2nd place Independence and a game in hand. Six points in their last five matches would be enough to clinch it. However, if Philly is able to close the gap, these two teams will play in the final regular season game.

Certainly, there is some cause for concern in three consecutive scoreless ties. With all the travel they have had to do, are they starting to wear down? They have remaining trips to Chicago, Atlanta, and New Jersey, which should give us a better idea. I still like them as the odds on favorite to win it all.

Philadelphia Independence
Record: 10-6-4, 34 points.
Remaining Schedule: 8/22 at SBFC; 8/29 vs. BOS; 9/1 at CRS; 9/11 at FCGP.

Outlook: A playoff berth is all but sealed and they still have an outside shot at the first seed. However, they have to worry about a red hot Boston team and three of their remaining four games are on the road. Their lone remaining home match is against the Breakers, which could be the key.

Philadelphia has been extremely consistent, losing two in a row only once during the season. They have dominated two of their remaining opponents, Chicago and Sky Blue, going a perfect 6-0 against the two (and outscoring them by an aggregate 16-4). I still think they should be able to hold on for the second seed, but Boston has a game in hand, so the head-to-head battle between the two on August 29 could decide 2nd place.

Boston Breakers
Record: 8-6-5, 29 points.
Remaining Schedule: 8/21 vs. ATL; 8/29 at Phi; 9/1 at Atl; 9/5 at FCGP; 9/11 at SBFC.

Outlook: They've now put some distance between themselves and the bottom four teams, and could clinch a playoff spot this weekeed if things fall right. However, the rest of their schedule is away from Harvard Stadium, with the only home match being played at New Britain, Connecticut.

With a 7-1-1 record over their last nine matches, they are the league's hottest team, bar none. They remind me very much of the Athletica team that came out of nowhere last season to finish second, except the Breakers have a better offense. But that Athletica team fell flat in their playoff match and the season-ending injury to Leslie Osborne, a very important factor in the Breakers' resurgence, was a harsh blow. I see them finishing third, but I think their remaining schedule with four road games to finish will prevent them from moving into 2nd place.

Sky Blue FC
Record: 6-9-4, 22 points.
Remaining Schedule: 8/22 vs PHI; 8/28 at Was; 9/1 vs. FCGP; 9/5 at Atl; 9/11 vs. BOS.

Outlook: In spite of their injuries and their lackluster play (1-5-1 over their last seven), Sky Blue is in position to squeeze into the playoffs much as they did last season. They are in a 4th place tie with the Freedom and have a game in hand. They also have three of their remaining five at home, but those three are tough matches against the teams ahead of them in the standings.

Sky Blue is a team that seems to do what it needs to do. Judging from last season, one has to think that they will find a way to make the playoffs. The addition of Kelly Parker might provide them with a spark. But Washington has the easier schedule of the two, so mark this one on your calendars, Sky Blue at Washington on August 28. It may ultimately decide the fourth and final playoff berth.

Washington Freedom
Record: 5-8-7, 22 points.
Remaining Schedule: 8/19 vs. CRS; 8/28 vs. SBFC; 9/5 at CRS; 9/11 vs. ATL.

Outlook: They are giving a game in hand to Sky Blue, but they have a much easier schedule, with all four games against teams even or below them on the table. Three of the remaining four are at home and momentum has swung their way over the past two weeks with a win and two tough road draws.

After floundering for two months (0-6-4 in June and July), they are still in reasonably good position to capture 4th place, but they have to take care of business. The Sky Blue match is a big one, but they can't overlook Chicago either. The Freedom/Red Stars series is dead even over two years with each team winning once and four ties. Right now, I think I might give the Freedom a slight edge over Sky Blue because of their schedule, but the head-to-head between the two may very well decide it.

Chicago Red Stars
Record: 5-9-6, 21 points.
Remaining Schedule: 8/19 at Was; 8/22 vs. FCGP; 9/1 vs. PHI; 9/5 vs. WAS.

Outlook: They are just one point behind Sky Blue and Washington, but have one less game to play than Sky Blue and a tougher schedule than the Freedom. However, a victory over Washington on the road could give them momentum and their final three are at home, albeit against tough opponents.

Every time I think that the Red Stars have righted their ship, they spring a new leak. After defeating Sky Blue two weeks ago and then earning a hard fought road tie at FCGP, they lost to Philadelphia at home. The time is now for the Red Stars. They play two of their remaining four matches this week, which will give them lots of time to rest and watch everyone else down the wire. I just can't see them making it at this point.

Atlanta Beat
Record: 4-10-5, 17 points.
Remaining Schedule: 8/21 at Bos; 8/28 vs. FCGP; 9/1 vs. BOS; 9/5 vs. SBFC; 9/11 at Was.

Outlook: They played themselves into contention in July, but now have all but played themselves out of contention in August. The last two matches were killers, losing on an own goal and then blowing a two goal lead against Philadelphia. Three of their remaining five are at home, but the schedule is extremely tough. I'm guessing they would need to win four of their last five to even have a chance and I just don't see that happening.