For Canada, it was lights out as they suffered their third straight defeat in the 2011 World Cup, this time to Nigeria by a 1-0 margin. It was lights out at the stadium for awhile as well, as a power outage stopped the match for a short period of time in the second half. Neither team had entered the match with a chance to advance, so it was pretty much a game for pride.
Christine Sinclair started once again, in spite of a broken nose and wearing a mask. In fact, Canadian coach Carolina Morace used the identical lineup she started for game one against Germany with the exception being the goalkeeper, where she inserted Karina LeBlanc into the lineup today. Likewise, Nigerian coach Ngozi Uche used the same lineup she used against in their opener against France.
A mixup in back nearly cost Nigeria in the opening minute. A Nigerian defender headed the ball almost straight into the air, just a few yards in front of the net. Nigerian keeper Precious Dede didn't really take charge and Sinclair had a chance to get her head on it, but did not make good contact and the ball was eventually cleared.
Nigeria's first good shot came in the 20th minute, as Perpetua Nkwocha threaded a pass through to the right side of the box to Ebere Orji. Orji was able to go one-on-one with LeBlanc, but the Canadian keeper was able to make a kick save. Then, Rita Chikwelu's shot from 24 yards went just wide of the left post.
A little later, Candace Chapman's free kick found Melissa Tancredi in the penalty area, with Tancredi's header directed at the left post. Dede was able to deflect it wide of the net.
Nigeria missed a golden opportunity in the 25th minute, as Stella Mbachu crossed the ball from the right side to the feet of Nkwocha who was just five yards in front of the goal. Nkwocha was somehow not able to get a shot off as the ball appeared to get tangled between her feet with Rhian Wilkinson on her. However, the ball came to Orji who hit a blast off the right post for what should have been a goal if it had been an inch to the left. Canada had dodged a bullet, but were not looking good at this point.
Canada had a good chance in the 32nd minute as Tancredi sent Sinclair in behind the Nigerian defense. Sinclair dribbled to her right around Dede, but it took her too wide. The defense recovered and blocked her shot. A minute later, Tancredi came in on Dede alone, with Dede making a great save, but the play was incorrectly whistled offside in any case.
The left side of Canada's defense was exposed several times. Again in the 43rd minute, Mbachu got to the end line and crossed to Nkwocha who also hit the right post. The game went into halftime scoreless.
Canada offered the first chance of the second half. Sinclair was able to hit a hard shot from 15 yards following a corner kick, but Dede again made the save.
Nigeria got their first good second half chance in the 58th minute, but Desire Oparanozie put her shot over the crossbar.
Then the lights went out...literally...in the 72nd minute. Power was restored approximately 12 minutes later and Nigeria scored almost immediately. A shot by Glory Iroka from 25 yards was blocked by Chapman, but Nkwocha picked up the loose ball behind the Canadian defense and sent it lower left past LeBlanc.
Canada again came close in the 89th minute, as Diana Matheson crossed the ball into the box. Sinclair headed the ball toward the goal, but Dede was able to punch the ball away before two Canadian attacking players could get to it and danger was averted. Sinclair later worked into the box to take a shot from 15 yards, but Dede smartly came out to cut of the angle and made the stop.
Nigeria was able to hold on for the victory and considering they hit the post on two other occasions, a deserved result. Nigeria had achieved some redemption and posted their first World Cup win since 1999.
As for Canada, it was a World Cup that held so much promise and produced so much disappointment. Not much went right for them in Germany and they will likely be heavily criticized in the press for their efforts.
However, one could understand today's performance to some degree, considering the game really meant little. It also must be considered that they put in a solid performance against the host Germans as well. It was the debacle against France which is the match where they truly underperformed. It must almost be remembered that they were placed in the toughest group.
Nigeria finishes in third place in Group A with 3 points. Canada returns home with three losses and thoughts of what might have been.
Showing posts with label Candace Chapman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Candace Chapman. Show all posts
July 5, 2011
April 8, 2011
2011 Western New York Flash Preview
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Labels: 2011 WPS, Alex Morgan, Ali Riley, Ashlyn Harris, Candace Chapman, Caroline Seger, Christine Sinclair, Marta, Western New York Flash, Whitney Engen, Yael Averbuch
Labels: 2011 WPS, Alex Morgan, Ali Riley, Ashlyn Harris, Candace Chapman, Caroline Seger, Christine Sinclair, Marta, Western New York Flash, Whitney Engen, Yael Averbuch
Western New York Flash
Coach: Aaran Lines (1st year)
2010 Record: Expansion Team
Home Stadium: Sahlen Stadium (Rochester, NY)
Roster:
Goalkeepers (3): Ashleigh Bowers(R), Brittany Cameron, Ashlyn Harris.
Defenders (8): Kim Brandão, Candace Chapman, Whitney Engen, Gina Lewandowski, Ali Riley, Alexandra Sahlen, Julianne Sitch, Kandace Wilson.
Midfielders (6): Yael Averbuch, Brittany Bock, Becky Edwards, Beverly Goebel, Caroline Seger, McCall Zerboni.
Forwards (6): Gemma Davison, Kaley Fountain, Marta, Alex Morgan(R), Kelly Parker, Christine Sinclair.
(R) denotes true rookie.
Probable World Cup players: Harris, Chapman, Riley, Averbuch, Seger, Marta, Morgan, Sinclair.
The new kids in the league are likely to make a lot of noise. Considering they have seven players off of the 2010 champion Gold Pride team, plus four others from the 2010 W-League champion Buffalo Flash, it won’t be much of a surprise if this team is playing for a championship come August.
It doesn’t hurt that the Flash signed Marta, the world’s best player five years running, Christine Sinclair, Canada’s all-time leading scorer, and on top of that, drafted Alex Morgan, one of USWNT’s rising stars. This team shouldn’t have any problem scoring goals, except possibly during World Cup time. In fact, the only positions which might be short on depth are goalkeeper and midfield.
Goalkeepers: Ashlyn Harris started 2010 in Saint Louis as the backup to Hope Solo. She finished the season as the Washington Freedom’s starter, earning four shutouts on her way to 1.11 goals against average. Two of those shutouts down the stretch came against two of the most explosive offenses in WPS, Gold Pride and Philadelphia. Harris, who is vying for the third goalkeeper’s spot on the USWNT, is finally gaining some recognition as a top goalkeeper.
Backing up Harris will be Brittany Cameron, who started three games last season for Gold Pride, and Ashleigh Bowers, a rookie out of Niagara. Cameron is certainly a capable goalkeeper who just hasn’t gotten much action because she has had quality keepers in front of her. Bowers posted a 0.63 goals against average during her senior year, giving up more than one goal on only two occasions.
Defenders: The Flash have three quarters of Gold Pride’s starting back line, including rookie of the year Ali Riley. Riley is an excellent two-way player, solid at defending and a threat with her speed on overlapping runs. Kandace Wilson is another speedster at the right back position. There isn’t likely to be a more dangerous duo at outside back anywhere in this league. The third former Gold Pride defender is Candace Chapman, a starter for the Canadian National Team.
Western New York also signed Whitney Engen, who was one of the league’s best young defenders with Chicago last season. They added Kim Brandão, a member of the Portuguese National Team and of the W-League Flash. And they brought in center back Gina Lewandowski, a four-year veteran of the Frauen Bundesliga for FFC Frankfurt. Adding depth is the Alexandra Sahlen, who also happens to be the team president, and Julianne Sitch a veteran of both the W-League and WPS, who played for the 2009 champion Sky Blue FC.
Midfielders: For midfielders, it appears almost as though the Flash grabbed a player from each of the other teams in the league. They got Yael Averbuch from Sky Blue, Caroline Seger from Philadelphia, McCall Zerboni from Atlanta, Becky Edwards from Gold Pride, and Beverly Goebel and Brittany Bock from the Freedom.
Seger, captain of the Swedish National Team, is the team’s most experienced and accomplished midfielder. She had a strong season with Philadelphia in 2010, scoring one goal and adding five assists. Joining her is Averbuch, a defensive midfielder who has a cannon of a shot. Averbuch was a first round draft pick in 2009 and spent the last two seasons with Sky Blue.
Becky Edwards is another solid defensive midfielder, whose strong rookie season was overshadowed by her more well known teammates in 2010. After a promising rookie season in 2009, Brittany Bock struggled through an injury-filled season last year. She can play multiple positions which will add versatility to the Flash. Rounding out the midfield cast is Beverly Goebel, who scored one goal in 16 appearances for the Freedom in 2010, and McCall Zerboni, who was a starter for the Beat last year.
Forwards: With three world class forwards on this team and plenty of depth, this should be the strongest offense in the league. There isn’t much more that can be said about Marta that hasn’t already been said. She has been the best female player in the world for a long time now and she is still just 25 years old. She is fast, talented, and determined, nearly impossible to stop one-on-one.
The scary thing is defenses can’t just concentrate on Marta. Not when the Flash also have Christine Sinclair and Alex Morgan. Sinclair has over 100 international goals for Canada and 16 career WPS goals. She is very intelligent about both the timing and shape of her runs. Morgan has come into the spotlight over the past year, becoming one of the USWNT’s best forwards and clutch goal scorers. She also has excellent speed.
England’s Gemma Davison and Canadian Kelly Parker move right from the W-League Flash to the WPS team. Davison has played club soccer in both the US and in England. She also has one cap for the English National Team and played at the junior level for England. Parker is a veteran of the Canadian National Team and played midfield for the 2009 Sky Blue championship team. She has good speed and is always a player to watch on the attack. Former Wake Forest star Kaley Fountain adds depth and can also play outside back.
Outlook: This team appears to have everything…talent, experience, and speed. They should score goals in bunches with the best group of forwards in the league and two excellent outside backs that can attack. The defense should be equally solid and has a lot of depth. The midfield does not have a lot of offensive-minded players. Averbuch and Edwards are primarily defensive mids and while Seger is skilled at setting up others with her strong passing game, she isn’t likely to score a lot herself.
My biggest worries for this team is depth in the midfield and how much they will be affected by the World Cup. They could very well lose eight starters to national team duties for a good part of the season. Obviously, this is a problem for most of the teams, but I think more for the Flash.
Making the playoffs should almost be a given for this team. Winning it all could be a bit tougher in what should be a fiercely competitive league, but this team could certainly do so.
Coach: Aaran Lines (1st year)
2010 Record: Expansion Team
Home Stadium: Sahlen Stadium (Rochester, NY)
Roster:
Goalkeepers (3): Ashleigh Bowers(R), Brittany Cameron, Ashlyn Harris.
Defenders (8): Kim Brandão, Candace Chapman, Whitney Engen, Gina Lewandowski, Ali Riley, Alexandra Sahlen, Julianne Sitch, Kandace Wilson.
Midfielders (6): Yael Averbuch, Brittany Bock, Becky Edwards, Beverly Goebel, Caroline Seger, McCall Zerboni.
Forwards (6): Gemma Davison, Kaley Fountain, Marta, Alex Morgan(R), Kelly Parker, Christine Sinclair.
(R) denotes true rookie.
Probable World Cup players: Harris, Chapman, Riley, Averbuch, Seger, Marta, Morgan, Sinclair.
The new kids in the league are likely to make a lot of noise. Considering they have seven players off of the 2010 champion Gold Pride team, plus four others from the 2010 W-League champion Buffalo Flash, it won’t be much of a surprise if this team is playing for a championship come August.
It doesn’t hurt that the Flash signed Marta, the world’s best player five years running, Christine Sinclair, Canada’s all-time leading scorer, and on top of that, drafted Alex Morgan, one of USWNT’s rising stars. This team shouldn’t have any problem scoring goals, except possibly during World Cup time. In fact, the only positions which might be short on depth are goalkeeper and midfield.
Goalkeepers: Ashlyn Harris started 2010 in Saint Louis as the backup to Hope Solo. She finished the season as the Washington Freedom’s starter, earning four shutouts on her way to 1.11 goals against average. Two of those shutouts down the stretch came against two of the most explosive offenses in WPS, Gold Pride and Philadelphia. Harris, who is vying for the third goalkeeper’s spot on the USWNT, is finally gaining some recognition as a top goalkeeper.
Backing up Harris will be Brittany Cameron, who started three games last season for Gold Pride, and Ashleigh Bowers, a rookie out of Niagara. Cameron is certainly a capable goalkeeper who just hasn’t gotten much action because she has had quality keepers in front of her. Bowers posted a 0.63 goals against average during her senior year, giving up more than one goal on only two occasions.
Defenders: The Flash have three quarters of Gold Pride’s starting back line, including rookie of the year Ali Riley. Riley is an excellent two-way player, solid at defending and a threat with her speed on overlapping runs. Kandace Wilson is another speedster at the right back position. There isn’t likely to be a more dangerous duo at outside back anywhere in this league. The third former Gold Pride defender is Candace Chapman, a starter for the Canadian National Team.
Western New York also signed Whitney Engen, who was one of the league’s best young defenders with Chicago last season. They added Kim Brandão, a member of the Portuguese National Team and of the W-League Flash. And they brought in center back Gina Lewandowski, a four-year veteran of the Frauen Bundesliga for FFC Frankfurt. Adding depth is the Alexandra Sahlen, who also happens to be the team president, and Julianne Sitch a veteran of both the W-League and WPS, who played for the 2009 champion Sky Blue FC.
Midfielders: For midfielders, it appears almost as though the Flash grabbed a player from each of the other teams in the league. They got Yael Averbuch from Sky Blue, Caroline Seger from Philadelphia, McCall Zerboni from Atlanta, Becky Edwards from Gold Pride, and Beverly Goebel and Brittany Bock from the Freedom.
Seger, captain of the Swedish National Team, is the team’s most experienced and accomplished midfielder. She had a strong season with Philadelphia in 2010, scoring one goal and adding five assists. Joining her is Averbuch, a defensive midfielder who has a cannon of a shot. Averbuch was a first round draft pick in 2009 and spent the last two seasons with Sky Blue.
Becky Edwards is another solid defensive midfielder, whose strong rookie season was overshadowed by her more well known teammates in 2010. After a promising rookie season in 2009, Brittany Bock struggled through an injury-filled season last year. She can play multiple positions which will add versatility to the Flash. Rounding out the midfield cast is Beverly Goebel, who scored one goal in 16 appearances for the Freedom in 2010, and McCall Zerboni, who was a starter for the Beat last year.
Forwards: With three world class forwards on this team and plenty of depth, this should be the strongest offense in the league. There isn’t much more that can be said about Marta that hasn’t already been said. She has been the best female player in the world for a long time now and she is still just 25 years old. She is fast, talented, and determined, nearly impossible to stop one-on-one.
The scary thing is defenses can’t just concentrate on Marta. Not when the Flash also have Christine Sinclair and Alex Morgan. Sinclair has over 100 international goals for Canada and 16 career WPS goals. She is very intelligent about both the timing and shape of her runs. Morgan has come into the spotlight over the past year, becoming one of the USWNT’s best forwards and clutch goal scorers. She also has excellent speed.
England’s Gemma Davison and Canadian Kelly Parker move right from the W-League Flash to the WPS team. Davison has played club soccer in both the US and in England. She also has one cap for the English National Team and played at the junior level for England. Parker is a veteran of the Canadian National Team and played midfield for the 2009 Sky Blue championship team. She has good speed and is always a player to watch on the attack. Former Wake Forest star Kaley Fountain adds depth and can also play outside back.
Outlook: This team appears to have everything…talent, experience, and speed. They should score goals in bunches with the best group of forwards in the league and two excellent outside backs that can attack. The defense should be equally solid and has a lot of depth. The midfield does not have a lot of offensive-minded players. Averbuch and Edwards are primarily defensive mids and while Seger is skilled at setting up others with her strong passing game, she isn’t likely to score a lot herself.
My biggest worries for this team is depth in the midfield and how much they will be affected by the World Cup. They could very well lose eight starters to national team duties for a good part of the season. Obviously, this is a problem for most of the teams, but I think more for the Flash.
Making the playoffs should almost be a given for this team. Winning it all could be a bit tougher in what should be a fiercely competitive league, but this team could certainly do so.
December 14, 2010
Western New York Building Fast with Signings
Although there has been some bad news for WPS lately, it's full steam ahead for the league's newest entry, the Western New York Flash. The Flash announced three more signings today, after adding four players last week. Midfielder McCall Zerboni, defender Candace Chapman, and goalkeeper Brittany Cameron are the newest members of the expansion Flash.
Zerboni, a 2009 draft choice of the Los Angeles Sol, has three career assists. After spending the 2009 season as primarily a reserve for the Sol, she moved into the starters role for the Atlanta Beat in 2010. Zerboni played her college soccer at UCLA.
Chapman, a defender for the Canadian National Team, spent 2009 with the Boston Breakers, before moving to FC Gold Pride as a starting defender in 2010. She started 21 matches for the 2010 WPS champions.
Cameron was selected by Los Angeles out of the University of San Diego and spent 2009 as a developmental goalkeeper. She moved up to the role of backup for FC Gold Pride in 2010, starting three matches for them, winning all three and earning one shutout.
Western New York had already signed three other Gold Pride players in Christine Sinclair, Ali Riley, and Kandace Wilson. Wilson and Riley were the starting outside backs for the 2010 champions, while Sinclair was their second leading scorer with 10 goals. Riley, a member of the New Zealand National Team, was WPS 2010 Rookie of the Year. Sinclair is Canada's all-time leading scorer.
Other signings include multi-dimensional Brittany Bock, who has spent time with both Los Angeles and Washington, and Ashlyn Harris, who was drafted by Saint Louis and then signed by Washington in 2010. Harris started 9 games for Washington after Erin McLeod went down with injury and she posted a 1.11 goals against average with four shutouts.
The Flash chose two players, Beverly Goebel and Kaley Fountain, in the expansion draft. Goebel was a 2010 draft choice for Washington and scored one goal while playing 16 games for the Freedom and starting 9. Fountain was drafted by Gold Pride, later signing as a free agent for the Atlanta Beat.
Zerboni, a 2009 draft choice of the Los Angeles Sol, has three career assists. After spending the 2009 season as primarily a reserve for the Sol, she moved into the starters role for the Atlanta Beat in 2010. Zerboni played her college soccer at UCLA.
Chapman, a defender for the Canadian National Team, spent 2009 with the Boston Breakers, before moving to FC Gold Pride as a starting defender in 2010. She started 21 matches for the 2010 WPS champions.
Cameron was selected by Los Angeles out of the University of San Diego and spent 2009 as a developmental goalkeeper. She moved up to the role of backup for FC Gold Pride in 2010, starting three matches for them, winning all three and earning one shutout.
Western New York had already signed three other Gold Pride players in Christine Sinclair, Ali Riley, and Kandace Wilson. Wilson and Riley were the starting outside backs for the 2010 champions, while Sinclair was their second leading scorer with 10 goals. Riley, a member of the New Zealand National Team, was WPS 2010 Rookie of the Year. Sinclair is Canada's all-time leading scorer.
Other signings include multi-dimensional Brittany Bock, who has spent time with both Los Angeles and Washington, and Ashlyn Harris, who was drafted by Saint Louis and then signed by Washington in 2010. Harris started 9 games for Washington after Erin McLeod went down with injury and she posted a 1.11 goals against average with four shutouts.
The Flash chose two players, Beverly Goebel and Kaley Fountain, in the expansion draft. Goebel was a 2010 draft choice for Washington and scored one goal while playing 16 games for the Freedom and starting 9. Fountain was drafted by Gold Pride, later signing as a free agent for the Atlanta Beat.
December 6, 2009
FC Gold Pride-The Offseason So Far
We're now about 6 weeks away from the 2010 WPS draft and it might be a good time to catch up on what each WPS team has been doing since the season ended in August. Offseason, of course, refers to that part of the year when no matches are being played, but that doesn't mean that coaches aren't busy. Front offices and coaching staffs have been logging heavy mileage, scouting international talent as well as the NCAA Tournament in search of players that will help them in the coming season. In addition, teams had to make decisions regarding player options and contracts, as well as who to protect for the expansion draft which was held in September.
So let's take a look at what has happened since August and what lies ahead for each team. We'll start with FC Gold Pride.
When Last We Left Them...
FC Gold Pride finished last in the regular season table with just 18 points. The season started out promisingly enough, with Gold Pride going 3-3-1 over their first 7 games. If there was a turning point in the season, it was the May 24th match against Los Angeles. Not only did they lose that match 2-0, but they also lost defender Kandace Wilson for the season after a collision with Marta very late in that contest. FCGP managed only 2 points over their next 7 games, being outscored 12-4 over that time. They had problems scoring, with Christine Sinclair being the only player to score on anything other than a penalty kick from May 3 through August 1. And for a team that seemed to have a decent back line, they gave up the 2nd most goals in the WPS.
Gold Pride did manage a fairly strong finish, playing the role of spoiler late in the season. A combined 3 ties against Saint Louis and Los Angeles and a victory over Washington proved that they could play with the league's top teams.
Roster Moves
Gold Pride retained 12 players from their 2009 team, including leading scorers Sinclair and Tiffeny Milbrett, US National Team players Rachel Buehler and Nicole Barnhart, last year's 1st round draft pick Tina DiMartino, injured defender Wilson, and international star Eriko Arakawa.
The expansion draft saw the Atlanta Beat choosing Leigh Ann Robinson as the first overall pick in that draft. Robinson had started 15 games and scored a goal for Gold Pride. Considering she was only a 6th round pick, Robinson made a nice contribution for Gold Pride in 2009.
Gold Pride quickly made a splash in the free agent market, signing former Boston Breaker defender Candace Chapman and the versatile Niki Cross from Saint Louis in October. Both were part-time starters with their former teams.
Chapman saw action in 11 matches, starting 8 for the Breakers. She gives Gold Pride international experience at defense. The former Notre Dame star has 65 caps for the Canadian National Team and has both World Cup and Olympic experience. She will help solidify a back line that already includes Rachel Buehler, Kandace Wilson, Carrie Dew, and Kristen Graczyk.
Cross saw very little action early in the season as a defender for Athletica. However, a late season move to forward gave her a chance for more playing time and she responded by scoring a goal against Gold Pride in a late July matchup. Like Chapman, Cross played in 11 and started 8 games. She also saw 30 minutes of action in Athletica's playoff loss to Sky Blue. She brings size and speed, as well as a wickedly hard shot, to the Bay Area. It will be interesting to see where Coach Albertin Montoya plans to use her on the field.
At the end of October, Gold Pride made a significant trade, sending highly regarded backup keeper Allison Whitworth and their 3rd round pick to the expansion Atlanta Beat for two top 12 picks in the 2010 draft. This gives FCGP 4 of the first 14 picks in the upcoming draft and the opportunity to build the team with youth.
So far, the most significant loss for Gold Pride is Leslie Osborne, who was signed away by the Boston Breakers as a free agent. Osborne will certainly be missed in the midfield, where she started 18 matches for the Pride. While she didn't score, she was certainly a defensive presence for FCGP. Additionally, they lost Tiffany Weimer, also through a free agent signing by Boston.
Current Roster
Goalkeepers (1)-Nicole Barnhart.
Defenders (6)-Rachel Buehler, Candace Chapman, Niki Cross, Carrie Dew, Kristen Graczyk, Kandace Wilson.
Midfielders (4)-Eriko Arakawa, Brandi Chastain, Tina DiMartino, Kimberly Yokers.
Forwards (2)-Tiffeny Milbrett, Christine Sinclair.
Additions-Chapman and Cross.
Subtractions-Leigh Ann Robinson (drafted by Atlanta), Leslie Osborne (signed by Boston), Tiffany Weimer (signed by Boston), Allison Whitworth (traded to Atlanta).
Other Free Agents from 2009 roster-Marisa Abegg, Adriane, Erika, Formiga, Lindsay Massengale, Meagan McCray, and Sissi.
Internationals (3)-Arakawa, Chapman, Sinclair, with 2 slots open.
Draft Picks (in first 3 rounds)-Nos. 3, 10, 12, and 14.
Needs to Address
The number one need for Gold Pride has to be scoring. FCGP scored the fewest goals of any WPS team in 2009. For much of the season, Sinclair was the lone threat up front for Bay Area. She finished with 6 goals and went on to star in the WPS All-Star match, scoring two 2nd half goals and barely missing a hat trick. The only other Gold Pride player that hit the back of the net more than once was ageless Tiffeny Milbrett. In spite of having a talented midfield, they got very little scoring from that group. Obviously, this is one area that must be addressed in the offseason, either via the draft or free agency, possibly with one of their remaining international slots.
The loss of Osborne leaves a gaping hole in the Gold Pride midfield. Arakawa is talented and experienced and DiMartino shows a lot of promise, but FCGP is pretty thin past that. Their midfielders always impressed me with their passing and ball movement until they got in the final third, where things always seemed to break down. Chastain seemed to provide a bit of a spark late in the season, but she turns 42 next year. I don't know if there is any possibility of re-signing Formiga, but if not, that would be another major blow to their midfield situation. Formiga's 2010 option was waived by Gold Pride and she finished the season hobbled by injuries.
Gold Pride will also need a backup keeper after trading Whitworth to Atlanta. One would think that the college draft would solve this problem, given the number of talented senior goalkeepers in the college ranks and the number of high draft choices that Gold Pride has to work with.
Personally, I enjoyed watching Gold Pride play last year. They passed the ball well and were very competitive, but it never seemed to translate into goals and wins. They will have the opportunity to build through the draft and they still have two internationals spots to fill, which could have a major impact on their 2010 season.
So let's take a look at what has happened since August and what lies ahead for each team. We'll start with FC Gold Pride.
When Last We Left Them...
FC Gold Pride finished last in the regular season table with just 18 points. The season started out promisingly enough, with Gold Pride going 3-3-1 over their first 7 games. If there was a turning point in the season, it was the May 24th match against Los Angeles. Not only did they lose that match 2-0, but they also lost defender Kandace Wilson for the season after a collision with Marta very late in that contest. FCGP managed only 2 points over their next 7 games, being outscored 12-4 over that time. They had problems scoring, with Christine Sinclair being the only player to score on anything other than a penalty kick from May 3 through August 1. And for a team that seemed to have a decent back line, they gave up the 2nd most goals in the WPS.
Gold Pride did manage a fairly strong finish, playing the role of spoiler late in the season. A combined 3 ties against Saint Louis and Los Angeles and a victory over Washington proved that they could play with the league's top teams.
Roster Moves
Gold Pride retained 12 players from their 2009 team, including leading scorers Sinclair and Tiffeny Milbrett, US National Team players Rachel Buehler and Nicole Barnhart, last year's 1st round draft pick Tina DiMartino, injured defender Wilson, and international star Eriko Arakawa.
The expansion draft saw the Atlanta Beat choosing Leigh Ann Robinson as the first overall pick in that draft. Robinson had started 15 games and scored a goal for Gold Pride. Considering she was only a 6th round pick, Robinson made a nice contribution for Gold Pride in 2009.
Gold Pride quickly made a splash in the free agent market, signing former Boston Breaker defender Candace Chapman and the versatile Niki Cross from Saint Louis in October. Both were part-time starters with their former teams.
Chapman saw action in 11 matches, starting 8 for the Breakers. She gives Gold Pride international experience at defense. The former Notre Dame star has 65 caps for the Canadian National Team and has both World Cup and Olympic experience. She will help solidify a back line that already includes Rachel Buehler, Kandace Wilson, Carrie Dew, and Kristen Graczyk.
Cross saw very little action early in the season as a defender for Athletica. However, a late season move to forward gave her a chance for more playing time and she responded by scoring a goal against Gold Pride in a late July matchup. Like Chapman, Cross played in 11 and started 8 games. She also saw 30 minutes of action in Athletica's playoff loss to Sky Blue. She brings size and speed, as well as a wickedly hard shot, to the Bay Area. It will be interesting to see where Coach Albertin Montoya plans to use her on the field.
At the end of October, Gold Pride made a significant trade, sending highly regarded backup keeper Allison Whitworth and their 3rd round pick to the expansion Atlanta Beat for two top 12 picks in the 2010 draft. This gives FCGP 4 of the first 14 picks in the upcoming draft and the opportunity to build the team with youth.
So far, the most significant loss for Gold Pride is Leslie Osborne, who was signed away by the Boston Breakers as a free agent. Osborne will certainly be missed in the midfield, where she started 18 matches for the Pride. While she didn't score, she was certainly a defensive presence for FCGP. Additionally, they lost Tiffany Weimer, also through a free agent signing by Boston.
Current Roster
Goalkeepers (1)-Nicole Barnhart.
Defenders (6)-Rachel Buehler, Candace Chapman, Niki Cross, Carrie Dew, Kristen Graczyk, Kandace Wilson.
Midfielders (4)-Eriko Arakawa, Brandi Chastain, Tina DiMartino, Kimberly Yokers.
Forwards (2)-Tiffeny Milbrett, Christine Sinclair.
Additions-Chapman and Cross.
Subtractions-Leigh Ann Robinson (drafted by Atlanta), Leslie Osborne (signed by Boston), Tiffany Weimer (signed by Boston), Allison Whitworth (traded to Atlanta).
Other Free Agents from 2009 roster-Marisa Abegg, Adriane, Erika, Formiga, Lindsay Massengale, Meagan McCray, and Sissi.
Internationals (3)-Arakawa, Chapman, Sinclair, with 2 slots open.
Draft Picks (in first 3 rounds)-Nos. 3, 10, 12, and 14.
Needs to Address
The number one need for Gold Pride has to be scoring. FCGP scored the fewest goals of any WPS team in 2009. For much of the season, Sinclair was the lone threat up front for Bay Area. She finished with 6 goals and went on to star in the WPS All-Star match, scoring two 2nd half goals and barely missing a hat trick. The only other Gold Pride player that hit the back of the net more than once was ageless Tiffeny Milbrett. In spite of having a talented midfield, they got very little scoring from that group. Obviously, this is one area that must be addressed in the offseason, either via the draft or free agency, possibly with one of their remaining international slots.
The loss of Osborne leaves a gaping hole in the Gold Pride midfield. Arakawa is talented and experienced and DiMartino shows a lot of promise, but FCGP is pretty thin past that. Their midfielders always impressed me with their passing and ball movement until they got in the final third, where things always seemed to break down. Chastain seemed to provide a bit of a spark late in the season, but she turns 42 next year. I don't know if there is any possibility of re-signing Formiga, but if not, that would be another major blow to their midfield situation. Formiga's 2010 option was waived by Gold Pride and she finished the season hobbled by injuries.
Gold Pride will also need a backup keeper after trading Whitworth to Atlanta. One would think that the college draft would solve this problem, given the number of talented senior goalkeepers in the college ranks and the number of high draft choices that Gold Pride has to work with.
Personally, I enjoyed watching Gold Pride play last year. They passed the ball well and were very competitive, but it never seemed to translate into goals and wins. They will have the opportunity to build through the draft and they still have two internationals spots to fill, which could have a major impact on their 2010 season.
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