In one of the most surprising results so far, France easily defeated Canada 4-0 in Group A action on Thursday. This result coupled with Germany's victory over Nigeria clinches a quarterfinal berth for France and eliminates Canada.
The surprise in this match was not who won, but by how much. This game would have been rated a fairly even matchup coming in, maybe a slight advantage to the French. But no one could have foreseen a four goal thrashing that France dished out.
The two teams traded chances in the opening minutes of the match. Jonelle Filigno sent the ball through on the right side for Christine Sinclair, but Berangere Sapowicz came out beating Sinclair and getting just enough of the ball to keep Sinclair from putting any kind of effort on goal. Sinclair was wearing a specially made mask to protect the broken nose she suffered in the match against Germany.
A minute later, Marie-Laure Delie had the Canadian defense beaten, but Erin McLeod cut down the angle and made the save as Delie tried to move around her.
In the 15th minute, Sophie Schmidt put a soft pass through to Diana Matheson, but her first touch was heavy and the chance got away from her.
A Canadian turnover led to the first goal of the match. Elise Bussaglia released a shot from the 18 yard mark that was deflected into the air. Gaetane Thiney headed home the rebound for the goal and France led 1-0. Quite frankly, Thiney and Delie both appeared to be offsides on the play, but it was close.
France nearly made it 2-0 on Louisa Necib's blast from 25 yards in the 31st minute. It was heading into the upper left corner before McLeod reached up and deflected it over the net. A minute later, Necib crossed the ball to just outside the six, but Delie's header attempt went harmlessly wide.
Matheson tried to even the match in the 39th minute as she weaved through the French defense, but her shot from 18 yards went wide left.
At the very end of the half, an inswinging Necib corner was very dangerous, but McLeod reached up and slapped it away. While Canada had a few opportunities, France was controlling the match more and more as the half wore on.
In the 53rd minute, Delie was through the defense, but her shot from 16 yards was grabbed by McLeod. The French continued to assert themselves and Delie's speed was clearly causing the Canadian back line some problems.
Canada once again looked to tie in the 59th minute. Christina Julien stole a pass and quickly got the ball to Sinclair, who charged into the box from the right side. However, Laura Georges defended the play well and Canada came up empty again, not even getting a shot off.
Delie's hustle indirectly led to the second French goal as her pressure led to a Canadian turnover. Gaetane used her first touch to settle and then blasted a brilliant shot that hit the inside of the right post and in, past a diving McLeod who really had no chance on the play. Now 2-0, things were looking very dim for Canada.
Even when the Canadians created chances, something always seem to go amiss. Filigno made a very nice play gaining possession at the 18 yard mark and getting around the defender Sabrina Viguier. But just as it appeared Filigno would have a golden clear-cut shot at the goal, she stepped on top of the ball falling down in the process and failed to get a shot off.
And as happened just minutes earlier, a missed Canadian opportunity was followed by a French goal. Sandrine Soubeyrand's corner was placed perfectly in the center of the goal about nine yards out and a wide open Camille Abily put a beautiful header into the upper left corner of the goal, with the unfortunate McLeod again having no chance whatsoever.
More frustration followed for Canada as a Filigno cross found Sinclair, but the great Canadian striker put it over the bar from 10 yards out.
To add insult to injury, Sinclair was pressing the defense in the 80th minute when Sonia Bompastor clearance caught her square in the face. There was clearly no ill-intent on Bompastor's part and she quickly rushed over to see if she was alright. Some blood trickled down Sinclair's nose, which had been broken just four days earlier. However, it later appeared that the blood came from a newly opened cut at the corner of Sinclair's eye.
While Sinclair was being attended to on the sidelines, Necib played the ball over the top of the Canadian defense and second half substitute Elodie Thomis was easily clear by the time she touched the ball around McLeod and rolled the ball safely into the net.
Perhaps the most startling statistic of the match was that Canada had no shots on frame. France had played one of the most dominant matches so far in Germany.
For France, it was a very convincing win and a quarterfinal berth. Louisa Necib continued to impress and seemed to be involved in nearly every play. The speed of the French forwards gave the Canadian defense problems throughout. And while the French defense seem to have moments of vulnerability, they always seemed to recover in time before any trouble was to come of it.
As for Canada, in a year that looked so promising for them, this has to be a bitter disappointment. Even after the loss to Germany, they weren't in bad position. It must be said that the Canadians' task was always going to be hard given the group they were in, but a 4-0 loss in an important match like this one is almost inexplicable. Canada will clearly need to re-evaluate at this point. They have one more rather meaningless match against Nigeria before heading home.
France and Germany will now meet to decide who wins the group next Tuesday. A tie would give the number one seed out of Group A to France, as they have the advantage in goal differential.
Showing posts with label Erin McLeod. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Erin McLeod. Show all posts
June 30, 2011
June 26, 2011
Germany 2, Canada 1
0
comments
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Alexandra Popp, Babett Peter, Canada, Celia Okoyino da Mbabi, Christine Sinclair, Erin McLeod, Germany, Kerstin Garefrekes, Nadine Angerer, Simone Laudehr
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Alexandra Popp, Babett Peter, Canada, Celia Okoyino da Mbabi, Christine Sinclair, Erin McLeod, Germany, Kerstin Garefrekes, Nadine Angerer, Simone Laudehr
Before a crowd of over 73,000 fans, the Germans opened their 2011 World Cup campaign with a 2-1 victory over Canada. But what looked like a second half cakewalk got a little interesting late in the match.
Germany entered this World Cup as the heavy favorites and they had an enthusiastic and partisan crowd behind them. But while they controlled the opening minutes of the match, they very nearly found themselves behind early on.
In the 6th minute, a German turnover gave Canada their first opportunity. Diana Matheson sent Christine Sinclair through on the left side of the box, but the great Canadian striker put the ball over the crossbar.
Germany continued to pressure on the other end. Erin McLeod was called on to make a great save on Kerstin Garefrekes from close range. But it was only seconds later that Germany struck first.
Babett Peter sent in a well-place cross from the left corner and it found Garefrekes on the back post. She soared about Marie-Eve Nault and headed the ball into the net and it was 1-0 for Germany.
In spite of finding themselves down in the opening minutes of the match, Canada didn't flinch. If anything, they may have had a slight edge in play over the next 25 minutes. They came close to getting a goal in the 20th minute, when Matheson sent another ball across the box, but Linda Bresonik cleared the ball wide, just as it appeared Emily Zurrer, who was making a back post run, might get to it.
Unfortunately, after a strong stretch of solid soccer, the Canadians started making mistakes late in the half. Nault was dispossessed of the ball, giving Melanie Behringer a chance, but she hit it over the crossbar.
In the 42nd minute, Germany took advantage of a misallignment by the Canadian back line. Garefrekes volleyed a long ball forward from just on the German side of the field. Not all of the Canadian defense had stepped forward, which kept a surprised Celia Okoyino da Mbabi onside. She walked in on a breakaway an easily slotted the ball past Erin McLeod to double the lead.
But while the Canadians played a fairly strong first half in spite of the score, the Germans totally dominated the first 35 minutes of the second half. They produced chance after chance, but were unable to increase their lead.
Alexandra Popp, who subbed in for Birgit Prinz in the 56th minute, grazed the top of the crossbar from distance in the 65th minute. Garefrekes missed a golden opportunity a minute later. Popp sent the ball across from the right side of the box to an unmarked Garefrekes just seven yards in front of an open net. Instead of putting the match out of reach, the German midfielder skied the ball over the crossbar.
German chances continued to pile up. McLeod made saves on Popp and Inka Grings and was a bit lucky when a Simone Laudehr blast from 30 yards out knocked paint off the crossbar. At that point, Canada had to feel fortunate to just be down by two goals.
But just when it appeared they had no chance, it was the great veteran Sinclair who got them back in the match. Sinclair was tripped up by Laudehr, which drew a yellow card and gave Canada a free kick from 28 yards out. Sinclair hit a beautiful shot, curling over the wall and dipping just under the crossbar into the upper right corner of the net, beating German keeper Nadine Angerer. In a shocking turn of events, the Canadians suddenly had new life.
They nearly tied it two minutes later on yet another set piece. Canada elected to go with a short corner and passed the ball out to defender Robyn Gale who sent the ball into the penalty area. Unexplicably, no one followed Emily Zurrer and she found herself all alone just 12 yards in front of the goal. She probably had more time than she realized and she volleyed it wide.
After that, Germany was able to play out the final few minutes to seal the victory. While Canada had to be disappointed with the loss, they could take heart in that their goal differential for the day did not end as badly as it could have. With France only defeating Nigeria by a goal and the Canadians only losing by one, it opened up the possibility that Canada might be able to advance into the quarterfinals with a tie against France and a victory over Nigeria.
In fact, that will most likely be the key match in Group A. Canada and France meet on Thursday, with the winner being odds on favorite of advancing.
As for Germany, aside from the brief scare at the end, it was a solid victory. They did surrender their first World Cup goal since 2003, after shutting out all opponents in 2007. They will meet Nigeria on Thursday, a team they destroyed last November by an 8-0 margin.
Germany entered this World Cup as the heavy favorites and they had an enthusiastic and partisan crowd behind them. But while they controlled the opening minutes of the match, they very nearly found themselves behind early on.
In the 6th minute, a German turnover gave Canada their first opportunity. Diana Matheson sent Christine Sinclair through on the left side of the box, but the great Canadian striker put the ball over the crossbar.
Germany continued to pressure on the other end. Erin McLeod was called on to make a great save on Kerstin Garefrekes from close range. But it was only seconds later that Germany struck first.
Babett Peter sent in a well-place cross from the left corner and it found Garefrekes on the back post. She soared about Marie-Eve Nault and headed the ball into the net and it was 1-0 for Germany.
In spite of finding themselves down in the opening minutes of the match, Canada didn't flinch. If anything, they may have had a slight edge in play over the next 25 minutes. They came close to getting a goal in the 20th minute, when Matheson sent another ball across the box, but Linda Bresonik cleared the ball wide, just as it appeared Emily Zurrer, who was making a back post run, might get to it.
Unfortunately, after a strong stretch of solid soccer, the Canadians started making mistakes late in the half. Nault was dispossessed of the ball, giving Melanie Behringer a chance, but she hit it over the crossbar.
In the 42nd minute, Germany took advantage of a misallignment by the Canadian back line. Garefrekes volleyed a long ball forward from just on the German side of the field. Not all of the Canadian defense had stepped forward, which kept a surprised Celia Okoyino da Mbabi onside. She walked in on a breakaway an easily slotted the ball past Erin McLeod to double the lead.
But while the Canadians played a fairly strong first half in spite of the score, the Germans totally dominated the first 35 minutes of the second half. They produced chance after chance, but were unable to increase their lead.
Alexandra Popp, who subbed in for Birgit Prinz in the 56th minute, grazed the top of the crossbar from distance in the 65th minute. Garefrekes missed a golden opportunity a minute later. Popp sent the ball across from the right side of the box to an unmarked Garefrekes just seven yards in front of an open net. Instead of putting the match out of reach, the German midfielder skied the ball over the crossbar.
German chances continued to pile up. McLeod made saves on Popp and Inka Grings and was a bit lucky when a Simone Laudehr blast from 30 yards out knocked paint off the crossbar. At that point, Canada had to feel fortunate to just be down by two goals.
But just when it appeared they had no chance, it was the great veteran Sinclair who got them back in the match. Sinclair was tripped up by Laudehr, which drew a yellow card and gave Canada a free kick from 28 yards out. Sinclair hit a beautiful shot, curling over the wall and dipping just under the crossbar into the upper right corner of the net, beating German keeper Nadine Angerer. In a shocking turn of events, the Canadians suddenly had new life.
They nearly tied it two minutes later on yet another set piece. Canada elected to go with a short corner and passed the ball out to defender Robyn Gale who sent the ball into the penalty area. Unexplicably, no one followed Emily Zurrer and she found herself all alone just 12 yards in front of the goal. She probably had more time than she realized and she volleyed it wide.
After that, Germany was able to play out the final few minutes to seal the victory. While Canada had to be disappointed with the loss, they could take heart in that their goal differential for the day did not end as badly as it could have. With France only defeating Nigeria by a goal and the Canadians only losing by one, it opened up the possibility that Canada might be able to advance into the quarterfinals with a tie against France and a victory over Nigeria.
In fact, that will most likely be the key match in Group A. Canada and France meet on Thursday, with the winner being odds on favorite of advancing.
As for Germany, aside from the brief scare at the end, it was a solid victory. They did surrender their first World Cup goal since 2003, after shutting out all opponents in 2007. They will meet Nigeria on Thursday, a team they destroyed last November by an 8-0 margin.
April 5, 2010
Washington Freedom 2010 - Are They Defensive Enough?
0
comments
Labels: 2010 WPS, Abby Wambach, Cat Whitehill, Erin McLeod, Lene Mykjåland, Lisa DeVanna, Sarah Huffman, Washington Freedom
Labels: 2010 WPS, Abby Wambach, Cat Whitehill, Erin McLeod, Lene Mykjåland, Lisa DeVanna, Sarah Huffman, Washington Freedom
Coach: Jim Gabarra
2009 Record: 8-7-5 (3rd place)
Postseason: Lost to Sky Blue 2-1 in the 1st round.
Returnees (13): Sonia Bompastor, Lisa De Vanna, Jill Gilbeau, Sarah Huffman, Allie Long, Erin McLeod, Rebecca Moros, Becky Sauerbrunn, Homare Sawa, Briana Scurry, Alex Singer, Abby Wambach, Cat Whitehill.
Draft Choices (4): Nikki Marshall, Beverly Goebel, Kristi Eveland, Caitlin Miskel.
LA Dispersal Draft (1): Brittany Bock.
International Signings ( 1): Lene Mykjåland.
Free Agents (3): Marisa Abegg, Meagan McCray, Christie Welsh.
If there were a soccer equivalent to standing pat, the Washington Freedom would fit that description better than any team in the league. They retained 13 players from last year’s 3rd place squad, brought back all four international players from last year, and primarily used the draft for improvement. The only real high impact free agent that the Freedom signed was Norwegian striker, Lene Mykjåland. They only picked up one player in the LA dispersal draft, although a very high quality selection in Brittany Bock.
The 2009 version of the Freedom could score, and score often. Washington scored 3 or more goals in 6 matches and led WPS with 32 goals. Unfortunately, they also gave up 32 goals and one would have to think that they need to shore up their defense if they want to compete for the title. The situation did improve after the arrival of Erin McLeod, but there were all too many high-scoring shootouts.
Goalkeeping-The Freedom return last year’s starter and Canadian National Team veteran, Erin McLeod. McLeod earned three shutouts and posted a 1.43 GAA in 14 starts for Washington. The Freedom were allowing nearly 3 goals per game before McLeod’s arrival in May and there’s no doubt that her presence improved their defense. Veteran Briana Scurry returns as the backup after an injury filled 2009. Meghan McCray won the battle for developmental keeper after spending '09 with FC Gold Pride.
Defenders-I’m sure giving up a league high 32 goals was not what Coach Jim Gabarra had in mind for the 2009 Freedom. They return four of their starters intact from last year’s group and have added 3 players that should help out. Out of the 3, Brittany Bock could have the most impact. Bock may have had the best season of any of the new college grads in 2009 and is among the league’s most versatile players, spending time at several positions. The Freedom added Nikki Marshall and Kristi Eveland through the college draft. Marshall spent the latter part of her college career as a forward for Colorado, but was a mainstay at center back for 2008 U-20 WC champs. Eveland played outside right in UNC’s 3 back defense.
The returnees include Cat Whitehill and Becky Sauerbrunn in the middle. Whitehill, a member of the USWNT team, is particularly dangerous on long free kicks which she almost unerringly sends dangerously into the penalty area. Sauerbrunn also proved her offensive prowess scoring Washington’s 1st goal ever on a header. On the outside, Alex Singer and Jill Gilbeau return. Singer is probably the better of the two defensively, while Gilbeau has ability going into the attack and she can play wing/midfielder or forward, as well. Marisa Abegg adds depth to this unit.
Midfielders-Sonia Bompastor is the engine that makes this team run. One of the world’s best all round players, Bompastor scored 4 goals last season and tied for the WPS lead in assists with 6. She is also versatile and can play anywhere on the field. From an offensive point of view, Washington appeared much stronger with Bompastor playing midfield and the loss of Lori Lindsey almost ensures she will spend most of 2010 in that position. The Freedom also return holding midfielder Homare Sawa, a 3 goal scorer from ’09. Sawa had a solid season and she gives Washington good support at the defensive end.
Washington does get a boost in the return of Sarah Huffman. Huffman missed the entire '09 season, save for a 17 minute appearance in the playoffs. For attacking midfielders, the Freedom have Allie Long and Rebecca Moros, both of whom played quality minutes in 2009. Long scored two goals and showed great improvement as the year progressed. Moros also had two goals with an assist and she relentlessly pressures opposing backs into mistakes. Another midfielder, Beverly Goebel out of Miami, is a 3rd round selection. The main question for this group is whether or not Huffman will be able to give the Freedom what Lindsey did in 2009.
Forwards-Washington already had the best forward combination of power and speed with Abby Wambach and Lisa De Vanna, and now they have added Norwegian striker Lene Mykjåland to the mix. Just 23 years old, Mykjåland has spent the last 5 seasons with Roå. She has 25 caps and 5 goals for Norway, a team with a long, successful history in women’s soccer. The addition of Mykjåland certainly gives Gabarra more options upfront.
Abby Wambach is perhaps one of the most feared forwards in the world and she’s now back fully fit from the leg injury that kept her out of the 2008 Olympics. Wambach started slowly in ’09, but put on a late surge scoring 5 goals in the last four regular season games, giving her 8 for the year. There is no player better in the air near the goal. Meanwhile, De Vanna is motion personified. Very few defenders can match her stride for stride and she scored 6 goals and 5 assists for the Freedom last season. The Freedom did add veteran Christie Welsh, who scored 3 goals late in the season for Saint Louis for depth. Virginia alum and Freedom W-League player Caitlin Miskel is a developmental forward.
Summary-The loss of Lindsey left a hole in the midfield, but the return of Huffman, and additions of Mykjåland, Bock, and Marshall should improve the team. The question is how much. There’s no doubt that this team will score goals, but they aren’t going to be able to just rely on outscoring every team. The defense is going to have to win some matches for Washington to compete for the top spot. Having McLeod for an entire season will help, as will the presence of Marshall and Bock. If they can hold opponents somewhere near a goal a game, we will see this team in the playoffs in September.
2009 Record: 8-7-5 (3rd place)
Postseason: Lost to Sky Blue 2-1 in the 1st round.
Returnees (13): Sonia Bompastor, Lisa De Vanna, Jill Gilbeau, Sarah Huffman, Allie Long, Erin McLeod, Rebecca Moros, Becky Sauerbrunn, Homare Sawa, Briana Scurry, Alex Singer, Abby Wambach, Cat Whitehill.
Draft Choices (4): Nikki Marshall, Beverly Goebel, Kristi Eveland, Caitlin Miskel.
LA Dispersal Draft (1): Brittany Bock.
International Signings ( 1): Lene Mykjåland.
Free Agents (3): Marisa Abegg, Meagan McCray, Christie Welsh.
If there were a soccer equivalent to standing pat, the Washington Freedom would fit that description better than any team in the league. They retained 13 players from last year’s 3rd place squad, brought back all four international players from last year, and primarily used the draft for improvement. The only real high impact free agent that the Freedom signed was Norwegian striker, Lene Mykjåland. They only picked up one player in the LA dispersal draft, although a very high quality selection in Brittany Bock.
The 2009 version of the Freedom could score, and score often. Washington scored 3 or more goals in 6 matches and led WPS with 32 goals. Unfortunately, they also gave up 32 goals and one would have to think that they need to shore up their defense if they want to compete for the title. The situation did improve after the arrival of Erin McLeod, but there were all too many high-scoring shootouts.
Goalkeeping-The Freedom return last year’s starter and Canadian National Team veteran, Erin McLeod. McLeod earned three shutouts and posted a 1.43 GAA in 14 starts for Washington. The Freedom were allowing nearly 3 goals per game before McLeod’s arrival in May and there’s no doubt that her presence improved their defense. Veteran Briana Scurry returns as the backup after an injury filled 2009. Meghan McCray won the battle for developmental keeper after spending '09 with FC Gold Pride.
Defenders-I’m sure giving up a league high 32 goals was not what Coach Jim Gabarra had in mind for the 2009 Freedom. They return four of their starters intact from last year’s group and have added 3 players that should help out. Out of the 3, Brittany Bock could have the most impact. Bock may have had the best season of any of the new college grads in 2009 and is among the league’s most versatile players, spending time at several positions. The Freedom added Nikki Marshall and Kristi Eveland through the college draft. Marshall spent the latter part of her college career as a forward for Colorado, but was a mainstay at center back for 2008 U-20 WC champs. Eveland played outside right in UNC’s 3 back defense.
The returnees include Cat Whitehill and Becky Sauerbrunn in the middle. Whitehill, a member of the USWNT team, is particularly dangerous on long free kicks which she almost unerringly sends dangerously into the penalty area. Sauerbrunn also proved her offensive prowess scoring Washington’s 1st goal ever on a header. On the outside, Alex Singer and Jill Gilbeau return. Singer is probably the better of the two defensively, while Gilbeau has ability going into the attack and she can play wing/midfielder or forward, as well. Marisa Abegg adds depth to this unit.
Midfielders-Sonia Bompastor is the engine that makes this team run. One of the world’s best all round players, Bompastor scored 4 goals last season and tied for the WPS lead in assists with 6. She is also versatile and can play anywhere on the field. From an offensive point of view, Washington appeared much stronger with Bompastor playing midfield and the loss of Lori Lindsey almost ensures she will spend most of 2010 in that position. The Freedom also return holding midfielder Homare Sawa, a 3 goal scorer from ’09. Sawa had a solid season and she gives Washington good support at the defensive end.
Washington does get a boost in the return of Sarah Huffman. Huffman missed the entire '09 season, save for a 17 minute appearance in the playoffs. For attacking midfielders, the Freedom have Allie Long and Rebecca Moros, both of whom played quality minutes in 2009. Long scored two goals and showed great improvement as the year progressed. Moros also had two goals with an assist and she relentlessly pressures opposing backs into mistakes. Another midfielder, Beverly Goebel out of Miami, is a 3rd round selection. The main question for this group is whether or not Huffman will be able to give the Freedom what Lindsey did in 2009.
Forwards-Washington already had the best forward combination of power and speed with Abby Wambach and Lisa De Vanna, and now they have added Norwegian striker Lene Mykjåland to the mix. Just 23 years old, Mykjåland has spent the last 5 seasons with Roå. She has 25 caps and 5 goals for Norway, a team with a long, successful history in women’s soccer. The addition of Mykjåland certainly gives Gabarra more options upfront.
Abby Wambach is perhaps one of the most feared forwards in the world and she’s now back fully fit from the leg injury that kept her out of the 2008 Olympics. Wambach started slowly in ’09, but put on a late surge scoring 5 goals in the last four regular season games, giving her 8 for the year. There is no player better in the air near the goal. Meanwhile, De Vanna is motion personified. Very few defenders can match her stride for stride and she scored 6 goals and 5 assists for the Freedom last season. The Freedom did add veteran Christie Welsh, who scored 3 goals late in the season for Saint Louis for depth. Virginia alum and Freedom W-League player Caitlin Miskel is a developmental forward.
Summary-The loss of Lindsey left a hole in the midfield, but the return of Huffman, and additions of Mykjåland, Bock, and Marshall should improve the team. The question is how much. There’s no doubt that this team will score goals, but they aren’t going to be able to just rely on outscoring every team. The defense is going to have to win some matches for Washington to compete for the top spot. Having McLeod for an entire season will help, as will the presence of Marshall and Bock. If they can hold opponents somewhere near a goal a game, we will see this team in the playoffs in September.
December 24, 2009
Washington Freedom - The Offseason So Far
0
comments
Labels: Abby Wambach, Erin McLeod, Lene Mykjåland, Lisa DeVanna, Lori Lindsey, Sonia Bompastor, Washington Freedom
Labels: Abby Wambach, Erin McLeod, Lene Mykjåland, Lisa DeVanna, Lori Lindsey, Sonia Bompastor, Washington Freedom
For the 4th installment on the WPS offseason...the Washington Freedom.
When Last We Left Them...
The Washington Freedom finished in 3rd place with 29 points and an 8-7-5 record. The 2009 Freedom could score a lot, leading the league with 32 goals. Unfortunately, they also gave up 32 goals, worst in the WPS. Abby Wambach and Lisa De Vanna were a dangerous combination of power and speed up front. Together, they scored 14 goals for the regular season, with De Vanna adding one in the playoffs. Sonia Bompastor added four goals of her own and was one of the best midfielders in the league.
But on the defensive side, there were problems. Early on, Washington gave up goals and lots of them. By midseason, the Freedom had installed Erin McLeod as their starting keeper and that seemed to temporarily solve the problem. Washington had a 6 game stretch where they gave up a total of just 3 goals. But late in the season, the defense gave up 4 goals in one game against Sky Blue and 3 in a key late season contest against Gold Pride. The Freedom then made a quick exit in the playoffs, losing at home to eventual champions Sky Blue by a 2-1 margin.
Roster Moves
The Freedom's offseason has been extremely quiet...no free agent signings, no trades, no nothing. Quiet that is, until yesterday when they announced the signing of 22 year old forward Lene Mykjåland, a member of the 2008 Norwegian Olympic Team. Mykjåland has spent the last 4 years with Rǿa of the Norwegian Toppserien. She scored 21 goals in 2009, leading the league and leading her team to a 3rd straight championship. With Wambach, De Vanna, and Mykjåland, the Freedom could threaten their 2009 mark of 32 goals.
The Freedom retained 14 players from their 2009 squad, including all four internationals (Bompastor, De Vanna, McLeod, and Homare Sawa). This also includes the scorers of 29 of their 32 goals (the 30th was an own goal by Gold Pride). Chances are, of all WPS teams, Washington's 2010 roster will change the least from 2009.
However, Washington did lose a couple of players in the expansion draft. Lori Lindsey, a key member of the Freedom midfield in 2009, was left unprotected and Philadelphia quickly took her off the board with their 1st choice. Lindsey's 2009 performance was impressive enough for US National Team coach Pia Sundhage to call her into camp. For the Freedom, she played in 19 games, scoring 2 goals and an assist.
Philadelphia also chose defender Sarah Senty in the expansion draft. Senty, a former University of Virginia star, joined the Freedom in June and started 5 games down the stretch. She also started Washington's playoff match and played the full 90 minutes.
Current Roster
Goalkeepers (2)-Erin McLeod, Briana Scurry.
Defenders (5)-Jill Gilbeau, Alex Krieger, Becky Sauerbrunn, Alex Singer, Cat Whitehill.
Midfielders (5)-Sonia Bompastor, Sarah Huffman, Allie Long, Rebecca Moros, Homare Sawa.
Forwards (3)-Lisa De Vanna, Lene Mykjåland, Abby Wambach.
Additions- Mykjåland
Subtractions- Lori Lindsey (drafted by Philadelphia), Sarah Senty (drafted by Philadelphia).
Other Free Agents from 2009 roster- Kristen DeDycker, Parrissa Eyorokon, Katie Forbis, Emily Janss, Christen Karniski, Joanna Lohman, Kati Jo Spisak.
Internationals-Bompastor, De Vanna, McLeod, Mykjåland, and Sawa.
Draft Picks (in first 3 rounds)-Nos. 7, 18, and 27.
Needs to Address
With Lindsey gone, Washington needs additional help in the midfield. Just how many depends on whether Freedom coach Jim Gabarra would rather use Sonia Bompastor on their back line. Sarah Huffman will be returning after missing the entire 2009 season, save for a brief appearance in the playoff match against Sky Blue. But most of their current midfielders would be considered to be offensive minded. I would think that a defensive mid would be a priority and perhaps a creative playmaking midfielder if Bompastor moves to defense permanently. I could certainly see the Freedom using 2 of their first 3 draft choices on midfielders.
After giving up 32 goals in 2009, defense also has to be a priority. While they would appear to have some strong defenders on their roster, including veteran Cat Whitehill, they did not perform particularly well as a unit last season. They yielded three or more goals 6 times in 2009. Amazingly, they managed a 1-3-2 record in those six games. In a league where 1-0 games are the norm, a solid defense is essential and Washington will seek to improve in this area.
In spite of all their scoring, Washington played a lot of close matches. When their opponents scored a lot, they scored a lot. But in the 4 matches in which they shut out their opponents, they scored only 3 goals. Four different times, the Freedom scored in the 89th minute or later to win or tie games. One thing that can be said about this team is that they keep you on the edge of your seat. Now that Mykjåland has been signed, it will be interesting to see if this team can make enough small changes in the rest of their squad to challenge for the top.
When Last We Left Them...
The Washington Freedom finished in 3rd place with 29 points and an 8-7-5 record. The 2009 Freedom could score a lot, leading the league with 32 goals. Unfortunately, they also gave up 32 goals, worst in the WPS. Abby Wambach and Lisa De Vanna were a dangerous combination of power and speed up front. Together, they scored 14 goals for the regular season, with De Vanna adding one in the playoffs. Sonia Bompastor added four goals of her own and was one of the best midfielders in the league.
But on the defensive side, there were problems. Early on, Washington gave up goals and lots of them. By midseason, the Freedom had installed Erin McLeod as their starting keeper and that seemed to temporarily solve the problem. Washington had a 6 game stretch where they gave up a total of just 3 goals. But late in the season, the defense gave up 4 goals in one game against Sky Blue and 3 in a key late season contest against Gold Pride. The Freedom then made a quick exit in the playoffs, losing at home to eventual champions Sky Blue by a 2-1 margin.
Roster Moves
The Freedom's offseason has been extremely quiet...no free agent signings, no trades, no nothing. Quiet that is, until yesterday when they announced the signing of 22 year old forward Lene Mykjåland, a member of the 2008 Norwegian Olympic Team. Mykjåland has spent the last 4 years with Rǿa of the Norwegian Toppserien. She scored 21 goals in 2009, leading the league and leading her team to a 3rd straight championship. With Wambach, De Vanna, and Mykjåland, the Freedom could threaten their 2009 mark of 32 goals.
The Freedom retained 14 players from their 2009 squad, including all four internationals (Bompastor, De Vanna, McLeod, and Homare Sawa). This also includes the scorers of 29 of their 32 goals (the 30th was an own goal by Gold Pride). Chances are, of all WPS teams, Washington's 2010 roster will change the least from 2009.
However, Washington did lose a couple of players in the expansion draft. Lori Lindsey, a key member of the Freedom midfield in 2009, was left unprotected and Philadelphia quickly took her off the board with their 1st choice. Lindsey's 2009 performance was impressive enough for US National Team coach Pia Sundhage to call her into camp. For the Freedom, she played in 19 games, scoring 2 goals and an assist.
Philadelphia also chose defender Sarah Senty in the expansion draft. Senty, a former University of Virginia star, joined the Freedom in June and started 5 games down the stretch. She also started Washington's playoff match and played the full 90 minutes.
Current Roster
Goalkeepers (2)-Erin McLeod, Briana Scurry.
Defenders (5)-Jill Gilbeau, Alex Krieger, Becky Sauerbrunn, Alex Singer, Cat Whitehill.
Midfielders (5)-Sonia Bompastor, Sarah Huffman, Allie Long, Rebecca Moros, Homare Sawa.
Forwards (3)-Lisa De Vanna, Lene Mykjåland, Abby Wambach.
Additions- Mykjåland
Subtractions- Lori Lindsey (drafted by Philadelphia), Sarah Senty (drafted by Philadelphia).
Other Free Agents from 2009 roster- Kristen DeDycker, Parrissa Eyorokon, Katie Forbis, Emily Janss, Christen Karniski, Joanna Lohman, Kati Jo Spisak.
Internationals-Bompastor, De Vanna, McLeod, Mykjåland, and Sawa.
Draft Picks (in first 3 rounds)-Nos. 7, 18, and 27.
Needs to Address
With Lindsey gone, Washington needs additional help in the midfield. Just how many depends on whether Freedom coach Jim Gabarra would rather use Sonia Bompastor on their back line. Sarah Huffman will be returning after missing the entire 2009 season, save for a brief appearance in the playoff match against Sky Blue. But most of their current midfielders would be considered to be offensive minded. I would think that a defensive mid would be a priority and perhaps a creative playmaking midfielder if Bompastor moves to defense permanently. I could certainly see the Freedom using 2 of their first 3 draft choices on midfielders.
After giving up 32 goals in 2009, defense also has to be a priority. While they would appear to have some strong defenders on their roster, including veteran Cat Whitehill, they did not perform particularly well as a unit last season. They yielded three or more goals 6 times in 2009. Amazingly, they managed a 1-3-2 record in those six games. In a league where 1-0 games are the norm, a solid defense is essential and Washington will seek to improve in this area.
In spite of all their scoring, Washington played a lot of close matches. When their opponents scored a lot, they scored a lot. But in the 4 matches in which they shut out their opponents, they scored only 3 goals. Four different times, the Freedom scored in the 89th minute or later to win or tie games. One thing that can be said about this team is that they keep you on the edge of your seat. Now that Mykjåland has been signed, it will be interesting to see if this team can make enough small changes in the rest of their squad to challenge for the top.
August 14, 2009
WPS Playoffs-Sky Blue FC at Washington Freedom
0
comments
Labels: 2009 WPS, Abby Wambach, Erin McLeod, Jen Branam, Lisa DeVanna, Natasha Kai, Sky Blue FC, Washington Freedom, WPS Playoffs
Labels: 2009 WPS, Abby Wambach, Erin McLeod, Jen Branam, Lisa DeVanna, Natasha Kai, Sky Blue FC, Washington Freedom, WPS Playoffs
Sky Blue FC (7-8-5) at Washington (8-7-5)
Saturday, August 15th, 4 pm ET
Maryland SoccerPlex
Televised on Fox Sports Net and Comcast Sports Net.
Season Series: Washington took the season series with 2 wins and a tie.
5/23/09-Washington 2, Sky Blue 1 (RFK Stadium)
7/15/09-Washington 4, Sky Blue 4 (Yurcak Field)
8/8/09-Washington 3, Sky Blue 1 (Maryland SoccerPlex)
Top Performers in the Series:
Washington-Lisa DeVanna (4 goals, 1 assist), Abby Wambach (2 goals, 2 assists), Cat Whitehill (2 goals), Sonia Bompastor (1 goal, 2 assists), Rebecca Moros (1 assist), Ali Krieger (1 assist), Erin McLeod (2.00 GA)
Sky Blue-Natasha Kai (2 goals, 1 assist), Rosana (2 goals, 1 assist), Kacey White (2 goals), Heather O'Reilly (1 assist), Keeley Dowling (1 assist), Jenni Branam (3.00 GA)
Possible Starting Lineups:
Washington Freedom (Coach-Jim Gabarra)
G-Erin McLeod (1.43 GA, 3 shutouts)
D-Sarah Senty
D-Cat Whitehill (3 goals, 2 assists)
D-Becky Sauerbrunn (1 goal)
D-Ali Krieger (1 assist)
M-Homare Sawa (3 goals)
M-Lori Lindsey (2 goals, 1 assist)
M-Allie Long (2 goals)
M-Rebecca Moros (2 goals, 1 assist)
F-Abby Wambach (8 goals, 5 assists)
F-Lisa DeVanna (6 goals, 5 assists)
Unavailable due to Euros-Sonia Bompastor (4 goals, 6 assists)
Top Subs-Jill Gilbeau, Joanna Lohman, Alex Singer, Kristen DeDycker, Emily Janss
Sky Blue FC (Coach Christie Rampone)
G-Jenni Branam (1.09 GA, 6 shutouts)
D-Keeley Dowling (3 assists)
D-Jen Buczkowski
D-Christie Rampone
D-Meghan Schnur (2 assists)
M-Yael Averbuch
M-Collette McCallum (3 assists)
M-Heather O'Reilly (2 goals, 3 assists)
M-Rosana (5 goals, 1 assist)
F-Natasha Kai (6 goals, 1 assist)
F-Kacey White (3 goals)
Unavailable due to Euros-Anita Asante (starting defender)
Top Subs-Kelly Parker, Julianne Sitch, Kerri Hanks, Noelle Keselica, Katie Hooker
Game Analysis
To this point, Washington has controlled the series and scored pretty much at will against Sky Blue. Sky Blue lost both contests on the Freedom's home turf and will be on the road again in this contest. It's expected to be a warm sunny day, so fatigue and substitutions could be a key in this match as well. Washington is the top offensive club in the WPS with 32 goals scored, while Sky Blue is one of the better defensive teams. Washington is the hotter team coming into this game, winning 4 of their last 5, while Sky Blue is 2-2-1 in their last 5 matches.
Both teams will be dealing with the loss of key players to the Euros. Washington will be without Sonia Bompastor, who has played all over the field and is usually the engine that makes the Freedom run. Sky Blue will be without perhaps their top defender in Anita Asante.
The Freedom will start Erin McLeod in goal. After early season problems for the Freedom, McLeod stabilized the keeper situation and has performed well in spite of her 1.43 goals against average. On defense, Cat Whitehill and Becky Sauerbrunn will be two of the starters. Whitehill is probably the best offensive center back in the league and is a weapon on long free kicks. Sauerbrunn is one of two Freedom players to play every minute this season, the other being Homare Sawa. The outside backs will probably be determined by how Jim Gabarra wishes to deal with Sonia Bompastor's absence. Last week, he started Sarah Senty and Ali Krieger. However, Gabarra could move Krieger up to midfield to replace Bompastor and start either Jill Gilbeau or Alex Singer at outside back.
In the midfield, Homare Sawa and Lori Lindsey are constants. Both are solid, but Sawa suddenly came to life offensively late in the year with 3 goals in the last 5 games. Rebecca Moros plays kind of a hybrid midfielder/forward position and loves to pressure the opposing back line. The other midfielder could be Allie Long, who battled a toe injury for the latter part of the season, veteran Joanna Lohman, or they could move up the speedy Krieger. There is no doubt at the two forward positions and they may be the best tandem in the league. Abby Wambach is the power with 8 goals and Lisa DeVanna is the speed with 6 goals. Sky Blue hasn't really been able to contain either one.
Sky Blue will have Jenni Branam in goal. She is smallish, but very quick and very active in the penalty area. She will surely miss having Anita Asante in front of her. On the back line, three of the starters are certain. Christie Rampone will be one center back, while Meghan Schnur will be one outside back. Rampone, in spite of her age, is still one of the best defenders in the WPS. Keeley Dowling has played mostly outside this year, but she has played inside also and with Wambach being a primary concern, Dowling might start inside because of her great leaping ability. If Dowling plays outside, then Jen Buczkowski will probably be the other center back. If Dowling plays center, then Rampone might use Katie Hooker or Julianne Sitch outside.
At midfield, Sky Blue will almost have to start Yael Averbuch to combat Wambach's size and strength. Rosana and Heather O'Reilly are both scoring threats from the midfield and should give Washington problems, especially since Bompastor will be gone. In spite of not breaking out offensively, O'Reilly is a constant threat and she can dominate when she is in top form. The other starting midfielder will probably be either Aussie Collette McCallum or Canadian Kelly Parker. They split time in last week's match against the Freedom. Up front, Natasha Kai has speed to burn and is one of the most dangerous forwards in the WPS. She will need to capitalize on her opportunities on Saturday. Kacey White, who is an underrated and solid performer at the other forward spot, rounds out the starters for SBFC.
On any ball in the air toward the penalty area, you can bet that Abby Wambach will be in the middle wreaking havoc with the Branam and her defenders. Looking through the tapes and highlight reels, I estimated that an astounding 28 of the 32 goals scored by the Freedom were from within 12 yards of the goal. In fact, nearly half were from the 6 yard box in. Only 3 were scored from outside the penalty area, one early in the season by Lori Lindsey, one off of a set piece play by Cat Whitehill, and one by Homare Sawa late in the season against FC Gold Pride on a rebound. By contrast, the Freedom gave up several goals from the edge of the penalty area and beyond, including one from Sky Blue's Rosana last weekend.
Sky Blue hasn't had all that much of a problem scoring on Washington either. Their speed at forward and midfield can cause a lot of problems to the middle of the Freedom defense, which isn't particularly fast. Kai, O'Reilly, White, and Rosana should keep the Freedom defense on their toes.
Washington Freedom Keys:
1) Get the ball in the air toward the goal. Not only is Washington strong in the air, but they are going against one of the shortest keepers in the league in Jen Branam. If they loft high crosses into the box, Abby Wambach can easily outjump Branam to the point Jen will have trouble punching the ball out, let alone grabbing it. The Freedom will be missing their best server in Bompastor, but Whitehill can be just as dangerous.
2) Time your runs. Lisa DeVanna scored four goals against Sky Blue this year, but she has a habit of going offsides. DeVanna is 2nd only to Eni Aluko in being called offside this season. Sky Blue is one of the best teams in the WPS at the offsides trap, but they can be burned. If she can time her runs, there is no one on the Sky Blue defense that is going to catch her and she should be able to get behind their back line for at least one or two good scoring opportunities.
3) Get defensive help from the midfield. With offensive threats like Kai, O'Reilly, and Rosana facing them, the Freedom midfield is going to have to get back to help their back line defend. Sky Blue managed to score 6 goals against Washington in 3 matches.
Sky Blue Keys:
1) Keep the Freedom's set pieces to a minimum. Washington has scored 7 times on set pieces and 10 goals on headers. Even with Bompastor gone, this is one of their strengths. Sky Blue's clearances must be strong and they can't allow rebounds.
2) Control the midfield. This is one area where I believe Sky Blue should have the advantage, especially with Bompastor out. If Sky Blue can control the midfield and keep the Freedom bottled up in their own end for much of the game, they have a chance. O'Reilly, Parker, McCallum, and Rosana can put a lot of offensive pressure on the Freedom back line. And I'm still waiting for Yael Averbuch to get one of those strong-legged bombs in the back of the net.
3) Contain DeVanna and Wambach. Well that's easy for me to say, not so easy to do. DeVanna has scored 4 goals against Sky Blue this year and Wambach has scored two. Sky Blue's back line cannot allow these two to run amuck. They will probably need to assign either Yael Averbuch because she can matchup in size, or Keeley Dowling because she has great leaping ability, to shadow Wambach. Abby has scored 5 goals in her last 4 matches.
Prediction
Even though Sonia Bompastor is one of the best all round players in the WPS, the loss of Anita Asante may be a bigger loss to Sky Blue. SBFC has had enough trouble stopping Washington and the loss of a top defender will complicate matters worse. The three matches between these two teams have seen a lot of scoring, but playoff matches tend to be conservatively played and lower scoring. Sky Blue may have come farther from the start of the season than any other team, but they have a lot going against them in this game. They're on the road against a team they haven't beaten and they haven't shown that they can stop them. There have been several matches where the Freedom have found a way to win late in the game and I just can't see Sky Blue containing both Wambach and DeVanna the entire match. My prediction is that Washington will defeat Sky Blue 2-1.
Saturday, August 15th, 4 pm ET
Maryland SoccerPlex
Televised on Fox Sports Net and Comcast Sports Net.
Season Series: Washington took the season series with 2 wins and a tie.
5/23/09-Washington 2, Sky Blue 1 (RFK Stadium)
7/15/09-Washington 4, Sky Blue 4 (Yurcak Field)
8/8/09-Washington 3, Sky Blue 1 (Maryland SoccerPlex)
Top Performers in the Series:
Washington-Lisa DeVanna (4 goals, 1 assist), Abby Wambach (2 goals, 2 assists), Cat Whitehill (2 goals), Sonia Bompastor (1 goal, 2 assists), Rebecca Moros (1 assist), Ali Krieger (1 assist), Erin McLeod (2.00 GA)
Sky Blue-Natasha Kai (2 goals, 1 assist), Rosana (2 goals, 1 assist), Kacey White (2 goals), Heather O'Reilly (1 assist), Keeley Dowling (1 assist), Jenni Branam (3.00 GA)
Possible Starting Lineups:
Washington Freedom (Coach-Jim Gabarra)
G-Erin McLeod (1.43 GA, 3 shutouts)
D-Sarah Senty
D-Cat Whitehill (3 goals, 2 assists)
D-Becky Sauerbrunn (1 goal)
D-Ali Krieger (1 assist)
M-Homare Sawa (3 goals)
M-Lori Lindsey (2 goals, 1 assist)
M-Allie Long (2 goals)
M-Rebecca Moros (2 goals, 1 assist)
F-Abby Wambach (8 goals, 5 assists)
F-Lisa DeVanna (6 goals, 5 assists)
Unavailable due to Euros-Sonia Bompastor (4 goals, 6 assists)
Top Subs-Jill Gilbeau, Joanna Lohman, Alex Singer, Kristen DeDycker, Emily Janss
Sky Blue FC (Coach Christie Rampone)
G-Jenni Branam (1.09 GA, 6 shutouts)
D-Keeley Dowling (3 assists)
D-Jen Buczkowski
D-Christie Rampone
D-Meghan Schnur (2 assists)
M-Yael Averbuch
M-Collette McCallum (3 assists)
M-Heather O'Reilly (2 goals, 3 assists)
M-Rosana (5 goals, 1 assist)
F-Natasha Kai (6 goals, 1 assist)
F-Kacey White (3 goals)
Unavailable due to Euros-Anita Asante (starting defender)
Top Subs-Kelly Parker, Julianne Sitch, Kerri Hanks, Noelle Keselica, Katie Hooker
Game Analysis
To this point, Washington has controlled the series and scored pretty much at will against Sky Blue. Sky Blue lost both contests on the Freedom's home turf and will be on the road again in this contest. It's expected to be a warm sunny day, so fatigue and substitutions could be a key in this match as well. Washington is the top offensive club in the WPS with 32 goals scored, while Sky Blue is one of the better defensive teams. Washington is the hotter team coming into this game, winning 4 of their last 5, while Sky Blue is 2-2-1 in their last 5 matches.
Both teams will be dealing with the loss of key players to the Euros. Washington will be without Sonia Bompastor, who has played all over the field and is usually the engine that makes the Freedom run. Sky Blue will be without perhaps their top defender in Anita Asante.
The Freedom will start Erin McLeod in goal. After early season problems for the Freedom, McLeod stabilized the keeper situation and has performed well in spite of her 1.43 goals against average. On defense, Cat Whitehill and Becky Sauerbrunn will be two of the starters. Whitehill is probably the best offensive center back in the league and is a weapon on long free kicks. Sauerbrunn is one of two Freedom players to play every minute this season, the other being Homare Sawa. The outside backs will probably be determined by how Jim Gabarra wishes to deal with Sonia Bompastor's absence. Last week, he started Sarah Senty and Ali Krieger. However, Gabarra could move Krieger up to midfield to replace Bompastor and start either Jill Gilbeau or Alex Singer at outside back.
In the midfield, Homare Sawa and Lori Lindsey are constants. Both are solid, but Sawa suddenly came to life offensively late in the year with 3 goals in the last 5 games. Rebecca Moros plays kind of a hybrid midfielder/forward position and loves to pressure the opposing back line. The other midfielder could be Allie Long, who battled a toe injury for the latter part of the season, veteran Joanna Lohman, or they could move up the speedy Krieger. There is no doubt at the two forward positions and they may be the best tandem in the league. Abby Wambach is the power with 8 goals and Lisa DeVanna is the speed with 6 goals. Sky Blue hasn't really been able to contain either one.
Sky Blue will have Jenni Branam in goal. She is smallish, but very quick and very active in the penalty area. She will surely miss having Anita Asante in front of her. On the back line, three of the starters are certain. Christie Rampone will be one center back, while Meghan Schnur will be one outside back. Rampone, in spite of her age, is still one of the best defenders in the WPS. Keeley Dowling has played mostly outside this year, but she has played inside also and with Wambach being a primary concern, Dowling might start inside because of her great leaping ability. If Dowling plays outside, then Jen Buczkowski will probably be the other center back. If Dowling plays center, then Rampone might use Katie Hooker or Julianne Sitch outside.
At midfield, Sky Blue will almost have to start Yael Averbuch to combat Wambach's size and strength. Rosana and Heather O'Reilly are both scoring threats from the midfield and should give Washington problems, especially since Bompastor will be gone. In spite of not breaking out offensively, O'Reilly is a constant threat and she can dominate when she is in top form. The other starting midfielder will probably be either Aussie Collette McCallum or Canadian Kelly Parker. They split time in last week's match against the Freedom. Up front, Natasha Kai has speed to burn and is one of the most dangerous forwards in the WPS. She will need to capitalize on her opportunities on Saturday. Kacey White, who is an underrated and solid performer at the other forward spot, rounds out the starters for SBFC.
On any ball in the air toward the penalty area, you can bet that Abby Wambach will be in the middle wreaking havoc with the Branam and her defenders. Looking through the tapes and highlight reels, I estimated that an astounding 28 of the 32 goals scored by the Freedom were from within 12 yards of the goal. In fact, nearly half were from the 6 yard box in. Only 3 were scored from outside the penalty area, one early in the season by Lori Lindsey, one off of a set piece play by Cat Whitehill, and one by Homare Sawa late in the season against FC Gold Pride on a rebound. By contrast, the Freedom gave up several goals from the edge of the penalty area and beyond, including one from Sky Blue's Rosana last weekend.
Sky Blue hasn't had all that much of a problem scoring on Washington either. Their speed at forward and midfield can cause a lot of problems to the middle of the Freedom defense, which isn't particularly fast. Kai, O'Reilly, White, and Rosana should keep the Freedom defense on their toes.
Washington Freedom Keys:
1) Get the ball in the air toward the goal. Not only is Washington strong in the air, but they are going against one of the shortest keepers in the league in Jen Branam. If they loft high crosses into the box, Abby Wambach can easily outjump Branam to the point Jen will have trouble punching the ball out, let alone grabbing it. The Freedom will be missing their best server in Bompastor, but Whitehill can be just as dangerous.
2) Time your runs. Lisa DeVanna scored four goals against Sky Blue this year, but she has a habit of going offsides. DeVanna is 2nd only to Eni Aluko in being called offside this season. Sky Blue is one of the best teams in the WPS at the offsides trap, but they can be burned. If she can time her runs, there is no one on the Sky Blue defense that is going to catch her and she should be able to get behind their back line for at least one or two good scoring opportunities.
3) Get defensive help from the midfield. With offensive threats like Kai, O'Reilly, and Rosana facing them, the Freedom midfield is going to have to get back to help their back line defend. Sky Blue managed to score 6 goals against Washington in 3 matches.
Sky Blue Keys:
1) Keep the Freedom's set pieces to a minimum. Washington has scored 7 times on set pieces and 10 goals on headers. Even with Bompastor gone, this is one of their strengths. Sky Blue's clearances must be strong and they can't allow rebounds.
2) Control the midfield. This is one area where I believe Sky Blue should have the advantage, especially with Bompastor out. If Sky Blue can control the midfield and keep the Freedom bottled up in their own end for much of the game, they have a chance. O'Reilly, Parker, McCallum, and Rosana can put a lot of offensive pressure on the Freedom back line. And I'm still waiting for Yael Averbuch to get one of those strong-legged bombs in the back of the net.
3) Contain DeVanna and Wambach. Well that's easy for me to say, not so easy to do. DeVanna has scored 4 goals against Sky Blue this year and Wambach has scored two. Sky Blue's back line cannot allow these two to run amuck. They will probably need to assign either Yael Averbuch because she can matchup in size, or Keeley Dowling because she has great leaping ability, to shadow Wambach. Abby has scored 5 goals in her last 4 matches.
Prediction
Even though Sonia Bompastor is one of the best all round players in the WPS, the loss of Anita Asante may be a bigger loss to Sky Blue. SBFC has had enough trouble stopping Washington and the loss of a top defender will complicate matters worse. The three matches between these two teams have seen a lot of scoring, but playoff matches tend to be conservatively played and lower scoring. Sky Blue may have come farther from the start of the season than any other team, but they have a lot going against them in this game. They're on the road against a team they haven't beaten and they haven't shown that they can stop them. There have been several matches where the Freedom have found a way to win late in the game and I just can't see Sky Blue containing both Wambach and DeVanna the entire match. My prediction is that Washington will defeat Sky Blue 2-1.
June 20, 2009
Match Report-Freedom 1, Athletica 0
The Washington Freedom defeated Saint Louis Athletica 1-0 in a grueling game, played in intense heat in St. Louis. Rebecca Moros blocked a clearing effort by Kia McNeill, the ball came to her feet and she lifted a shot that went over Hope Solo, hit the crossbar and fell straight down and across the goal line in the 83rd minute. The shot appeared to have a lot of spin on it. The goal went against the run of play in the 2nd half, which was mostly dominated by Saint Louis.
The first half started with Athletica putting pressure on in the opening minutes of the game. Saint Louis got off 4 shots in the opening 8 minutes, but all were saved by Erin McLeod or wide of the net, with none being particularly dangerous.
In the 9th minute, the Freedom turned the tables. Hope Solo first punched out a dangerous cross, then made a leaping save to her right to deflect the ball to the corner and then grabbed another dangerous cross, all in the space of about 15 seconds. It was probably the best chance that Washington would have until the game winner. Washington did have an edge in play for the remainder of the first half. Allie Long was very active in the first half and had several attempts on goal with one going just over the crossbar.
Late in the half, Athletica started to gain the momentum back. Christie Welsh hit a hard low shot that McLeod made a diving save on in the 37th minute. A minute later, Athletica wasted a chance on a free kick that was poorly struck by Lori Chalupny.
The heat was so brutal that two players didn't make it through the first half. Elise Weber came off at the 26 minute mark, replaced by Melissa Tancredi, seeing her first action in quite awhile because of an injury. The big surprise was Abby Wambach coming off in the 40th minute in favor of Jill Gilbeau.
The 2nd half started much the same as the first, with Athletica putting heavy pressure on the Freedom goal. Two corner kicks both produced headers that came very close to being goals. The first was by Christie Welsh whose shot either hit the crossbar or was deflected out by McLeod's hand (it was hard to tell from my angle). The second was by Tancredi whose header hit the bar only to deflect wide. Welsh was replaced by Kerri Hanks at the 55 minute mark. Shortly thereafter, DeDycker subbed in for Long for the Freedom.
Both teams traded harmless chances midway through the 2nd half. But in the 69th minute, Athletica almost got on the board with a free kick. The kick taken by Woznuk was headed out, but Lori Chalupny volleyed it and it was deflected just wide of the goal to the right. Another free kick by Woznuk a few minutes later appeared dangerous, but Athletica was unable to get a good shot off. Sara Larsson subbed in for Amanda Cinalli in the 80th minute.
It was at that point that fate fell the Freedom's way and Moros scored her goal. Athletica wasn't ready to throw in the towel just yet though. A minute later, Chalupny whistled one just over the bar. A couple minutes after that, Athletica had a nice build up as Chalupny passed to Tancredi on the right side who crossed to an onrushing Eniola Aluko. McLeod came sliding out and just got the ball with her foot, dashing Aluko's chance for the equalizer. Just before stoppage, Athletica again had the ball in the Freedom's penalty area. McLeod came out to try to cut off the ball, but Hanks managed to get control to the side of the penalty area, with McLeod a good 12 yards or so out of the goal. However, it took Hanks too long to cross the ball and Cat Whitehill recovered to clear the ball out of danger. Athletica had one more chance in stoppage, but Chalupny's blistering shot went just wide to the right.
The woman of the match for the Freedom had to be McLeod who saved the day for them on more than one occasion. As mentioned earlier, Allie Long was quite active and had a good game, as was Lisa DeVanna who seemed to have endless energy on a brutally hot day. Also credit the Freedom's defense for bottling up Aluko for most of the first half.
For Athletica, Lori Chalupny was a force on the offensive end but just couldn't get any of her numerous shots into the net. Hope Solo played a solid game and I'm not sure you could fault her on what was a fairly unlucky goal. Melissa Tancredi came in early and did a pretty nice job at right back and really the defense played pretty well as a unit, except for the goal.
The official shot totals were 12-11 for Athletica, but my notes showed quite a few more. The win vaulted the Freedom into 2nd place, with Athletica falling to 3rd place, pending the outcome of tomorrow's games.
The first half started with Athletica putting pressure on in the opening minutes of the game. Saint Louis got off 4 shots in the opening 8 minutes, but all were saved by Erin McLeod or wide of the net, with none being particularly dangerous.
In the 9th minute, the Freedom turned the tables. Hope Solo first punched out a dangerous cross, then made a leaping save to her right to deflect the ball to the corner and then grabbed another dangerous cross, all in the space of about 15 seconds. It was probably the best chance that Washington would have until the game winner. Washington did have an edge in play for the remainder of the first half. Allie Long was very active in the first half and had several attempts on goal with one going just over the crossbar.
Late in the half, Athletica started to gain the momentum back. Christie Welsh hit a hard low shot that McLeod made a diving save on in the 37th minute. A minute later, Athletica wasted a chance on a free kick that was poorly struck by Lori Chalupny.
The heat was so brutal that two players didn't make it through the first half. Elise Weber came off at the 26 minute mark, replaced by Melissa Tancredi, seeing her first action in quite awhile because of an injury. The big surprise was Abby Wambach coming off in the 40th minute in favor of Jill Gilbeau.
The 2nd half started much the same as the first, with Athletica putting heavy pressure on the Freedom goal. Two corner kicks both produced headers that came very close to being goals. The first was by Christie Welsh whose shot either hit the crossbar or was deflected out by McLeod's hand (it was hard to tell from my angle). The second was by Tancredi whose header hit the bar only to deflect wide. Welsh was replaced by Kerri Hanks at the 55 minute mark. Shortly thereafter, DeDycker subbed in for Long for the Freedom.
Both teams traded harmless chances midway through the 2nd half. But in the 69th minute, Athletica almost got on the board with a free kick. The kick taken by Woznuk was headed out, but Lori Chalupny volleyed it and it was deflected just wide of the goal to the right. Another free kick by Woznuk a few minutes later appeared dangerous, but Athletica was unable to get a good shot off. Sara Larsson subbed in for Amanda Cinalli in the 80th minute.
It was at that point that fate fell the Freedom's way and Moros scored her goal. Athletica wasn't ready to throw in the towel just yet though. A minute later, Chalupny whistled one just over the bar. A couple minutes after that, Athletica had a nice build up as Chalupny passed to Tancredi on the right side who crossed to an onrushing Eniola Aluko. McLeod came sliding out and just got the ball with her foot, dashing Aluko's chance for the equalizer. Just before stoppage, Athletica again had the ball in the Freedom's penalty area. McLeod came out to try to cut off the ball, but Hanks managed to get control to the side of the penalty area, with McLeod a good 12 yards or so out of the goal. However, it took Hanks too long to cross the ball and Cat Whitehill recovered to clear the ball out of danger. Athletica had one more chance in stoppage, but Chalupny's blistering shot went just wide to the right.
The woman of the match for the Freedom had to be McLeod who saved the day for them on more than one occasion. As mentioned earlier, Allie Long was quite active and had a good game, as was Lisa DeVanna who seemed to have endless energy on a brutally hot day. Also credit the Freedom's defense for bottling up Aluko for most of the first half.
For Athletica, Lori Chalupny was a force on the offensive end but just couldn't get any of her numerous shots into the net. Hope Solo played a solid game and I'm not sure you could fault her on what was a fairly unlucky goal. Melissa Tancredi came in early and did a pretty nice job at right back and really the defense played pretty well as a unit, except for the goal.
The official shot totals were 12-11 for Athletica, but my notes showed quite a few more. The win vaulted the Freedom into 2nd place, with Athletica falling to 3rd place, pending the outcome of tomorrow's games.
May 29, 2009
WPS Weekend Matches-May 30-31
Saint Louis Athletica at Los Angeles Sol
When these two teams last met, Saint Louis hadn't scored a goal, much less won a game and Los Angeles was in first place. The two teams played to a scoreless tie on April 25th. The Sol is still at the top of the table, solidifying their hold by defeating FC Gold Pride 2-0 last week. However, Athletica's fortunes have changed, earning 8 points in their last four games. Back in April, Kendall Fletcher and Christie Welsh wore LA Sol kits against Saint Louis, but they have traded in those for Athletica green. One important thing to remember is that Marta didn't play in the first contest.
The addition of Fletcher has definitely helped Athletica. She was involved in both goals against Chicago, getting an assist on one. After playing only 45 minutes for the Sol, she has played 123 minutes in just two games since arriving in Saint Louis. Although she still appears a step slow at times, probably due to her lack of playing time, she has proven to be a hard worker for Athletica.
However, the real offensive spark for the past month has been Eniola Aluko, the talented English striker. Aluko scored her first goal against the Freedom early in the month and scored a goal and caused another against the Red Stars last weekend. She's fast and has the skill to beat defenders one-on-one. The problem is that outside of Aluko and the injured Daniela, Athletica doesn't create a lot of scoring chances. A skilled defensive team like the Sol can neutralize one player.
Meanwhile, the Sol just keep clicking. They have shut out 7 of their 8 opponents, giving up just 2 goals for the year. They didn't miss a beat last week with Val Henderson replacing Karina LeBlanc, who was in Canada for her national team. LeBlanc will be back and she has a fine back line in front of her including Cox, Falk, Franko, and either Bock or Makoski. Marta has provided most of the offense, but others are starting to chip in. Last week, Aya Miyama forced a penalty which Camille Abily converted and Han Duan scored her first goal of the year.
If Saint Louis is to have a chance, they must score first. If the Sol get the lead, then their defense can blanket Athletica as they wait for opportunities to spring their lethal counterattack, either with Marta or as was the case last week, with Han Duan. Athletica is most likely going to attack from their wings on the outside, which is when they appear to be most dangerous. Hope Solo will have to be on her game and her defense cannot afford mistakes.
FC Gold Pride at Washington Freedom
These two teams met a month ago in a wild scoring affair that saw Washington edge Gold Pride 4-3 on an Abby Wambach goal in stoppage. This time, the game sets up as a battle for 3rd place as FC Gold Pride enters the game with 10 points, while Washington has 9 points.
Since then, Canadian Erin McLeod has taken over in goal for the Freedom and the difference has been noticeable. Before McLeod, Washington was giving up 2.4 goals per game. Since then, they have allowed only 1 goal per game. Most opposing teams concentrate on defending Wambach and rightfully so, but the Freedom have several weapons and eight different players have scored a goal. Much of the Freedom's offense comes through the midfield, especially from Sonia Bompastor and Lori Lindsey. Gold Pride must beware of set pieces in their own end. Washington can be dominating in the air and 8 of their 12 goals have come on headers. Last week, Cat Whitehill put one away off of a corner kick.
If things hold true, Gold Pride should get some chances of their own. Even in last week's 2-1 Freedom victory, Sky Blue had several opportunities. FCGP is going through a scoring slump with only one goal in their last 3 games. After missing last week due to national team duty, Christine Sinclair returns to the lineup, joining Tiffeny Milbrett as Bay Area's biggest offensive threats. After getting off to a fast start, Tiffany Weimer has been quiet as of late, with no goals and only one shot during that three week scoring slump. It has also been a long time since Eriko Arakawa has entered the scorer's book and one would think she is due. The injury to Kandace Wilson is a huge blow to Gold Pride. She is a speedy outside defender who can give opponents fits when she goes forward. She will be missed on both ends of the field.
The keys for Gold Pride are to not give any fouls in their own end and to try to control the midfield with their passing game, as they did in the 2nd half against Athletica two weeks ago. Formiga may be the player to watch there. McLeod has been a breath of fresh air for the Freedom, but they still need to tighten their defense as they give up way too many chances. The Freedom will use overlapping runs from Gilbeau when they can and get the ball to Bompastor to work her magic. I don't think we'll see 7 goals as in the first meeting, but expect there to be plenty of scoring.
Boston Breakers at Sky Blue FC
Sky Blue returns home for the first time since April 11th and a lot has happened since then. Ian Sawyers is out as head coach and assistant coach Kelly Lindsey has been installed as the interim head coach. Lindsey has the unenviable task to bring this team together and reverse course for the last place Jersey team. The 2nd place Breakers come calling on a televised FSC matchup on Sunday evening.
In spite of their 1-4-2 record, Sky Blue has been competitive and have only lost one game by more than a goal. They have had to deal with a number of key injuries including Christie Rampone, Sarah Walsh, and Natasha Kai. Kai has fought injuries all year, but the tough Hawaiian has played in every game in spite of it. She is one player that Lindsey must look to for a bigger impact. Yael Averbuch is another. Averbuch started just one game under Sawyers, but Lindsey had the 1st round draft pick in the lineup last week and she may be ready for a breakout performance.
Sky Blue has generally played solid defense, employing the offside trap to its fullest. The defense is led by Rampone, Anita Asante, Megan Schnur, and Keeley Dowling. The problem has been scoring and they have netted just four in 7 games. SBFC has been getting more chances as of late and the key for them may be the play of a talented group of midfielders headed by Heather O'Reilly and Collette McCallum.
Boston needs to avoid letdowns like the 4-0 loss to Chicago in order to maintain their hold on 2nd place. They can be inconsistent on defense, playing very well against LA and Marta, but giving up 4 goals to Chicago and 2 to Gold Pride. There's not much question about their offense, though, as Kelly Smith is leading the league in scoring and is always dangerous. Breakers' fans are still waiting for Amy Rodriguez, who certainly must be frustrated. Other players have stepped up though, including Kelly Schmedes and Stacy Bishop. The Breaker defense is led by Alex Scott, who is having a very good season, Amy LePeilbet and Heather Mitts. Note that at the time of this post, Kelly Smith and Heather Mitts are both listed as questionable for the match.
The Breakers had better not take Sky Blue lightly. Adversity can have a way of bringing a team together, much as it did for Saint Louis after Daniela's injury. It could come down to a battle of veteran goalkeepers, Kristin Luckenbill for Boston and Jen Branam for Sky Blue.
When these two teams last met, Saint Louis hadn't scored a goal, much less won a game and Los Angeles was in first place. The two teams played to a scoreless tie on April 25th. The Sol is still at the top of the table, solidifying their hold by defeating FC Gold Pride 2-0 last week. However, Athletica's fortunes have changed, earning 8 points in their last four games. Back in April, Kendall Fletcher and Christie Welsh wore LA Sol kits against Saint Louis, but they have traded in those for Athletica green. One important thing to remember is that Marta didn't play in the first contest.
The addition of Fletcher has definitely helped Athletica. She was involved in both goals against Chicago, getting an assist on one. After playing only 45 minutes for the Sol, she has played 123 minutes in just two games since arriving in Saint Louis. Although she still appears a step slow at times, probably due to her lack of playing time, she has proven to be a hard worker for Athletica.
However, the real offensive spark for the past month has been Eniola Aluko, the talented English striker. Aluko scored her first goal against the Freedom early in the month and scored a goal and caused another against the Red Stars last weekend. She's fast and has the skill to beat defenders one-on-one. The problem is that outside of Aluko and the injured Daniela, Athletica doesn't create a lot of scoring chances. A skilled defensive team like the Sol can neutralize one player.
Meanwhile, the Sol just keep clicking. They have shut out 7 of their 8 opponents, giving up just 2 goals for the year. They didn't miss a beat last week with Val Henderson replacing Karina LeBlanc, who was in Canada for her national team. LeBlanc will be back and she has a fine back line in front of her including Cox, Falk, Franko, and either Bock or Makoski. Marta has provided most of the offense, but others are starting to chip in. Last week, Aya Miyama forced a penalty which Camille Abily converted and Han Duan scored her first goal of the year.
If Saint Louis is to have a chance, they must score first. If the Sol get the lead, then their defense can blanket Athletica as they wait for opportunities to spring their lethal counterattack, either with Marta or as was the case last week, with Han Duan. Athletica is most likely going to attack from their wings on the outside, which is when they appear to be most dangerous. Hope Solo will have to be on her game and her defense cannot afford mistakes.
FC Gold Pride at Washington Freedom
These two teams met a month ago in a wild scoring affair that saw Washington edge Gold Pride 4-3 on an Abby Wambach goal in stoppage. This time, the game sets up as a battle for 3rd place as FC Gold Pride enters the game with 10 points, while Washington has 9 points.
Since then, Canadian Erin McLeod has taken over in goal for the Freedom and the difference has been noticeable. Before McLeod, Washington was giving up 2.4 goals per game. Since then, they have allowed only 1 goal per game. Most opposing teams concentrate on defending Wambach and rightfully so, but the Freedom have several weapons and eight different players have scored a goal. Much of the Freedom's offense comes through the midfield, especially from Sonia Bompastor and Lori Lindsey. Gold Pride must beware of set pieces in their own end. Washington can be dominating in the air and 8 of their 12 goals have come on headers. Last week, Cat Whitehill put one away off of a corner kick.
If things hold true, Gold Pride should get some chances of their own. Even in last week's 2-1 Freedom victory, Sky Blue had several opportunities. FCGP is going through a scoring slump with only one goal in their last 3 games. After missing last week due to national team duty, Christine Sinclair returns to the lineup, joining Tiffeny Milbrett as Bay Area's biggest offensive threats. After getting off to a fast start, Tiffany Weimer has been quiet as of late, with no goals and only one shot during that three week scoring slump. It has also been a long time since Eriko Arakawa has entered the scorer's book and one would think she is due. The injury to Kandace Wilson is a huge blow to Gold Pride. She is a speedy outside defender who can give opponents fits when she goes forward. She will be missed on both ends of the field.
The keys for Gold Pride are to not give any fouls in their own end and to try to control the midfield with their passing game, as they did in the 2nd half against Athletica two weeks ago. Formiga may be the player to watch there. McLeod has been a breath of fresh air for the Freedom, but they still need to tighten their defense as they give up way too many chances. The Freedom will use overlapping runs from Gilbeau when they can and get the ball to Bompastor to work her magic. I don't think we'll see 7 goals as in the first meeting, but expect there to be plenty of scoring.
Boston Breakers at Sky Blue FC
Sky Blue returns home for the first time since April 11th and a lot has happened since then. Ian Sawyers is out as head coach and assistant coach Kelly Lindsey has been installed as the interim head coach. Lindsey has the unenviable task to bring this team together and reverse course for the last place Jersey team. The 2nd place Breakers come calling on a televised FSC matchup on Sunday evening.
In spite of their 1-4-2 record, Sky Blue has been competitive and have only lost one game by more than a goal. They have had to deal with a number of key injuries including Christie Rampone, Sarah Walsh, and Natasha Kai. Kai has fought injuries all year, but the tough Hawaiian has played in every game in spite of it. She is one player that Lindsey must look to for a bigger impact. Yael Averbuch is another. Averbuch started just one game under Sawyers, but Lindsey had the 1st round draft pick in the lineup last week and she may be ready for a breakout performance.
Sky Blue has generally played solid defense, employing the offside trap to its fullest. The defense is led by Rampone, Anita Asante, Megan Schnur, and Keeley Dowling. The problem has been scoring and they have netted just four in 7 games. SBFC has been getting more chances as of late and the key for them may be the play of a talented group of midfielders headed by Heather O'Reilly and Collette McCallum.
Boston needs to avoid letdowns like the 4-0 loss to Chicago in order to maintain their hold on 2nd place. They can be inconsistent on defense, playing very well against LA and Marta, but giving up 4 goals to Chicago and 2 to Gold Pride. There's not much question about their offense, though, as Kelly Smith is leading the league in scoring and is always dangerous. Breakers' fans are still waiting for Amy Rodriguez, who certainly must be frustrated. Other players have stepped up though, including Kelly Schmedes and Stacy Bishop. The Breaker defense is led by Alex Scott, who is having a very good season, Amy LePeilbet and Heather Mitts. Note that at the time of this post, Kelly Smith and Heather Mitts are both listed as questionable for the match.
The Breakers had better not take Sky Blue lightly. Adversity can have a way of bringing a team together, much as it did for Saint Louis after Daniela's injury. It could come down to a battle of veteran goalkeepers, Kristin Luckenbill for Boston and Jen Branam for Sky Blue.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Search
Welcome
