magicJack Signs LeBlanc

As has been reported elsewhere and has now been confirmed by WPS, magicJack has signed goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc of the Canadian National Team.

With Hope Solo injured, magicJack was looking for another experienced keeper and LeBlanc was the obvious choice. She had a stellar 2009 season with the Los Angeles Sol, posting a 0.53 goals against average and 12 shutouts.

After Los Angeles folded, she was signed by Philadelphia, where she shared time as the number one keeper for the Independence. Eventually, Val Henderson won the number one spot for the playoffs and LeBlanc was not signed for the 2011 season, concentrating her time on the Canadian National Team.

In addition to her experience in WPS, LeBlanc also played with the Boston Breakers in the WUSA from 2001-03. She joins Solo and Jill Loyden as magicJack's goalkeepers.

MagicJack also announced that they have terminated goalkeeper Brett Maron and mutually terminated forward/midfielder Johanna Rasmussen. Maron made four starts for magicJack during the World Cup. Rasmussen made eight appearances, three of which were starts, for magicJack scoring one goal.

Nigeria 1, Canada 0

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.

Canada Edges Mexico 1-0 in Concacaf Final; US To Play Italy

Christine Sinclair's penalty kick early in the 2nd half turned out to be the game winner as Canada defeated Mexico 1-0 in the Concacaf final in Cancun, Mexico. In spite of a brave effort by the home team and great support from their home crowd, the Mexican side were unable to repeat their magic from Friday night's victory over the US in the semifinals.

The hero of Friday night, Veronica Perez, was ejected for an intentional hand ball in the box, which led to the penalty kick. The Canadians, who had held the better of play to that point, were able to control possession for much of 2nd half with the player advantage, allowing only a couple of chances for Mexico in the closing stages of the match.

Karina LeBlanc, who played last season for the Philadelphia Independence, earned the shutout for the Canadians. Canada was able to blank Mexico for the second time in the tournament, having defeated them 3-0 in the group stage less than a week earlier. Canada outscored their opponents by a 17-0 for their five matches in the tournament.

Both Canada and Mexico will advance to the 2011 World Cup which will be played in Germany next June and July.

US 3, Costa Rica 0

It wasn't necessarily pretty, but the USWNT was able to get the job done in a must win situation, defeating Costa Rica 3-0. Abby Wambach's brace was the highlight of the match for the US.

US coach Pia Sundhage inserted Lori Lindsey, Ali Krieger, and Lauren Cheney into the lineup for this match following Friday night's disappointing effort.

Cheney put her team up 1-0 in the opening stanza, on a deflected shot that eluded Costa Rican goalkeeper, Dinnia Diaz. Lori Lindsey had possession on the left side of the box and passed back across the middle to Cheney, who was able to work her way free for the shot from 15 yards. Diaz appeared to have the shot covered, but it deflected off the inside of a defender's legs and went behind Diaz who was moving in the opposite direction.

Abby Wambach made it 2-0 on the goal of the match. Lori Lindsey sent the ball from 35 yards out into the penalty area. Wambach slipped behind the defense and volleyed the ball beautifully into the left corner of the net.

At the start of the 2nd half, Costa Rica nearly cut the lead to one. A breakdown in the US defense saw Monica Malvassi get in alone on Nicole Barnhart, but her weak shot hit the left post and was cleared easily. On the counterattack, Cheney pushed the ball out to Abby Wambach, who had gotten clear at the extreme right side of the penalty area. Wambach sent the ball low past Diaz inside the far post to make it 3-0.

The US will now face Italy in a home-and-home playoff for the final World Cup berth. The US will travel to Padua (Padova), Italy for a November 20 match. The Italians will then travel to Chicago to face the US at Toyota Park on November 27.

Some information for this story was obtained through the Official Concacaf Website.

LeBlanc to Red Stars for Draft Selections

The Philadelphia Independence have traded goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc to the Chicago Red Stars for two picks in the 2011 draft. The Independence will get the 3rd overall selection in the 2011 draft, plus Chicago's third round pick.

LeBlanc started 14 regular season matches for the Independence, but played backup to Val Henderson in the WPS playoffs. She finished the season with two shutouts and a 1.50 goals against average. It was a stark contrast to her 2009 campaign when she posted 12 shutouts and had a microscopic goals against of 0.53 with Los Angeles.

Philadelphia had acquired LeBlanc in the Los Angeles Sol dispersal draft. She was their starter for much of the early part of the season, but coach Paul Riley turned to Henderson with increasing regularity as the season progressed. Henderson got the starting call for the last two regular season matches and for all three playoff games.

The Independence now have two first round selections, a second round selection, and two third round selections in the 2011 draft. Chicago still has the second overall selection from a trade they made with Atlanta.

This trade will likely lead to a lot of speculation regarding Jill Loyden. Will Chicago protect both Loyden and LeBlanc in the expansion draft? Will they battle for the number one goalkeeper spot next season? Could Loyden be used in a trade, much as Athletica traded her to Chicago last season for Lindsay Tarpley? Only time will tell.

Athletica Stops Philly's Unbeaten Streak 2-1

Lindsay Tarpley battles with Philadelphia defender Nikki Krzysik in 1st half action of Athletica's 2-1 victory over the Independence.

For Lindsay Tarpley, it's been a long road back from the ACL injury she suffered last August while preparing for Chicago's final regular season match against Saint Louis. Tonight, now wearing Athletica's green kit, Tarpley scored her first goal since that injury which helped lead Saint Louis to a 2-1 victory over the previously unbeaten Independence.

Tarpley's goal in the 60th minute gave Athletica a 2-0 lead at the time. The ball came to her on the left side of the box and she appeared to be moving toward the middle of the field to shoot. However, she deftly touched the ball back to her left giving her space from two defenders and hit a low shot that was perfectly placed just inside the right post. "This has been a long rehab for me," said Tarpley after the game. "So for me to finish a goal in a game is a big step for me in my comeback."

For Tarpley, it was her first start of the year and she played 72 minutes before giving way to Tina DiMartino. "I felt really good", added Tarpley. Her front line mate, Eniola Aluko called Tarpley "inspiring" in her comeback from injury. "She's so dedicated. I felt like I scored because she scored."

Philadelphia came into the match with a 4 game unbeaten streak and they had the first good scoring opportunity 7 minutes into the match as Amy Rodriguez broke into the right side of the box, but her low shot missed wide to the left of the goal. However, that was one of the few chances the Independence would have in the 1st half as Athletica controlled possession for much of the half.

Just a couple of minutes later, Aluko beat a defender to the 6 yard box. Her shot was parried by Karina LeBlanc to the middle, where Tarpley gained control of the ball. She got off two shots, but both were blocked by Independence defenders and the ball was eventually cleared. Tarpley got another chance in the 39th minute as Aluko found her on the left side of the box, but Tarpley's shot went high from 12 yards out. Earlier, a Lori Chalupny shot was deflected by the Philadelphia defense with the ball hitting the outside of the post and rolling harmlessly wide.

Athletica finally broke through in the 41st minute. A quick counterattack started by Hope Solo got the ball to Aluko on the right side where she had gotten behind a defender. Aluko dribbled at the defense and then sent a pass across to Tarpley who was cutting to the goal. Philadelphia defender Allison Falk was tracking back just outside the penalty area and tried to stop the pass, instead hitting the ball very hard which caught LeBlanc off guard and the ball careened past her for an own goal. For Falk, it was a bit unlucky and had she let the ball go, Tarpley would surely have had an easy one-on-one chance against LeBlanc. "Just one of those ricochets," said Philadelphia Coach Paul Riley, agreeing that Falk didn't have much choice there.

Tarpley would have yet another chance before the half ended, but again hit the shot high on a bad angle shot. Athletica held a 1-0 lead going into the break. Aluko said that the team talked at halftime about being aggressive for the 2nd half. "We can't just settle for 1-0."

Philadelphia seemed to pick up the pace as the 2nd half started. The speed of Rodriguez and halftime substitution Lianne Sanderson gave Athletica some problems in the 2nd half. A Rodriguez shot in the 51st minute was parried wide by Solo. Another promising chance in the 59th minute ended with Heather Mitts being ruled offside.

Aluko briefly went down in a collision with LeBlanc in the 54th minute and she was off the field for nearly 4 minutes while Athletica played shorthanded. However, she returned to field just in time for Tarpley's goal that put Athletica up 2-0. Coach Jorge Barcellos had praise for the work of his two forwards. "We worked this week on our forwards holding the ball and trying for better shots in front of the net." Athletica continued to pressure and create chances for the next 10 minutes after Tarpley's goal, but were unable to break through for a third goal.

Against the run of play, Philadelphia came forward on a counterattack with Lori Lindsey coming up the right wing. Lindsey sent a long cross to the edge the box which saw Amy Rodriguez clear of the Athletica defense. Rodriguez hit a hard low shot that short-hopped Solo and bounced off of her for a rebound. Lyndsey Patterson was able to beat a defender to the ball and buried a shot in the right side of the net to close the score to 2-1.

In spite of the goal, Athletica continued to control possession. Aluko just missed making it a two goal game shooting over the crossbar in the 85th. Philadelphia had one last chance with Lori Lindsey attempting to dribble through the middle, but was upended about 25 yards out and lost possession. Lindsey was given a yellow card for her vehement protests following the non-call. Athletica was able to kill the 4 minutes of stoppage and hold on to the 2-1 victory. Athletica outshot Philadelphia by a 15-8 margin for the game and held a 6-4 advantage on corner kicks.

Clearly, missing the injured Caroline Seger hurt the Independence in the midfield. "I thought we would get going, but we never did, even after we scored we just never got going," said Coach Riley. "I think going from turf to grass hurt us. Athletica were the better team and possessed the ball better than we did. We turned the ball over too quickly. I thought we tightened up on (Shannon) Boxx in the 2nd half, but Aluko was a thorn in our side all night. Now we need to get ready for Chicago next week."

Aluko called the game "a classic Athletica performance. I think the rhythm of play today was unbelievable." Tarpley credited the entire Athletica organization for supporting her through her rehab.

For the first time in WPS history, two sisters were on the field together. Athletica's Tina DiMartino replaced Tarpley in the 72nd minute. Gina DiMartino replaced Jen Buczkowski for Philadelphia 10 minutes later. For the younger sister, Gina, it was her first WPS action.

Saint Louis and Philadelphia now have identical 2-1-2 records, good for 8 points and they are currently tied for 2nd place, pending the outcome of the Sky Blue-Atlanta Beat contest on Sunday night. The Independence will travel to Chicago where they will face the Red Stars next Saturday night. Athletica will host Sky Blue next Sunday afternoon.

WPS Midweek Notes - April 14

Head over Heals

It takes a lot of different skills to play soccer. Speed, agility, endurance, concentration, and sometimes, a little gymnastical skill. Kiki Bosio of FC Gold Pride demonstrated her cartwheeling ability using the flip throw several times in Sunday’s match against Saint Louis Athletica. While it is somewhat of a novelty to fans who don’t see it very often, it can also be an effective offensive weapon. Bosio was able to throw the ball deep into Athletica’s penalty area every time and although Gold Pride was unable to convert any of the throws into goals, it did present some dangerous opportunities.

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Player of the Week

Eniola Aluko of Saint Louis Athletica was named WPS Player of the Week for the weekend of April 10-11. Aluko scored two goals to lead Athletica to a 2-0 win over FC Gold Pride. Aluko had won Player of the Week honors once previously in 2009. Aluko scored a goal in each half of Sunday’s match. It was the first two goal game in her WPS career.

Rookies

Out of the 65 players taken in the January draft, 22 are now full-roster players in the WPS and another 16 made WPS teams as developmental players. Out of those, 17 players made their debut in the opening weekend of WPS. Ten of those players started and there was at least one of the rookies in the starting lineup for each team. FC Gold Pride had three starters from their draft selections back in January.

The 10 starters were Lauren Cheney (Boston), Nikki Marshall (Washington), Carolyn Blank (Saint Louis), Tobin Heath (Atlanta), Whitney Engen (Chicago), Estelle Johnson (Philadelphia), Brittany Taylor (Sky Blue FC), and Kelley O’Hara, Kaley Fountain, and Ali Riley (all FC Gold Pride). Not only did Gold Pride start three of their rookies, 5 of their draft selections saw action in Sunday’s match.

Lauren Cheney was the only 2010 draft choice to score a goal last weekend, but she will have the distinction of being the first player to score a 2010 regular season goal.

Long Waits

Ashley Phillips spent the entire 2009 season on the Boston Breakers roster as a developmental player. She did not play a minute for the entire season. Such is the life of a developmental keeper in WPS. After a year of waiting, Phillips finally got her chance on Saturday and earned the victory in goal for the Breakers in their 2-1 win over the Washington Freedom. Phillips was credited with 7 saves for the match.

Sarah Wagenfuhr started last year as a developmental player for Chicago, but was released after their second game, having not played. On Sunday, she started at outside back for Athletica and played 23 minutes before coming off with an injury.

Lauren Sesselman got into one game for one minute in 2009 for Sky Blue FC. She started and played the full 90 in Atlanta’s opener on Sunday. On the other side of the field Philadelphia’s Lyndsey Patterson had appeared in only one game for 12 minutes for the Los Angeles Sol in 2009. She started and played 57 minutes for the Independence.

Midweek Notes:

Atlanta - Ramona Bachmann did not make the trip to Philadelphia because of illness after scoring a goal and an assist in Atlanta’s final exhibition game in Tulsa…..Allison Whitworth picked up her 2nd career shutout in WPS. Her previous shutout against the Los Angeles Sol in 2009 also ended in a scoreless tie…..The number one overall pick in the 2010 draft, Tobin Heath, played 89 minutes in Sunday’s game.

Boston – Last season, Kelly Smith scored a goal in each of the first 4 games in which she appeared for the Breakers and she started 2010 out in the same fashion with a goal against the Freedom…..The Breakers became only the 2nd team in WPS history to start a developmental keeper in goal with Ashley Phillips on Saturday. Washington had started Kati Jo Spisak three times in 2009…..Lauren Cheney scored her first career WPS goal just 6 minutes into Saturday’s contest.

Chicago – Cristiane was credited with taking 9 shots in the Red Stars loss to Sky Blue, a total which easily leads the league…..In the continuation of a disturbing trend, Chicago has now been shut out 12 times in 21 matches over two seasons…..Kate Markgraf played the full 90 minutes after missing the 2009 season on maternity leave.

FC Gold Pride – Five of Gold Pride’s draft selections saw action on Sunday. Kelley O’Hara, Kaley Fountain, and Ali Riley started, while Becky Edwards and Kiki Bosio subbed in…..Kandace Wilson came off the bench, seeing her first regular season action since she was injured in a May 24th match against Los Angeles in 2009…..Four of Gold Pride’s 5 international players were not with the team in 2009. Camille Abily and Marta were with Los Angeles, Candace Chapman was with Boston, and Solveig Gulbrandsen did not play in WPS last season.

Philadelphia – Karina LeBlanc earned her 13th career shutout on Sunday against Atlanta…..Philadelphia had the largest attendance of the WPS opening weekend with 6,028…..Amy Rodriguez was credited with 6 shots for the Independence against Atlanta, more than in any of her appearances for the Breakers last season.

Saint Louis – Eniola Aluko became the 3rd Athletica player to score two goals in one game. The other two were Daniela and Christie Welsh…..Shannon Boxx became the first Athletica player to record two assists in one game…..Carolyn Blank was the lowest draft choice to start for a WPS team last weekend. Blank was Athletica’s 5th round selection, the 46th overall pick in the draft.

Sky Blue FC – Heather O’Reilly, who tied for SBFC’s lead in assists last season with 3, picked up her first assist on Sunday…..Karen Bardsley picked up the 2nd shutout of her career. Her first came against FC Gold Pride on August 5, 2009, when she was a last second replacement for an injured Jen Branam…..Sky Blue has now shutout the Chicago Red Stars all 5 times they have played them. They have a 4-0-1 record against the Red Stars with a 5-0 goal differential.

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Washington Freedom – Allie Long was the only non-national team player to score a goal this past weekend…..While Abby Wambach is primarily known for her goal scoring ability, she now has 6 career WPS assists, which ties her for 1st place in that category…..The Freedom have now given up multiple goals in 11 of their 22 matches in 2009-10 including the playoff game.

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Opening Week Trivia: Of the 6 returning WPS teams, only two started the same goalkeeper as they did in last year's opener. Name the goalkeepers and the teams. (Answer in the weekend preview later this week).

Philadelphia Independence 2010 - Women's Soccer Equivalent of Rocky

Coach: Paul Riley
2009 Record: 2010 Expansion Team

Expansion Draft (5): Lori Lindsey, Nikki Krzysik, Jen Buczkowski, Danesha Adams, Sarah Senty.
Draft Picks (1): Carrie Patterson (traded then re-signed).
LA Dispersal Draft (2): Karina LeBlanc, Estelle Johnson.
International Signings ( 4): Holmfridur Magnusdottir, Karina Maruyama, Lianne Sanderson, Caroline Seger.
Free Agents (7): Sara Larsson, Joanna Lohman, Heather Mitts, Lyndsey Patterson, Gina DiMartino, Robyn Jones, Kat Reynolds.
Trades (3): Amy Rodriguez, Val Henderson, Allison Falk.

Yes, the Philadelphia Independence will enter their inaugural 2010 campaign as the underdog. But sometimes that brings out the best in players and maybe this women's version of Rocky will manage to battle their way up the WPS table.

Philadelphia took a gamble early on, by trading several of their top draft picks for players they thought could help their team immediately. That left them with only one selection in the first 3 rounds, where they selected Malorie Rutledge out of LSU, who didn’t make the team. Whether that gamble pays off or not depends largely on Amy Rodriguez and Allison Falk.

Unlike their expansion counterpart, Atlanta, the Independence signed several veterans to help lead this team including Heather Mitts, Sara Larsson, and Joanna Lohman. Philly did a nice job filling out their defense and midfield with quality players in the expansion draft, especially Lori Lindsey who has been playing very well for the USWNT. Whether Coach Paul Riley can blend this mixture of youth and veterans into a playoff contender remains to be seen.

Goalkeeping-Take both goalkeepers off of the top defensive team in WPS last year and their 13 shutouts, move them 3000 miles east and you have the goalkeeping tandem for the 2010 Independence. Karina LeBlanc, the league’s top goalkeeper, brings her 0.53 GAA to Philadelphia. LeBlanc, who has a sparkling personality off the field, is tough as nails on the field. Val Henderson was acquired in a trade early on, and will once again serve the role of backup to LeBlanc. She shut out Gold Pride in her only 2009 match after starring for UCLA in college. Robyn Jones, who spent 2009 with the New Jersey Wildcats of the W-League, will be the third goalkeeper.

Defenders-Coach Paul Riley and the Independence seemed to put special emphasis on their defensive unit early on. First they grabbed Nikki Krzysik (Red Stars) and Sarah Senty (Freedom) in the expansion draft. Then they signed veteran free agent defenders Heather Mitts and Sara Larsson. Then they traded for Sol center back Allison Falk. Finally, they took Kansas defender Estelle Johnson in the dispersal draft. As a group, they combined for 62 WPS starts last season.

At 6 foot tall, Falk can be a threat at either end of the field on set pieces. She garnered some support as a potential all-star selection last season. Mitts and Larsson should give veteran leadership to the Philly back line. Krzysik is a hard-nosed defender who racked up 5 cautions last season. Senty saw action with the Freedom after missing the first half of the season while completing her college classes. Late addition Kat Reynold, out of Santa Clara, will provide further depth at outside back. With a strong goaltending tandem behind them, this group should ensure that the Independence are in every match.

Midfielders-One of the first signings that the Independence announced was that of Caroline Seger. Seger now has over 30 senior national team caps for Sweden, in addition to a wealth of junior team experience. She is also a veteran of 5 seasons with Linköpings in the Damallsvenskan. Seger will give the expansion team a strong presence in the midfield. The second piece of the midfield puzzle is Lori Lindsey. How Lindsey managed to slip into Philadelphia’s hands through an expansion draft, I can’t figure out, but it certainly had to make Philly fans smile. Lindsey has received praise from Pia Sundhage for her play with the USWNT earlier this year. Seger and Lindsey give this expansion team a nice start to a solid midfield.

Jen Buczkowski, another selection in the expansion draft, split time between midfield and defense for Sky Blue in 2009. But it was her solid play, stepping in for Anita Asante in the playoffs, that was the climax of a good season. Another former Freedom midfielder, Joanna Lohman, signed with the Independence as a free agent. Another talented European player, Holmfridur Magnusdottir of Iceland, can play either attacking mid or forward. She has nearly 50 national team caps and scored 5 goals for Swedish club Kristianstads in 2009. This has the makings of a talented midfield group, but is there enough depth here?

Forwards-While the Independence have a lot of experience from the midfield back, the group of forwards they have are largely an unknown quantity. Three of those forwards, Amy Rodriguez, Lyndsey Patterson, and Danesha Adams, played in WPS last season. Rodriguez scored 1 goal in 17 appearances in what was a very frustrating season in Boston. The new start in Philadelphia should do her good and hopefully, she will be able to use her blazing speed to get behind opposing defenses. Adams, a former star at UCLA, played in 12 matches for the Red Stars without scoring. Patterson saw only 12 minutes of action for the Sol last season.

Philadelphia did sign two international forwards that should help here. Karina Maruyama has Olympic experience and is primarily known as a player who can come off the bench and make a difference for the Japanese National Team. She comes over to the US after a successful run with Japanese club TEPCO Mareeze. Lianne Sanderson is a young forward from the English National Team. At just 22 years of age, she has managed 29 caps and 8 goals on a team loaded with offensive talent like Kelly Smith, Eniola Aluko, Fara Williams, and Karen Carney. Gina DiMartino (formerly Boston College) was a late training camp pickup at forward.

Summary-Leadership shouldn’t be a problem on this team as they have several veterans who have played internationally. Philadelphia appears to be strong at goalkeeper and solid enough at defense and midfield. This should make them a competitive team, but I question if this team will be able to score enough goals to win. Their first match against fellow expansion team, the Atlanta Beat, ought to be an interesting battle between what could be a very good defensive team, Philadelphia, against a dangerous offensive team in Atlanta.

The Los Angeles Sol-An All Too Short History Part 3

Part 3-Clouds on the Horizon

By late June, Los Angeles had risen to the top of the WPS. It would be only a matter of time before they clinched the regular season title and barring an upset, the WPS Championship. But by July, things weren't going perfectly anymore. The combination of injuries, a strange schedule which saw them play only sparingly over the last two months of the season, and some less than sparkling play on the field started catching up with them. And apparently off the field, the problems were far greater.

June 29, 2009-Martina Franko is listed by the Sol as having a season-ending injury.

June 30, 2009-Los Angeles trades for Christie Shaner to help fill in for Franko. Shaner plays only 52 minutes for the Sol. In her first game for Los Angeles just 5 days later, Shaner fractures her leg in a collision with the Freedom's Abby Wambach, thus ending her season.

July, 2009-Yet another Sol defender is having injury problems. Allison Falk misses all three games in July with injuries.

July 5, 2009-Marta scores the only goal of the game in stoppage to defeat Washington 1-0. Karina LeBlanc earns her 11th shutout. It is LA's 4th consecutive victory and they run their unbeaten streak to 11 games. The Sol now lead 2nd place Athletica by a whopping 17 points and will have a chance to clinch the regular season title in their next match.

July 8, 2009-With a chance to clinch first place, the Sol suffer their first and only regular season loss at home in their final regular season home game. Los Angeles falls to Saint Louis 1-0 as Amanda Cinalli scores the game winner for Athletica.

July 13, 2009-The Sol signs Sharolta Nonen to help their beleaguered defense. Nonen, like Martina Franko, is a veteran of the Canadian National Team.

July 23, 2009-After a two week layoff, Los Angeles clinches the WPS regular season title in a scoreless tie against Gold Pride. Karina LeBlanc gets her 12th and final shutout of the season. The Sol shut out Gold Pride all four times they play them.

August 2, 2009-Falk returns to the lineup, but Los Angeles' winless streak extends to 3 games with a 3-1 loss in Chicago. After falling behind 2-0, Han Duan scores a late goal to temporarily make it close, before Cristiane puts it out of reach with a goal in stoppage time. It is only the 2nd time all season that the Sol allow more than one goal in a game.

August 4, 2009-Four Sol players are named to the WPS All-Star First XI. Karina LeBlanc, Shannon Boxx, Camille Abily, and Marta grace the first WPS All-Star team. Abily would be unable to play because of her national team commitment for France. Abner Rogers is named to coach the WPS All-Star team.

August 7, 2009-Aya Miyama is added to the WPS All-Star roster as the next highest vote getter as a replacement for players not able to play in the game.

August 9, 2009-The Sol end the regular season with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Boston, keeping the Breakers out of the playoffs. Marta scores her league best 10th goal of the season and then forces a penalty kick late on a call strongly protested by Breakers' players. Shannon Boxx converts the penalty to give Los Angeles the win. Ironically, this result puts Sky Blue, the team that would ultimately defeat them in the title game, into the playoffs.

August 22, 2009-Los Angeles hosts the first WPS Championship Game at the Home Depot Center. Playing without their 2nd leading scorer, Camille Abily, the Sol are upset by Sky Blue by a 1-0 score. Heather O'Reilly scores in the 16th minute. Then Allison Falk receives the first and only red card in Sol history for tripping Natasha Kai from behind later in the 1st half. The final is played before 7218 fans.

August 29, 2009-At the WPS Awards Banquet, Marta is presented with the PUMA Golden Boot Award and the Michelle Akers Player of the Year Award. Abner Rogers wins the Coach of the Year Award.

August 30, 2009-The WPS All-Stars defeat Umeå IK by a 4-2 margin in St. Louis. Marta gets the game tying goal and adds two assists in the contest. Abner Rogers is the winning coach.

September 15, 2009-The Sol lose Katie Larkin and Sharolta Nonen to Atlanta in the WPS Expansion Draft.

October 7, 2009-Los Angeles sends starting center back Allison Falk and backup keeper Val Henderson to Philadelphia for the 5th and 22nd selections in the 2010 draft. The Sol would later draft Nikki Washington and Kiki Bosio with those selections.

The finish of the 2009 season was a disappointment for players and fans alike, but it was always assumed that there would be a next year. Unfortunately, behind the scenes, things were not going well. The team lost what has been variously estimated between $2 and $3 million in their first season of operation. AEG had maintained that their involvement with the team was always on a temporary basis and that involvement was coming to an end. And equally unfortunate for the Sol and their fans, this was one issue that couldn't be settled on the field.

For the final part in this series, we'll look at the final months and the legacy of the Los Angeles Sol.

(Sources for some of the information in this story came from http://www.womensprosoccer.com/ and the 2009 Los Angeles Sol Media Guide)

The Los Angeles Sol-An All Too Short History Part 2

Part 2 - Rise to the Pinnacle

After winning the inaugural WPS game, Los Angeles dominated the league early on. Only in a home and home with the Boston Breakers in early May were they held in check. They had everything...scoring (Marta, Camille Abily, and Aya Miyama), defense (Karina LeBlanc and a fine back line), young talent (Brittany Bock and Allison Falk), and veteran leadership (Shannon Boxx and Aly Wagner).

April 5, 2009-Marta becomes the first player in WPS history to score twice in one game, leading the Sol to a 2-0 victory over Sky Blue FC at TD Bank Park in New Jersey.

April 16, 2009-Defender Martina Franko signs with the Sol. Franko, a veteran of the Canadian National Team, would strengthen an already solid back line.

April 19, 2009-Karina LeBlanc earns her 3rd consecutive shutout as Marta scores the only goal in LA's 1-0 win over FC Gold Pride. Aly Wagner assists on the goal.

April 25, 2009-With Marta and Camille Abily away on international duty, Los Angeles and Saint Louis battle to a scoreless tie. Wagner and Lori Chalupny are stopped on penalty kicks by Hope Solo and Karina LeBlanc, respectively. It's the first match that Los Angeles comes away with less than 3 points.

May 2, 2009-The Sol suffer their first setback, a 2-1 loss to the Breakers in Boston. After falling behind 2-0, Brittany Bock scores the only Sol goal, assisted by Aya Miyama.

May 8, 2009-Los Angeles and Saint Louis complete the first in-season trade in WPS history. The Sol send Kendall Fletcher and Christie Welsh to Athletica for a conditional draft pick in 2010 and a 1st round choice in 2011. The Sol later use the 2010 pick to select Casey Nogueira.

May 10, 2009-For the second straight week, Boston frustrates Los Angeles. The Sol have to settle for their second scoreless tie of the season. It runs LA's winless streak to 3 games, but LeBlanc earns her 5th shutout of the season.

May 15, 2009-In the league's first ever Friday night contest, Marta beats Sky Blue's offside trap and dribbles around goalkeeper Jen Branam to score the only goal in the 80th minute. Meanwhile, the Sol announce the signing of veteran Keri Sanchez and move Liz Bogus to full-roster status.

May 24, 2009-Behind a Camille Abily penalty kick and a late goal by Han Duan, LA defeats FC Gold Pride 2-0. Val Henderson gets the shutout in her only match of the season.

May 30, 2009-Los Angeles dominates Saint Louis in a 2-0 victory, with LeBlanc posting her 7th shutout. Shannon Boxx scores her first goal of the season.

June 3, 2009-In the first WPS midweek contest, the Sol tie Chicago 1-1. After falling behind on a Cristiane goal in the 88th minute, Camille Abily ties the game in the closing seconds of the match.

June 7, 2009-Camille Abily scores for the 4th consecutive game, this time hitting the back of the net twice. Brittany Bock adds a third goal to give the Sol a 3-1 victory over Washington. Abily converts her second penalty kick of the season.

June 10, 2009-Los Angeles signs Julia Schnugg as a developmental player.

June 13, 2009-The Sol play their 3rd scoreless tie of the season, this time against Sky Blue. LeBlanc gets her 8th shutout as SBFC badly outshoots LA by a 14-5 margin.

June 19, 2009-Los Angeles waives Greer Barnes and moves McCall Zerboni to full-roster status. In spite spending two and a half months on the roster, Barnes never plays for the Sol in a regular season match. She later signs with FC Gold Pride.

June 21, 2009-Los Angeles defeats Gold Pride for the third time, with LeBlanc again getting the shutout. Abily scores her league leading 7th goal, with Marta getting her 5th in the 2-0 victory.

June 22, 2009-Los Angeles signs forward Lyndsey Patterson.

June 24, 2009-The Sol win a hard fought contest in Saint Louis by a 2-1 score. Karina LeBlanc and the Sol defense survive 25 shots and 12 corner kicks to preserve the win. Goals are scored by Han Duan and Marta.

June 27, 2009-Los Angeles mauls Chicago by a 4-0 margin. In doing so, Los Angeles becomes the first team to clinch a playoff berth. Shannon Boxx scores the opening goal assisted by McCall Zerboni, her first assist of the season. Both Abily and Marta reach the 8 goal mark, with Aya Miyama assisting on two of the goals.

By the last week in June, Los Angeles has sprinted to a 10-1-4 record and have outscored their opponents by 23-5. They have a 16 point margin over 2nd place Boston and it is only a matter of time before they clinch the regular season title, which would give them an automatic berth in the WPS Championship Game at home. However, difficulties on road trips to Boston, New Jersey, and Saint Louis seem to prove they aren't invincible. Part 3 will examine clouds on the horizon as Los Angeles headed into the final two months of the season.

(Sources for some of the information in this story came from http://www.womensprosoccer.com/ and the 2009 Los Angeles Sol Media Guide)

The Los Angeles Sol - An All Too Short History

Part 1 - The Beginning

On February 4th, what was left of the Los Angeles Sol roster was dispersed and only time will tell when the WPS returns to Los Angeles, but the Sol made an indelible mark in their only WPS season. In their short one-season history on the field, they won the regular season title, set many records that will become benchmarks, and set a standard of excellence by which other teams will be measured for years to come. This is a look back at the short history of the Los Angeles Sol.

September 4, 2007-Los Angeles is announced as one of seven teams that will compete in the inaugural season of a new women's professional soccer league. The team will be owned by AEG and Blue Star, LLC.

September 15, 2008-Abner Rogers is named as the first coach of the Los Angeles WPS franchise.

September 16, 2008-Los Angeles receives its first players as Shannon Boxx, Stephanie Cox, and Aly Wagner are allocated from the USWNT.

September 24, 2008-Los Angeles selects Marta as their first selection (3rd overall) in the WPS International Draft. They also draft Aya Miyama, Han Duan, and Margret Lara Vidarsdottir. The following day, they would add Camille Abily as a post-draft discovery player.

October 3, 2008-Charlie Naimo is named as general manager for Los Angeles.

October 6, 2008-Los Angeles chooses Karina LeBlanc as their first selection (5th overall) in the WPS General Draft. They also select Kendall Fletcher, Christie Welsh, and Manya Makoski. All four would make the team, although Fletcher and Welsh were later traded to Saint Louis.

October 25, 2008-Los Angeles officially announces that the team would be called the Los Angeles Sol and they also unveil the team's new logo.

November 25, 2008-Los Angeles names Johanna Frisk as a post-draft discovery player.

January 12, 2009-The Sol announce the signing of three-time FIFA Player of the Year, Marta.

January 16, 2009-At the first annual WPS Draft in St. Louis, the Sol select Brittany Bock with their first selection (5th overall). In later rounds, they select Allison Falk, Katie Larkin, Greer Barnes, Valerie Henderson, Katie Hooker, McCall Zerboni, Brittany Cameron, Erica Janke, and Lisa Sari. All but Hooker and Janke would make the Sol's opening roster.

February 4, 2009-The Sol officially announce the signing of Aya Miyama.

February 19, 2009-The Sol announce the signings of Camille Abily, Han Duan, and Johanna Frisk.

March 2, 2009-The Los Angeles Sol training camp begins.

March 5, 2009-Los Angeles becomes the first team to announce an on-jersey sponsorship with Amway Global.

March 25, 2009-Los Angeles announces its opening day roster. Full-roster players are Camille Abily, Greer Barnes, Brittany Bock, Shannon Boxx, Stephanie Cox, Allison Falk, Kendall Fletcher, Johanna Frisk, Han Duan, Val Henderson, Katie Larkin, Karina LeBlanc, Manya Makoski, Marta, Aya Miyama, Aly Wagner, and Christie Welsh. Developmental players are Brittany Cameron, Lisa Sari, and McCall Zerboni.

March 26, 2009-The Sol add Liz Bogus, just recently released by FC Gold Pride, to their developmental roster.

March 29, 2009-The Sol defeat the Washington Freedom 2-0 before 14,832 fans in the WPS inaugural game played at the Home Depot Center. Allison Falk scores the first goal in WPS history on a header in the 6th minute. Camille Abily later adds a goal to seal the victory. Karina LeBlanc is sharp in goal and earns the shutout. The attendance would be the largest for a non-WPS/MLS doubleheader in the 2009 season.

With an immensely talented roster, the Sol were off to a great start and looked to be the team to beat in 2009. Over the next three months, the Sol were a dominant team. We'll look at that period in Part 2-Rise to the Pinnacle.

(Sources for some of the information in this story came from www.womensprosoccer.com and the 2009 Los Angeles Sol Media Guide)

Erin Guthrie speaks with WSW prior to 2010 WPS Draft

Photo Credit: Tom Ciszek, Rutgers Athletics
2009 Big East Goalkeeper of the Year, Erin Guthrie, a captain at Rutgers this past fall, answered several questions via email prior to the 2010 WPS Draft.

Q. How much did Karina LeBlanc mean to your development?

I owe so much to Karina for my overall development at Rutgers during these past 4 years. I am a completely different keeper now than I was as a freshman. All around Karina developed my technical abilities, confidence and tactics and honestly without her training and motivation pushing me everyday I would not have accomplished what I did at Rutgers as well as help Rutgers soccer accomplish all we did as well.

Q. Are you satisfied with how the team finished this season?

I am very proud of how the team performed under all the adversity we faced with injuries this year. Being that it was my last collegiate game I did not want it to end and obviously wanted us to go further even though we put up a great fight. I believe our team accomplished a lot and I do think we had the potential to go even further.

Q. And from an individual standpoint, are you happy with your performance?

For the most part I'm never totally satisfied with how I do. Whenever we lose or give up a goal I feel as though there were things I could have done to prevent it. In general I feel pretty happy with how I performed in my college career.

Q. Are you looking forward to the WPS Draft?

I am looking forward to the draft and hopefully I will have good news come January 15th.

Q. What have you done between the end of your collegiate career and the WPS Draft to prepare for a potential professional career?

Since the season ended I have worked to stay fit as well as continued to strength train. I have also trained with Paul Blodgett once a week to keep my technical game sharp in hopes of having a career in the WPS.

Q. Do you have a favorite save from the season?

I would have to say my favorite save from the season was in the West Virginia game. There was a cross that went to a player on West Virgina who was on the 6 yard line and she redirected it in the opposite direction so I dove back and grabbed it on the goal line. It was my favorite save because we had been working on situations with crosses just like that in practice for awhile.

Q. And a favorite clean sheet?

A favorite clean sheet from this year would be the South Florida game. We tied 0-0 in South Florida. We had just come from the freezing rain in Marquette a day earlier. We were dead tired in the heat as a team so to give up no goals in circumstances like that spoke measures of the Rutgers team.

Q. Can you give us a preview of how the Rutgers women's team will do in 2010?

2010 is going to be a great year for Rutgers Women's Soccer. The talent that the team will have is going to be some of the best and I am predicting a memorable season for them. Returning Gina DeMaio is huge for the team who had to red shirt this year for a knee injury is huge for Rutgers.

Photo Credit: Tom Ciszek, Rutgers Athletics

Los Angeles Sol - The Offseason So Far

When Last We Left Them...

Los Angeles won the WPS regular season title with a 12-3-5 record and 41 points, well ahead of the rest of the league. By early June, they had opened up a double digit lead on the field, posting shutouts in 8 of their first 9 games. They were led by three great international players on offense, Marta, Camille Abily, and Aya Miyama. These three combined for 18 goals and 10 assists for the season. Karina LeBlanc was unbeatable in goal and a strong defense led by veteran Shannon Boxx at defensive mid kept opponents in check.

However, with not much to play for, they struggled down the stretch. A loss to Athletica in early July put their championship celebration on hold for two weeks. A scoreless tie against Gold Pride on July 23rd clinched it for them, but they appeared to be losing momentum. The Sol managed only a 1-2-1 record over their last 4 matches and then had a two week layoff before hosting the WPS Championship. They just never looked sharp in that match, surrendering an early goal to Sky Blue, followed quickly by a red card to Allison Falk. The 1-0 loss was a disappointing ending to a great season for Los Angeles.

Roster Moves

Los Angeles retained several great players from their 2009 roster, but little beyond that. At the present time, they have only 9 players signed for the 2010 season. Those players are Marta, Abily, Miyama, Boxx, LeBlanc, Brittany Bock, Stephanie Cox, Johanna Frisk, and Manya Makoski. It remains to be seen if they will re-sign any of their own free agents such as Aly Wagner or McCall Zerboni.

The Sol lost defender Sharolta Nonen and all-purpose player Katie Larkin to Atlanta in the expansion draft. Nonen, a veteran of the Canadian National Team and the WUSA Atlanta Beat, was a late season signing for Los Angeles after their defensive ranks were depleted for various reasons. She appeared in only two matches for the Sol. Larkin was a 3rd round draft choice for LA in 2009 and showed a lot of potential, but she rarely cracked the starting lineup of the talented Sol. She proved to be very versatile, even filling in at defense when needed. Larkin didn't score, but played in 14 matches and started 5.

In early October, Los Angeles traded defender Allison Falk and backup keeper Val Henderson to the Philadelphia Independence, for a 1st and a 3rd round draft pick. Falk, the Sol's 2nd round pick from 2009, started 16 games for Los Angeles and was considered to be one of the best young defenders in the league. Her absence will leave a pretty big hole in the Sol's back line. Henderson got very little chance to play because of LeBlanc's brilliance. But when she did, she sparkled with a shutout against Gold Pride in her only match. Additionally, free agent Lyndsey Patterson, who saw action in one match for LA, was signed by Philadelphia.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles has been very quiet, making no major acquisitions. They are in good position to make a lot of noise at the draft. They have possession of the 5th, 8th, and 9th overall picks.

Current Roster

Goalkeepers (1)-Karina LeBlanc.
Defenders (4)-Brittany Bock, Stephanie Cox, Johanna Frisk, Manya Makoski.
Midfielders (3)-Camille Abily, Shannon Boxx, Aya Miyama.
Forwards (1)-Marta.

Additions- None
Subtractions- Sharolta Nonen (drafted by Atlanta), Katie Larkin (drafted by Atlanta), Allison Falk (traded to Philadelphia), Valerie Henderson (traded to Philadelphia), Lyndsey Patterson (signed by Philadelphia).

Other Free Agents from 2009 roster-Liz Bogus, Brittany Cameron, Martina Franko, Han Duan, Keri Sanchez, Lisa Sari, Julia Schnugg, Christie Shaner, Aly Wagner, and McCall Zerboni.
Internationals-Abily, Frisk, Marta, and Miyama with 1 slot open.
Draft Choices (in first 3 rounds)-Nos. 5, 8, 9, 20, and 22.

Needs to Address

Los Angeles has three things going for them. They have a lot of talent, a lot of draft picks, and some versatility. Brittany Bock can play any position on the field and Manya Makoski can play defender or midfielder. But there are still holes to fill. I would think that their first need would be defender. With Franko, Falk, and Nonen gone, they really need a center back. I'm guessing that LA will use their final international opening for a scorer, leaving the draft as the means to fill their defensive needs. Would LA possibly package a couple of their draft picks to move up to the top spot in the draft?

Los Angeles also needs a scorer and probably more than one. Brittany Bock could move up to forward. Bock and Marta seemed to have pretty good chemistry when they paired together up front, but their 5th international player will probably be the key here. Will Laura Del Rio be the missing piece of the puzzle or do they have someone else in mind?

The other needs for the Sol could probably be filled by re-signing some of their own players. Brittany Cameron, last year's developmental keeper for the Sol, could move into the backup position, although the Sol could opt for one of the top college keepers instead. And then at midfield, there is the question as to whether Aly Wagner and/or McCall Zerboni might be back to complement the already strong group of Boxx, Abily, and Miyama.

It's almost as though Los Angeles is banking on this year's draft being stronger than last year's. They've lost three talented young players from that 2009 draft in Falk, Henderson, and Larkin. In addition, they got Bock, Zerboni, Cameron, and Sari in the draft. Will their 2010 draft class be as talented as the 2009 class was? The Sol will definitely be a team to watch on draft day.

WPS Championship Preview-Sky Blue FC at Los Angeles Sol

Sky Blue FC (9-8-5) at Los Angeles Sol (12-3-5)
Saturday, August 22nd, 1pm PT, 4pm ET
Home Depot Center, Carson, California

Season Series: Los Angeles won the season series with two wins and a tie against Sky Blue.
4/5/09-Los Angeles 2, Sky Blue 0 (TD Bank Park)
5/15/09-Los Angeles 1, Sky Blue 0 (Home Depot Center)
6/13/09-Los Angeles 0, Sky Blue 0 (Yurcak Field)

Top Performers in the Series:
Los Angeles-Marta (3 goals); Camille Abily (1 assist); Han Duan (1 assist); Karina LeBlanc (3 shutouts).
Sky Blue FC-Jenni Branam (1.00 GA, 1 shutout).

Possible Starting Lineups:
Los Angeles Sol (Coach-Abner Rogers)
G-Karina LeBlanc (0.53 GA, 12 shutouts)
D-Keri Sanchez
D-Allison Falk (1 goal)
D-Brittany Bock (2 goals)
D-Stephanie Cox
M-Shannon Boxx (3 goals, 3 assists)
M-Manya Makoski
M-Aly Wagner (4 assists)
M-Aya Miyama (6 assist)
F-Marta (10 goals, 3 assists)
F-Han Duan (3 goals, 2 assists)
Unavailable Due to Euros: Camille Abily (8 goals, 1 assist)
Top Subs: McCall Zerboni, Katie Larkin, Sharolta Nonen, Liz Bogus, Lisa Sari, Val Henderson

Sky Blue FC (Coach-Christie Rampone)
G-Jenni Branam (1.03 GA, 7 shutouts)
D-Keeley Dowling (1 goal, 3 assists)
D-Jen Buczkowski
D-Christie Rampone
D-Meghan Schnur (2 assists)
M-Yael Averbuch (2 assists)
M-Collette McCallum (3 assists)
M-Heather O'Reilly (2 goals, 3 assists)
M-Kacey White (3 goals, 1 assist)
F-Natasha Kai (7 goals, 1 assist) or Kerri Hanks (2 goals, 1 assist)
F-Rosana (5 goals, 1 assist)
Unavailable Due to Euros: Anita Asante (starting defender); Karen Bardsley (backup keeper)
Top Subs: Kelly Parker, Francielle, Julianne Sitch, Katie Hooker, Noelle Keselica, Cori Alexander.
Note: Stats include playoff games for Sky Blue.

Game Preview:
It's the team of destiny, Sky Blue FC, against the regular season champions, the Los Angeles Sol, at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. Sky Blue are on a playoff roll, winning two in a row, both over teams they had never won against. On Saturday, they will face yet another team that they have never beaten in Los Angeles. Los Angeles won two of the regular season matches, with the third ending in a scoreless tie. In fact, Sky Blue has yet to score a goal against the Sol in 270 minutes of soccer, but SBFC has been a giant killer in the playoffs. Now only one team stands between them and the title.

Los Angeles had a very impressive regular season up until the final month when they lost two games and tied Gold Pride, before coming from behind to beat Boston in their final regular season match. But one major reason for their success will be missing on Saturday, that being Camille Abily who has joined her French teammates for the Euros in Finland. The Sol only had 6 different players score goals for them and Abily had 8 of the 27. Sky Blue will still be missing defender Anita Asante, but their defense has played well without her, giving up just one goal in two playoff games.

You can't say enough about Jen Branam's playoff performance, shaking off injuries in both games and earning a shutout against Saint Louis in the semifinals. She is one of the quickest keepers in the league and also the most daring. She will roam well out of the penalty area to clear the ball out which could be disastrous, but so far she has managed to beat the attacking player in each case. In front of her will be Keeley Dowling, Jen Buczkowski, player-coach Christie Rampone, and Meghan Schnur. Dowling got her first goal of the year in the semis with a perfectly placed shot that beat Hope Solo. Buczkowski has filled in ably for Asante and Schnur is as steady as they come. Rampone is the leader on that back line.

After spending much of the early season on the bench, Yael Averbuch has been a force lately. She has her only two assists of the season in the playoffs, assisting on the game winner in each match. Her nifty dribbling move against Athletica got her free to nudge a pass toward a wide open Dowling for Sky Blue's only goal against Saint Louis. Collette McCallum has 3 assists this season and Kelly Parker will probably see action at midfield as well. Heather O'Reilly can be a dominating midfielder and may well be a key in this match. Kacey White, who really plays a 3rd forward, is Sky Blue's 3rd leading scorer.

For the first two playoff matches, Christie Rampone chose to start Kerri Hanks and save Natasha Kai for the end of the match. It's worked so far, so she may try it again Saturday. In spite of not scoring, Hanks had one of her most active matches in the semis and only a great diving save kept her from hitting the back of the net. The other forward will be Rosana, who has scored 5 goals this season, and with Kai, form perhaps the speediest forward duo in the league.

Los Angeles will start Karina LeBlanc in goal and she has 12 shutouts for the season, including 3 against this Sky Blue team. Her 0.53 goals against is the lowest of any starting keeper in the WPS. Her starting back line will probably consist of veteran Keri Sanchez, versatile Brittany Bock, Allison Falk, and Stephanie Cox. Both Falk and Cox have had great seasons, with Falk being nominated for Defender of the Year. For some reason, Cox never seems to get the recognition she deserves, perhaps because she does her job so efficiently.

Even with the loss of Camille Abily and her 8 goals, the Sol have a talented midfield. Start with Shannon Boxx, a WPS All-Star and mainstay on the US National Team. Add Manya Makoski, a defensive specialist who plays defender and midfielder equally well. Then there's Aly Wagner, who managed 4 assists, in spite of missing several matches due to injuries. And last, but not least, there is Aya Miyama, a playmaker extraordinaire with 6 assists.

When it comes to offense, Los Angeles has the most potent weapon in the league in Marta. She led the league with 10 goals and added 3 assists to that. Simply put, she is the fastest, most talented forward in the league and she will attract a lot of attention from Sky Blue's defensive back. Han Duan will be at the other forward position.

Los Angeles Sol Keys:
1) Clog up the midfield passing lanes-Sky Blue dominated the first 30 minutes of the semis with precision passing and quite frankly, Saint Louis didn't put a lot of pressure on their midfield. LA needs to pressure their midfield into mistakes and not let Sky Blue set up their chances.
2) Counterattack, counterattack, counterattack-There is no better team in the league at gaining possession and getting quickly into an attacking mode than the Sol. By counterattacking in this manner, Sky Blue will be less likely to risk bringing outside defenders Dowling and Schnur or midfielder Averbuch forward into the attack.
3) Beat the offsides trap-Los Angeles did just that in the second meeting between these two teams, with Marta timing her run perfectly and then she deftly dribbled around Branam and finished for the only goal of that match.

Sky Blue FC Keys:
1) Take it slow and be patient-Sky Blue isn't going to win an end to end shootout. Take your time, make good passes, keep possession, and wait for your chances. Another side benefit is that this strategy will likely frustrate Marta into coming back farther to gain possession, thus taking her farther away from the goal.
2) Make the safe play-This goes for the whole team. The defense must get the ball out of trouble with the first touch. There were a couple of instances on Wednesday when a loose ball lingered way too long in the penalty area. And how many more times will Branam wander 30 yards out and get away with it. I'll give her high marks for courage and daring, but eventually it's going to cost her.
3) Use team speed up the flanks-Several times in the semifinals, a Sky Blue attacker was able to beat Athletica's outside defenders and get a clean cross into the box. Kacey White and Heather O'Reilly are experts in this area. Use this strength to create chances, especially up the left side.

Game Analysis:
Unlike Athletica, who showed virtually no offense in the first 30 minutes on Wednesday, Los Angeles will likely be pressuring from the opening whistle. I don't think the Sol will play the 1st half in a "feeling out" mode. Sky Blue does have some talented offensive players of their own, but it's going to be hard for them to get numbers forward, especially from the back line as Keeley Dowling did in the semifinal. If they do get caught forward, they will be vulnerable to LA's lethal counterattack.

LeBlanc has been a top keeper all season, but Branam might be the hottest keeper in the league right now. She managed to get through the semi virtually untested by any formidable shots, but she will have to be on top of her game on Saturday. Sky Blue's defense and midfield are very good, but the Sol's are probably better and the flawless passing game we saw in the 1st half on Wednesday might not be so easy to duplicate in the final.

If Sky Blue is going to win this match, they cannot afford to make any mistakes. The longer the game stays even, the better for Sky Blue. Los Angeles proved they were the best team in the regular season, but we started to see some vulnerability toward the end of the season. Still, you have to believe they will be prepared for this match. The team from Jersey plays with a lot of heart, but I'm not sure that will be enough against the Sol. And you just have the feeling that if a goal is needed late, that Marta will be able to do it just by sheer will.

Match Report-Los Angeles 2, Saint Louis 1

Saint Louis dominated play, outshot Los Angeles 25-12, outcornered them 12-2, but in the only statistic that really matters, they fell to the Sol by the score of 2-1. Second half goals by Han Duan and Marta gave LA a 2-0 lead and then they held on for dear life to gain the three points. Karina LeBlanc was the difference, making 8 saves to give the victory to the Sol. Los Angeles is now 13 points clear of 2nd place Boston, who defeated Washington 1-0 in Wednesday night's other contest. Meanwhile, Athletica is clinging to the 4th and final playoff spot with 14 points.

The first half started with the Sol getting the first real chance of the game 5 minutes in. An Aya Miyama free kick from about 25 yards out got through to Shannon Boxx in front of the goal, with Athletica apparently thinking she was offsides. However, the ball somehow got through Boxx into the waiting arms of Saint Louis keeper Hope Solo. It was one of the few chances LA would have all night.

At about the 10 minute mark, Lori Chalupny hit a shot that LeBlanc made a diving save on. Several more chances followed, with shots going either wide or handled by LeBlanc. In the 28th minute, Amanda Cinalli set up Chalupny whose header was low to the left corner, but LeBlanc again slid to her right to make the save. In the 34th minute, LeBlanc made another nice save on Eniola Aluko's shot. The first half ended scoreless.

Early in the 2nd half, LA coach Abner Rogers made what was probably the key substitution of the match, sending in Han Duan and it quickly paid dividends. Han got the ball just outside the box, flipped the ball over the Athletica defender, outraced her to the ball, and finished with a shot in the upper right hand corner of the net to give the Sol a 1-0 lead. It was a great individual effort by the Chinese striker.

If Athletica's pressure in the 1st half was intense, they turned it up a notch after that goal. The chances were coming almost every minute at one point. The best of the chances was in the 62nd minute as Angie Woznuk struck a free kick which found Chalupny who hit a hard shot that LeBlanc made a great save on. Aluko was just late to get to the rebound. This was followed over the next 5 minutes with shots from a Melissa Tancredi header (saved by LeBlanc), a hard shot from Woznuk (just wide), a Christie Welsh shot (blocked at the defense), another Tancredi shot (saved by LeBlanc), and another Welsh shot (high and wide).

But as has happened so often this year, a quick counterattack and a Marta goal got the Sol out of trouble. Marta appeared to finish with a flick from the outside of her foot past Hope Solo to put the Sol up 2-0. The goal seemed to temporarily dishearten Saint Louis and Los Angeles controlled the next five minutes.

Coach Jorge Barcellos decided he had to go all out in the offensive end, subbing in forwards Kerri Hanks and Ashlee Pistorius. The Hanks substitution paid off with a goal. In the 80th minute, Hanks received the ball just outside the box and dropped a pass to Aluko, who struck a nice through ball to Hanks. Hanks made no mistake in blasting home the shot, bringing Athletica to within one goal. It was Hanks' first goal of the season.

Saint Louis continued to put pressure on for the final 10 minutes. Pistorius manoeuvered for a shot, but struck it well wide. A long ball into the box saw Hanks go up with LeBlanc in an attempt for a header, with the ball getting through LeBlanc's hands, only for the Sol's defense to clear it away. Another shot by Athletica was briefly fumbled by the Sol's keeper, but she recovered just in time to hold on. In stoppage, a Stephanie Logterman cross into the penalty area saw an Athletica player nearly get ran over, but there was no call and the Sol once again cleared. It was the last good chance of the match.

After the game, Barcellos was quoted as saying "we missed a goal almost from inside the goal", which was an apt description of Athletica's finishing and frustration. Finishing has been a problem for Saint Louis all season and it was never more evident than in this game. Set pieces were wasted by Athletica all night, whether it was a couple of corners going behind the net or sailing long of their target.

For the Sol, LeBlanc saved the day with several great stops. Han Duan's brilliant effort gave the Sol their first goal and Marta sealed the deal with the Sol's second goal. Allison Falk headed quite a few of Athletica's many corner kicks clear. Give coach Abner Rogers a big thumbs up for making a key substitution with Han at a pivitol point in the game.

For Athletica, several players played well in spite of the disappointing result. Woznuk easily had her best game of the year. Hanks finally got her first goal, lifting the weight of the world off of her shoulders. Christie Welsh was dangerous, getting off seven shots for the match and constantly putting pressure on LeBlanc. Kendall Fletcher and Kia McNeill did a great job of shutting down Marta and company in the 1st half. But as has been the case too often this year, just one or two mistakes by the defense cost them dearly.

Both teams return to action this weekend. Los Angeles doesn't have much time to recover from the heat and exhaustion in Saint Louis as they return home to face Chicago in a Saturday afternoon match. Athletica travels to New Jersey to face Sky Blue FC in the FSC game of the week on Sunday evening.