One could only call this a game for the ages. It had a bit of everything, good and bad. There was compelling drama and cheap theatrics. There were great goals and own goals. There were great saves and questionable calls. There were great plays and red cards. There was magic and despair. In the end, Abby Wambach's improbable goal in the 122nd minute forced the match to penalties, with the United States prevailing 5-3 to advance to the 2011 World Cup semifinals.
The United States looked all but dead after Rachel Buehler was sent off and Marta's penalty kick tied the match in the 67th minute. Things looked even worse for the US after Marta's beautiful goal in the first overtime. And as time ticked into stoppage of the second overtime, things looked bleak indeed. But this script had a surprise ending, one that was truly unbelievable.
It wasn't always the prettiest of games. Certainly the referee crew had a very rough day at the office as several calls came into question, a couple of which had a direct effect on the outcome of the match. To be fair, the players didn't make their job any easier with overly dramatic theatrics, seemingly fake injuries, and incessant complaining, from both sides at times.
Kleiton Lima made no real changes in his lineup, keeping Daiane at center back over Renata Costa. Pia Sundhage made only one subtle change, switching the center backs and moving Christie Rampone to the left side with Amy LePeilbet, while moving Rachel Buehler to right center back.
It was almost a precursor of weird things to come that the United States would strike first at the 1:16 mark of the game on an own goal. Rampone sent a long ball to the left corner, with Shannon Boxx chasing it down just before it got to the end line. She hit a low cross into the six, which deflected off Daiane and past Brazilian keeper Andreia into the net. The US had the early lead.
The United States played well in the opening 20 minutes of the match and created a few chances. Rampone sent a long free kick forward with Abby Wambach getting her head on it, but Andreia was able to deflect the ball wide. LePeilbet hit a drive from 25 yards in the 17th minute, but the ball flew just wide of the left post.
However, as play wore on, the United States began to have difficulty stringing passes together. Meanwhile, Brazil was starting to get into their game. Marta placed a right side corner kick toward the back post and over Hope Solo's head, but Aline headed the ball just wide in the 22nd minute.
Just one minute later, Brazil broke out of their own end on a counterattack and Marta nearly had a clean breakaway. Luckily for the US, it was a speedy Rampone giving chase and she was able to stay close to harass Marta just enough. She forced Marta to the left side of the box and the Brazilian striker shot over the crossbar. Just four minutes later, Marta played the ball square to Formiga just outside the 18, but Formiga's shot from dead straight on also cleared the crossbar.
Brazil continued to pressure later in the half. A hard 25-yard shot from Cristiane right up the middle was smothered by Solo in the 36th minute. An Amy Rodriguez turnover in her own end led to a Rosana cross from the right side that landed on top of the crossbar and bounced over. Clearly, Brazil was now controlling play, but the United States went into halftime with a 1-0 lead.
Yellow cards were the order of the day. Both Carli Lloyd for the United States and Aline for Brazil picked up yellows for fouls and Marta received one for complaining to the referee. Four were handed out to both teams before this match was over.
Pia Sundhage made her first substitution in the 54th minute, sending Megan Rapinoe in for Lauren Cheney. Nearly 70 minutes later, Rapinoe would have a major impact on this match.
Brazil continued to pressure in the 2nd half. Cristiane shot from 25 yards on the right wing with Solo making the save. The ball rolled away briefly, but Solo scrambled to cover up before danger arrived. A minute later, Fabiana was dangerous on the right side of the box, but Solo cut off and grabbed her cross before it could become trouble.
The United States came very close in the 63rd minute. Rapinoe's free kick was from 35 yards out on the left wing found Lloyd who headed the ball off the upper left corner of the crossbar.
Controversy came in the 66th minute. Marta had possession on the left side of the US penalty area, with both Christie Rampone and Rachel Buehler in front of her. She half-volleyed the ball over the heads of the American defenders. She then raced stride for stride with Buehler to the ball which was headed toward the six. Both players had their arms fully extended, Buehler's right and Marta's left. As they neared the ball, both of Marta's legs flew three feet in the air and the whistle was blown.
The referee was in a very tough position to see and there was certainly contact, but both players were using their arms on the play. Buehler may have briefly grabbed Marta's jersey as both jostled. However, Marta sold it well and on this day at least, the referee was buying. Buehler was sent off and Brazil awarded a penalty. Marta was jeered for the rest of the game by many in the crowd, with even many of the neutral fans appearing to turn against her.
More controversy followed with the ensuing penalty. Cristiane stepped up to take the kick and Solo made a brilliant diving save to keep the US in front. But hold on a minute, maybe not. It appeared that the ref had ruled that another American player had barely stepped into the box as Cristiane had struck her kick, encroachment if you will. It is play that happens all the time and it is rule that is rarely enforced and a call that is rarely made.
Brazil was awarded a retry and Marta made no mistake on the second kick, beating Solo and tying the match at one. The United States now faced the prospects of playing Brazil down a player for the rest of the match in a tie game.
But if anything, the calls seem to steel the American's resolve and they actually started playing better than they had earlier in the match. Sundhage was hoping that Alex Morgan could provide the US with the spark she had in November's qualifying playoff against Italy, sending her in for Rodriguez in the 72nd minute. Lima, who substitutes minimally, sent Francielle in for Rosana in the 85th minute.
The US had one final chance in regulation as Heather O'Reilly crossed from the right side. The ball came to Lloyd, but it was bouncing and the US midfielder failed to make a connection. Overtime it would be.
Brazil didn't take long into the first overtime to grab the lead. They had possession along the left sideline to start the play. Maurine worked a short little give-and-go with Erika, with Maurine getting the ball in the left corner. She crossed to the six, where Marta hit a left-footed swinging shot over her shoulder, sending the ball over Solo's head, bouncing into the right post and then into the goal.
Once again, though, there was some controversy. It appeared that Maurine had put herself in an offside position before she received the return pass from Erika. However, the call wasn't made and nothing could take away from the brilliance of Marta's strike on the play. It was Marta's 14th career World Cup goal, tying her with Birgit Prinz. Brazil now had a 2-1 lead and were a player up with just 28 minutes to kill.
The United States nearly tied the match in the 98th minute. Shannon Boxx blocked a Brazilian clearance with the ball coming to Wambach on the right side of the penalty area. She hit a low driven shot headed for the inside of the left post, but Andreia made a great diving save to keep her team a goal up.
In the 101st minute, Marta's cross from the right side gave Solo trouble, but the American keeper was able to reach up and punch the ball out at the last second. The first overtime was over and the US was down to their final 15 minutes.
What appeared to be a bit of play acting caused even more controversy. Brazilian defender Erika got bumped in the back in the 114th minute. She then took several steps and decided to kneel down on the turf with an apparent injury.
Play was stopped for over a minute and a half, while she was attended to. She was taken off on a stretcher, but once the stretcher cleared the field of play, she bounced right up, jogged around to the sideline and was ready to come back in. The referee was clearly incensed by this bit of theatrics and promptly carded the Brazilian defender upon her return to the game.
Three minutes stoppage were added, one would guess primarily for Erika's "injury" time. With time running out, it appeared the Americans would be heading home. But the United States had one final shot left in them.
The US gained possession deep in their own end and were able to get the ball forward to Lloyd just shy of the center line. Lloyd was able to work her away across the field and sent a soft pass on the left side to Rapinoe. Rapinoe touched the ball forward until she was about 35 yards out on the left wing. She hit the ball with her left foot, sending it toward the penalty area.
In what could only be called the immaculate cross, Rapinoe's serve flew toward the right corner of the six-yard box, where Wambach was moving in toward the Brazilian goal. With both sweeper back Daiane and goalkeeper Andreia leaping out to intercept, Wambach rose to head the ball. The two Brazilians arrived late and Wambach drilled the ball perfectly inside the right post. The US had miraculously tied the match in the 122nd minute.
The final seconds ticked away and the match was headed to penalties. Penalties are almost always a dicey affair, even if one team appears to have the advantage at keeper. This one would put Hope Solo and Andreia in the spotlight.
Shannon Boxx stepped up to take the first kick for the United States. Andreia took nearly two full steps forward as Boxx approached the ball. She made a good save, but Boxx was correctly awarded a rekick. Boxx converted her second attempt perfectly, and it had to be, because Andreia guessed right and nearly got there. In fact, Andreia guessed correctly on the next two kicks as well, one by Lloyd and one by Wambach, but each one was dead perfect.
Meanwhile, Cristiane and Marta had taken the first two attempts for Brazil and had easily converted their kicks as Solo guessed wrong on both occasions. The Americans led 3-2 as Daiane stepped up to take the third try for Brazil.
Daiane appeared to hit the ball well, going for the right side as her two teammates had previously. But she elevated the ball just a little so that it was about three feet off the ground by the time it got to Solo. This time Solo guessed right and fully extended, punched the ball clear of the goal and the US held the advantage.
Megan Rapinoe went lower left corner with the fourth US try and this time Andreia guessed wrong. The United States were now up 4-2. Young Francielle stepped up next for Brazil. It appeared that Solo had stepped out toward Francielle as the Brazilian took the ball from the referee, perhaps in an effort to psych her out. Solo and Francielle had been teammates in 2009 on Saint Louis Athletica and the two knew each other from there. Francielle did not rattle in the least, calmly placing her shot in the lower right corner to bring Brazil within one at 4-3.
It was all up to Ali Krieger, the one US player who had played much of her professional career in Germany. Krieger stepped up and hit a low bouncing shot inside the left post, out of the reach of Andreia. Krieger had converted and the United States had made one of the most improbable comebacks in soccer history.
Likely, much will be made of the calls that were made and weren't made in the match, most likely by backers of both sides. There are surely some things that need sorting out there.
Brazilian defender Daiane certainly had a rough day, between the own goal, the final US goal, and the missed penalty. To be fair, she played very well otherwise and quite frankly, the Brazilian team as a whole failed to finish off the match when they had the chance, so one could hardly place the blame on any one player.
The United States has now reached every semifinal in Women's World Cup history. They will now face a very tough French team who went through the ordeal of overtime and penalties just 24 hours earlier. The US will have to do so without the services of their starting center back Rachel Buehler, since she will be forced to miss that match on suspension. One wonders if they can lift themselves back up after this emotionally draining day.
But at least until Wednesday, they can believe that miracles can happen, especially when you believe in yourself.
Showing posts with label Rachel Buehler. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rachel Buehler. Show all posts
July 10, 2011
June 28, 2011
United States 2, Korea DPR 0
0
comments
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Abby Wambach, Amy Rodriguez, Carli Lloyd, Hong Myong Hui, Hope Solo, Jo Yun Mi, Kim Su Gyong, Korea DPR, Lauren Cheney, Megan Rapinoe, Rachel Buehler, USWNT
Labels: 2011 World Cup, Abby Wambach, Amy Rodriguez, Carli Lloyd, Hong Myong Hui, Hope Solo, Jo Yun Mi, Kim Su Gyong, Korea DPR, Lauren Cheney, Megan Rapinoe, Rachel Buehler, USWNT
They say it's always a good idea to make your coach look brilliant and that's just what Lauren Cheney did in the United States' opening match against Korea on Tuesday. Cheney scored the winning goal in the 54th minute to lead the US to a 2-0 victory.
Cheney was placed in the starting lineup as a midfielder in place of the normal starter Megan Rapinoe and the move paid dividends to US coach Pia Sundhage. While Cheney was playing midfield, she appeared to be almost a third striker for much of the match.
The United States looked a bit nervous early on, perhaps a combination of opening match jitters and pressure. The first half was played pretty evenly between the two sides and the Koreans certainly had stretches were they held the advantage.
The way things went early on, especially for Cheney, it appeared that the Americans were out to play kick and catch with Korean keeper Hong Myong Hui. The first evidence of this was in the 11th minute as Cheney drilled a hard shot, but right at Hong.
Korea did not get any especially dangerous chances early on. Jon Myong Hwa did put one over the bar from distance in the 25th minute.
Cheney again placed a hard shot on frame from 15 yards, but again right at Hong in the 34th minute.
But later in the half, Korea were knocking at the door. Just a minute later, Kim Su Gyong nearly snuck one inside the right post, but Hope Solo was there to make the save. Then Song Jong Sun sent the ball past a diving Solo across the goal mouth, but no one was making a back post run and the ball rolled harmlessly away. In the closing minutes of the half JoYun Mi nearly tipped in a cross by Kim, but to no avail.
The second started with some beautiful passing from the US. Carli Lloyd sent the ball forward to Abby Wambach who sent it square to Amy Rodriguez. Rodriguez then connected with a nice pass to Cheney. Once again, Cheney's shot was right at Hong.
But if the first half was pretty even, the second half was a dominating performance by the United States. They created chance after chance in the 2nd half. First, Shannon Boxx sent one just over the bar. Then Cheney again tested Hong from 12 yards, but the Korean keeper was up to task yet again. In the 51st minute, Rodriguez made a nice run up the right side, sending the ball across to Wambach who missed connecting from just in front of the goal.
The US broke through in the 54th minute. Lloyd sent a well-weighted ball up the left side with Wambach running onto it. Wambach settled, cut inside to give herself room and hit a right-footed cross. Lauren Cheney was waiting eight yards out and even with the back post. Unlike all of the shots off her foot, her header was perfectly placed, back across the goal and inside the left post. The United States led 1-0.
Korea came close to tying in the 56th minute as Ri's shot from distance glanced off the top of the crossbar. It was as close as the young Koreans would come to tying the match.
The United States continued to keep Hong busy. Amy LePeilbet's cross in the 65th minute found Wambach wide open. She headed the ball down hard, with the ball bouncing in front of Hong, then off Hong's hands and then hitting the underside of the crossbar, before bouncing out. Later, Rodriguez hit a bending shot that appeared might sneak inside the left post, but Hong was able to get a hand on that to keep it at one.
The United States put the game away in the 76th minute as Ali Krieger's shot from the left wing struck the crossbar, with the loose ball eventually coming to Rachel Buehler at the 18.. She neatly slotted the ball just inside the left post to give the US a safe 2-0 lead.
Korea did put some pressure on in the final five minutes, but Solo and the US were able to keep it at a shutout. Meanwhile, the US thought they had a third when Megan Rapinoe appeared to beat Hong to the ball and hammer it home from in close, but the referee ruled that Hong had gotten her hands on the ball just before Rapinoe connected. The goal was disallowed and a foul called on the American midfielder.
For the United States, several players had strong games, most notably Cheney and Rodriguez. The US were able to limit Korean star Jo's chances to just a few. Hope Solo was solid in goal, but really not overly tested. Hong did well to keep the score at 2-0 in goal for the Koreans.
The United States put themselves in a very favorable position in Group C with three points and a +2 differential. They will take on Colombia on Saturday, a match that they should enter as prohibitive favorites. North Korea meets Sweden on Saturday in a very important match for both teams.
Cheney was placed in the starting lineup as a midfielder in place of the normal starter Megan Rapinoe and the move paid dividends to US coach Pia Sundhage. While Cheney was playing midfield, she appeared to be almost a third striker for much of the match.
The United States looked a bit nervous early on, perhaps a combination of opening match jitters and pressure. The first half was played pretty evenly between the two sides and the Koreans certainly had stretches were they held the advantage.
The way things went early on, especially for Cheney, it appeared that the Americans were out to play kick and catch with Korean keeper Hong Myong Hui. The first evidence of this was in the 11th minute as Cheney drilled a hard shot, but right at Hong.
Korea did not get any especially dangerous chances early on. Jon Myong Hwa did put one over the bar from distance in the 25th minute.
Cheney again placed a hard shot on frame from 15 yards, but again right at Hong in the 34th minute.
But later in the half, Korea were knocking at the door. Just a minute later, Kim Su Gyong nearly snuck one inside the right post, but Hope Solo was there to make the save. Then Song Jong Sun sent the ball past a diving Solo across the goal mouth, but no one was making a back post run and the ball rolled harmlessly away. In the closing minutes of the half JoYun Mi nearly tipped in a cross by Kim, but to no avail.
The second started with some beautiful passing from the US. Carli Lloyd sent the ball forward to Abby Wambach who sent it square to Amy Rodriguez. Rodriguez then connected with a nice pass to Cheney. Once again, Cheney's shot was right at Hong.
But if the first half was pretty even, the second half was a dominating performance by the United States. They created chance after chance in the 2nd half. First, Shannon Boxx sent one just over the bar. Then Cheney again tested Hong from 12 yards, but the Korean keeper was up to task yet again. In the 51st minute, Rodriguez made a nice run up the right side, sending the ball across to Wambach who missed connecting from just in front of the goal.
The US broke through in the 54th minute. Lloyd sent a well-weighted ball up the left side with Wambach running onto it. Wambach settled, cut inside to give herself room and hit a right-footed cross. Lauren Cheney was waiting eight yards out and even with the back post. Unlike all of the shots off her foot, her header was perfectly placed, back across the goal and inside the left post. The United States led 1-0.
Korea came close to tying in the 56th minute as Ri's shot from distance glanced off the top of the crossbar. It was as close as the young Koreans would come to tying the match.
The United States continued to keep Hong busy. Amy LePeilbet's cross in the 65th minute found Wambach wide open. She headed the ball down hard, with the ball bouncing in front of Hong, then off Hong's hands and then hitting the underside of the crossbar, before bouncing out. Later, Rodriguez hit a bending shot that appeared might sneak inside the left post, but Hong was able to get a hand on that to keep it at one.
The United States put the game away in the 76th minute as Ali Krieger's shot from the left wing struck the crossbar, with the loose ball eventually coming to Rachel Buehler at the 18.. She neatly slotted the ball just inside the left post to give the US a safe 2-0 lead.
Korea did put some pressure on in the final five minutes, but Solo and the US were able to keep it at a shutout. Meanwhile, the US thought they had a third when Megan Rapinoe appeared to beat Hong to the ball and hammer it home from in close, but the referee ruled that Hong had gotten her hands on the ball just before Rapinoe connected. The goal was disallowed and a foul called on the American midfielder.
For the United States, several players had strong games, most notably Cheney and Rodriguez. The US were able to limit Korean star Jo's chances to just a few. Hope Solo was solid in goal, but really not overly tested. Hong did well to keep the score at 2-0 in goal for the Koreans.
The United States put themselves in a very favorable position in Group C with three points and a +2 differential. They will take on Colombia on Saturday, a match that they should enter as prohibitive favorites. North Korea meets Sweden on Saturday in a very important match for both teams.
April 4, 2011
2011 Boston Breakers Preview
0
comments
Labels: 2011 WPS, Alex Scott, Alyssa Naeher, Amy LePeilbet, Boston Breakers, Kelly Smith, Lauren Cheney, Leslie Osborne, Rachel Buehler
Labels: 2011 WPS, Alex Scott, Alyssa Naeher, Amy LePeilbet, Boston Breakers, Kelly Smith, Lauren Cheney, Leslie Osborne, Rachel Buehler
Boston Breakers
Coach: Tony DiCicco (3rd year)
2010 Record: 10-8-6 (2nd place)
Home Stadium: Harvard Stadium (Cambridge, Massachusetts)
Roster:
Goalkeepers (3): Kelsey Davis, Alyssa Naeher, Ashley Phillips.
Defenders (7): Liz Bogus, Rachel Buehler, Stephanie Cox, Ifeoma Dieke, Amy LePeilbet, Kasey Moore, Alex Scott.
Midfielders (8): Jordan Angeli, Leah Blayney, Niki Cross, Leslie Osborne, Elli Reed(R), Katie Schoepfer, Nikki Washington, Keelin Winters(R).
Forwards (5): Lauren Cheney, Taryn Hemmings, Kelley O’Hara, Kelly Smith, Claire Zimmeck.
(R) denotes true rookie; returning players in bold.
Probable World Cup players: Buehler, Cox, LePeilbet, Scott, Cheney, O’Hara, and Smith.
Boston returns 14 players from last season’s 2nd place finish (regular season) and that continuity should help them early on. The Breakers also picked up two highly regarded players from Gold Pride’s championship team, Rachel Buehler and Kelley O’Hara.
The Breakers finished very strong in 2010, 9-3-2 over their last 14 matches with two of the losses coming against FC Gold Pride. An overtime loss to Philadelphia meant that the season ended in disappointment, but the team made a lot of progress during the season and looks to be a contender for the title this season.
Goalkeepers: Alyssa Naeher is the number one keeper and she did a fine job over the final two thirds of the 2010 season. She posted a 1.17 goals against average and three shutouts. Heading into this season with a year’s experience under her belt, she should be even better.
There is an outside chance Naeher could be selected to the USWNT for the World Cup, although it looks as though Ashlyn Harris will get the third goalkeeper’s spot right now. Boston’s backup keepers are Ashley Phillips, who was the Breakers starter early last season and Kelsey Davis, who spent time with the Red Stars last season and has been a regular on national junior teams.
Defenders: This could be the best defense in WPS, although a couple of other sides could put up good arguments. The starters are national team players all, with Alex Scott and Stephanie Cox on the outside and Rachel Buehler and Amy LePeilbet on the inside. Buehler comes over from Gold Pride, a team that she helped make the best defensive unit last year. LePeilbet is a two-time defensive player of the year in WPS. Scott, a starter with the English National Team, is one the best offensive outside backs in soccer. Cox is a consistent performer, who rarely makes mistakes.
The problem is that they are so good, they will all be in Germany in June and July, meaning the Breakers lose their entire back line for a good part of the season. Ifeoma Dieke can certainly step right in. She is a member of the Scottish National Team and has excellent speed. Kasey Moore is a two-year veteran of the Breakers, so she is familiar with their system. Liz Bogus is listed as a defender, although her natural position is either attacking mid or forward, so the back line will be rather new to her.
Boston will have to move some of their listed midfielders to play back line. The most likely candidates are Niki Cross, Elli Reed, or Jordan Angeli, all of whom have extensive experience at playing back line. Reed was excellent at outside back for Portland while in college and is one of two rookies to make the squad.
Midfielders: Probably the area that has seen the most changes for Boston is in the midfield. With the retirement of Kristine Lilly, Leslie Osborne will be the experienced leadership in this group. Osborne is a top notch defensive player, and like teammate Rachel Buehler, can be one of the toughest tacklers in the league.
Jordan Angeli is another returnee and was one of the pleasant surprises of the 2010 season. After becoming a starter a third of the way into the season, she scored seven goals, second most on the team. She is a solid defender as well. Nikki Washington is another midfielder that can score. An excellent attacking player from the wing, the former UNC star has been slowed by injuries since 2009.
Another Portland alum, Keelin Winters, will also compete for a starting role at midfield. Winters is a hard worker and has great soccer intelligence. Leah Blayney has played club soccer both in the US and in her native Australia.
Forwards: The forward tandem of Kelly Smith and Lauren Cheney should give opponents all sorts of problems. Smith, who might possibly be the best women’s player in the world not named Marta, is a tough, talented veteran who always seems to make good decisions. She has scored 17 goals over two seasons in WPS while playing through injuries.
Cheney is a strong, young USWNT player. She is at her best receiving the ball with her back to the goal and is always a threat to turn a defender and get off a lethal shot. She can also get a shot off in traffic, a skill not many players have. In addition, Boston picked up Kelley O’Hara, also a member of the USWNT. O’Hara has very good speed and can find the gaps in opposing defenses.
Again, the problem is that many of the forwards will be headed to the World Cup. The other forwards all have limited WPS experience. Taryn Hemmings, Claire Zimmeck, and Katie Schoepfer have seen some WPS action and will be counted on heavily during the other’s absences. Washington might also be a candidate to move up to forward.
Outlook: The only two things standing in the way of this team and a championship are the 2011 World Cup and the other top teams in WPS. Boston will be hit hard by World Cup losses, which could force them down the standings a bit. Other teams will be going through the same thing, but no other team stands to lose both its entire back line and its top three forwards. Really, only Western New York comes close to losing that much talent.
But in any case, Boston should be a playoff team and then it’s just a matter if they can beat the other top teams in the league in a pressure situation. The added speed that O’Hara and Washington will give to this team will help. Certainly, continuity is a plus for the Breakers, having the same coach, the same system, and the same core group of players. If the midfield can come into its own and if Naeher can continue to improve in goal, the sky’s the limit for this team.
Coach: Tony DiCicco (3rd year)
2010 Record: 10-8-6 (2nd place)
Home Stadium: Harvard Stadium (Cambridge, Massachusetts)
Roster:
Goalkeepers (3): Kelsey Davis, Alyssa Naeher, Ashley Phillips.
Defenders (7): Liz Bogus, Rachel Buehler, Stephanie Cox, Ifeoma Dieke, Amy LePeilbet, Kasey Moore, Alex Scott.
Midfielders (8): Jordan Angeli, Leah Blayney, Niki Cross, Leslie Osborne, Elli Reed(R), Katie Schoepfer, Nikki Washington, Keelin Winters(R).
Forwards (5): Lauren Cheney, Taryn Hemmings, Kelley O’Hara, Kelly Smith, Claire Zimmeck.
(R) denotes true rookie; returning players in bold.
Probable World Cup players: Buehler, Cox, LePeilbet, Scott, Cheney, O’Hara, and Smith.
Boston returns 14 players from last season’s 2nd place finish (regular season) and that continuity should help them early on. The Breakers also picked up two highly regarded players from Gold Pride’s championship team, Rachel Buehler and Kelley O’Hara.
The Breakers finished very strong in 2010, 9-3-2 over their last 14 matches with two of the losses coming against FC Gold Pride. An overtime loss to Philadelphia meant that the season ended in disappointment, but the team made a lot of progress during the season and looks to be a contender for the title this season.
Goalkeepers: Alyssa Naeher is the number one keeper and she did a fine job over the final two thirds of the 2010 season. She posted a 1.17 goals against average and three shutouts. Heading into this season with a year’s experience under her belt, she should be even better.
There is an outside chance Naeher could be selected to the USWNT for the World Cup, although it looks as though Ashlyn Harris will get the third goalkeeper’s spot right now. Boston’s backup keepers are Ashley Phillips, who was the Breakers starter early last season and Kelsey Davis, who spent time with the Red Stars last season and has been a regular on national junior teams.
Defenders: This could be the best defense in WPS, although a couple of other sides could put up good arguments. The starters are national team players all, with Alex Scott and Stephanie Cox on the outside and Rachel Buehler and Amy LePeilbet on the inside. Buehler comes over from Gold Pride, a team that she helped make the best defensive unit last year. LePeilbet is a two-time defensive player of the year in WPS. Scott, a starter with the English National Team, is one the best offensive outside backs in soccer. Cox is a consistent performer, who rarely makes mistakes.
The problem is that they are so good, they will all be in Germany in June and July, meaning the Breakers lose their entire back line for a good part of the season. Ifeoma Dieke can certainly step right in. She is a member of the Scottish National Team and has excellent speed. Kasey Moore is a two-year veteran of the Breakers, so she is familiar with their system. Liz Bogus is listed as a defender, although her natural position is either attacking mid or forward, so the back line will be rather new to her.
Boston will have to move some of their listed midfielders to play back line. The most likely candidates are Niki Cross, Elli Reed, or Jordan Angeli, all of whom have extensive experience at playing back line. Reed was excellent at outside back for Portland while in college and is one of two rookies to make the squad.
Midfielders: Probably the area that has seen the most changes for Boston is in the midfield. With the retirement of Kristine Lilly, Leslie Osborne will be the experienced leadership in this group. Osborne is a top notch defensive player, and like teammate Rachel Buehler, can be one of the toughest tacklers in the league.
Jordan Angeli is another returnee and was one of the pleasant surprises of the 2010 season. After becoming a starter a third of the way into the season, she scored seven goals, second most on the team. She is a solid defender as well. Nikki Washington is another midfielder that can score. An excellent attacking player from the wing, the former UNC star has been slowed by injuries since 2009.
Another Portland alum, Keelin Winters, will also compete for a starting role at midfield. Winters is a hard worker and has great soccer intelligence. Leah Blayney has played club soccer both in the US and in her native Australia.
Forwards: The forward tandem of Kelly Smith and Lauren Cheney should give opponents all sorts of problems. Smith, who might possibly be the best women’s player in the world not named Marta, is a tough, talented veteran who always seems to make good decisions. She has scored 17 goals over two seasons in WPS while playing through injuries.
Cheney is a strong, young USWNT player. She is at her best receiving the ball with her back to the goal and is always a threat to turn a defender and get off a lethal shot. She can also get a shot off in traffic, a skill not many players have. In addition, Boston picked up Kelley O’Hara, also a member of the USWNT. O’Hara has very good speed and can find the gaps in opposing defenses.
Again, the problem is that many of the forwards will be headed to the World Cup. The other forwards all have limited WPS experience. Taryn Hemmings, Claire Zimmeck, and Katie Schoepfer have seen some WPS action and will be counted on heavily during the other’s absences. Washington might also be a candidate to move up to forward.
Outlook: The only two things standing in the way of this team and a championship are the 2011 World Cup and the other top teams in WPS. Boston will be hit hard by World Cup losses, which could force them down the standings a bit. Other teams will be going through the same thing, but no other team stands to lose both its entire back line and its top three forwards. Really, only Western New York comes close to losing that much talent.
But in any case, Boston should be a playoff team and then it’s just a matter if they can beat the other top teams in the league in a pressure situation. The added speed that O’Hara and Washington will give to this team will help. Certainly, continuity is a plus for the Breakers, having the same coach, the same system, and the same core group of players. If the midfield can come into its own and if Naeher can continue to improve in goal, the sky’s the limit for this team.
February 9, 2011
Biggest Off-Season Player Moves in WPS
2
comments
Labels: 2011 WPS, Ali Riley, Caroline Seger, Christie Rampone, Christine Sinclair, Eniola Aluko, Johanna Rasmussen, Kandace Wilson, Marta, Rachel Buehler, Shannon Boxx, Therese Sjögran, Tobin Heath
Labels: 2011 WPS, Ali Riley, Caroline Seger, Christie Rampone, Christine Sinclair, Eniola Aluko, Johanna Rasmussen, Kandace Wilson, Marta, Rachel Buehler, Shannon Boxx, Therese Sjögran, Tobin Heath
I have just written an article for the WPS website about the biggest off-season player moves.
My list of top off-season moves are (not necessarily in any order):
1) Marta, Western New York Flash
2) Christine Sinclair, Western New York Flash
3) Ali Riley and Kandace Wilson, Western New York Flash
4) Rachel Buehler, Boston Breakers
5) Eniola Aluko, Tobin Heath, Angie Kerr trade, Sky Blue FC
6) Therese Sjögran, Sky Blue FC
7) Christie Rampone, Washington Freedom
8) Caroline Seger, Western New York Flash
9) Shannon Boxx, Washington Freedom
10) Johanna Rasmussen & 3rd overall pick in 2011 draft, Washington Freedom
Please check it out, along with all the latest WPS news, interviews, and information at http://www.womensprosoccer.com/.
My list of top off-season moves are (not necessarily in any order):
1) Marta, Western New York Flash
2) Christine Sinclair, Western New York Flash
3) Ali Riley and Kandace Wilson, Western New York Flash
4) Rachel Buehler, Boston Breakers
5) Eniola Aluko, Tobin Heath, Angie Kerr trade, Sky Blue FC
6) Therese Sjögran, Sky Blue FC
7) Christie Rampone, Washington Freedom
8) Caroline Seger, Western New York Flash
9) Shannon Boxx, Washington Freedom
10) Johanna Rasmussen & 3rd overall pick in 2011 draft, Washington Freedom
Please check it out, along with all the latest WPS news, interviews, and information at http://www.womensprosoccer.com/.
September 25, 2010
WPS Championship - FC Gold Pride vs. Philadelphia
0
comments
Labels: 2010 WPS Playoffs, Amy Rodriguez, Christine Sinclair, FC Gold Pride, Marta, Nicole Barnhart, Philadelphia Independence, Rachel Buehler, Shannon Boxx, Tina DiMartino, Val Henderson
Labels: 2010 WPS Playoffs, Amy Rodriguez, Christine Sinclair, FC Gold Pride, Marta, Nicole Barnhart, Philadelphia Independence, Rachel Buehler, Shannon Boxx, Tina DiMartino, Val Henderson
Philadelphia Independence (10-10-4) at FC Gold Pride (16-3-5)
Pioneer Stadium, Hayward, CA – September 26 (2:30 pm ET, 1:30 pm CT, 11:30 am PT)
Probable Rosters:
Philadelphia: GK-Val Henderson, Karina LeBlanc; D-Allison Falk, Nikki Krzysik, Heather Mitts, Holmfridur Magnusdottir, Sara Larsson, Estelle Johnson, Sarah Senty; MF-Lori Lindsey, Caroline Seger, Tina DiMartino, Jen Buczkowski, Kelly Henderson; F-Amy Rodriguez, Lianne Sanderson, Danesha Adams, Lyndsey Patterson.
FC Gold Pride: GK-Nicole Barnhart, Brittany Cameron; D-Rachel Buehler, Candace Chapman, Ali Riley, Kandace Wilson, Kristen Graczyk, Niki Cross; MF-Shannon Boxx, Becky Edwards, Camille Abily, Carrie Dew, Kimberly Yokers; F-Marta, Christine Sinclair, Kelley O’Hara, Tiffeny Milbrett, Kiki Bosio.
Previous Meetings (2010)
June13 – FC Gold Pride 3 @ Philadelphia 1
July 17 – Philadelphia 0 @ FC Gold Pride 2
September 11 – Philadelphia 1 @ FC Gold Pride 4
FC Gold Pride is 8-1-3 at home with a 20-8 edge in goals.
Philadelphia is 3-8-2 on the road being outscored 13-20 in the regular season, 1-0 on the road in the playoffs.
Top Performers in Series
Philadelphia: DiMartino (1 goal), Sanderson ( 1 goal), Lindsey (1 assist), Patterson (1 assist), Henderson (2 games, 3.00 goals against, LeBlanc (1 game, 3.00 goal against).
FC Gold Pride: Marta (3 goals, 4 assists), Sinclair (4 goals, 1assist), O’Hara (2 goals, 1 assist), Boxx (1 assist), Abily (1 assist), Gulbrandsen (1 assist), Barnhart (2 games, 1.06 goals against), Cameron (1 game, 1 shutout, 0.00 goals against).
Matchups:
Goalkeepers
Val Henderson vs. Nicole Barnhart
You can’t argue much with the results that Henderson has given Philadelphia, just one goal allowed in 240 minutes of playoff soccer. She wasn't tested much in game one and at times, she looked a little unsure in the match against Boston, but overall she has been solid. She is likely to be tested a great deal more by Gold Pride. Henderson faced them twice during the season, giving up two goals in the first and then four in the final match of the regular season. I guess there is still an outside chance that Riley might go with LeBlanc, who is more experienced and started last year’s championship match, but that’s not likely given Henderson’s record so far in the playoffs.
Barnhart, was the WPS Goalkeeper of the Year, with a sparkling 0.77 goals against average and eight shutouts to her credit. She also has USWNT experience, which could help in a match of this importance. She gave up a goal in each of her two starts against the Independence this year. Strangely enough, it was Brittany Cameron who earned the only shutout for FCGP against Philly this season.
Barnhart is experienced and had a great season. Give credit to Henderson for what she’s accomplished so far, but the edge goes to Gold Pride here.
Defenders
Allison Falk, Nikki Krzysik, Frida Magnusdottir, and Estelle Johnson (or Heather Mitts) vs. Rachel Buehler, Candace Chapman, Ali Riley, and Kandace Wilson.
The Independence defense has done the job so far, but they have had loads of trouble stopping Gold Pride’s attack this season. The most disturbing thing about Thursday’s match was how easily Fabiana was able to get around the Philadelphia defense on several occasions. They can’t have those kind of lapses in this match. Frida Magnusdottir, perhaps Philly’s most versatile weapon, must be careful not to get caught upfield lest the back line gets exposed by the Gold Pride counterattack. Overall, Falk and Krzysik have been solid and the rookie Estelle Johnson has been surprisingly strong, but in this match, they will have to rise to a whole new level to stop the best offense in the league.
Rachel Buehler had an outstanding season in 2010. She leads a Gold Pride back line that has greatly improved over the course of the season. Chapman was a key free agent signee and helped to solidify the defense. Riley and Wilson give Gold Pride two of the most dangerous and perhaps the two fastest outside backs in the league. The Independence midfielders will have to watch flank runs by those two, which could open up the middle for Boxx and Abily.
Again, Philadelphia has done an admirable job to this point. But they haven’t stopped Gold Pride all season and they can’t match their speed. I have to give the edge to Buehler and FCGP.
Midfielders
Lori Lindsey, Caroline Seger, Tina DiMartino, and Jen Buczkowski vs.
Shannon Boxx, Camille Abily, Becky Edwards.
There’s only one player that can say that she’s played every minute of every playoff game ever played in WPS. That’s Jen Buczkowski, who is hoping to be on her second championship team in a row. The Independence midfield has been tough as nails in the playoffs. Lindsey and Seger form the veteran core of perhaps the best midfield in WPS. Tina DiMartino has been impressive, both during the regular season and the postseason. She assisted on both game winners in the playoffs. DiMartino was literally all over the field on Thursday night.
The Gold Pride midfield is strong as well, starting with the great veteran leadership of Shannon Boxx. There is probably not a more respected player in the league and rightfully so. At her best, she can control the pace and flow of the game from her midfield position. She’s a strong defender and gets into the attack very well when opportunities arise. Boxx and Abily combined for 11 assists, although not quite as many as the Lindsey/Seger duo, still quite impressive. Becky Edwards turned in an impressive rookie season, in spite of being overshadowed in a strong rookie class. I think her performance has often been unfairly overlooked this season.
We’ll find out just how much stamina the Independence have in this match. Coming off 240 minutes of soccer in less than a week, they will have to cover a quicker Gold Pride team that has the weapons to spread the field very effectively. I absolutely love Philly’s midfield, but it would be hard to understate the importance of Boxx in this match. I would say that the midfields are as even as they can get, with maybe an infinitesimal edge to the Independence.
Forwards
Amy Rodriguez and Lianne Sanderson vs. Marta, Christine Sinclair, and Kelley O’Hara (or Tiffeny Milbrett).
In spite of not scoring, I thought Rodriguez had a heck of a game against Boston. On Philly’s first goal, she ran down a ball in the midfield, quickly got the ball to DiMartino and then had great vision to find Seger alone on the right side, earning an assist. On another play she worked against the defense until she saw an opening, sending a nice ball through to Seger, whose first touch was a little heavy. Throughout the match, she was dangerous. But she has not had much success against Gold Pride this season. She missed one match while on the USWNT and in the other two, she did not figure in the scoring.
Sanderson needs to be more dangerous in this match than she was against Boston. It appeared that she was playing kind of a half midfielder/half forward position on Thursday. Since the Independence midfield will have to hang back farther to defend against Gold Pride’s many weapons, Sanderson may become Rodriguez’s primary support in this match. Controversy or not, Danesha Adam’s play on the winning goal was still exceptional. Look for her to be a factor late in this match as well, especially if the Independence can stay close.
Meanwhile, Gold Pride’s forwards have simply destroyed Philadelphia this season. Marta, Sinclair, and O’Hara have combined for nine goals and six assists in just three matches. Not much more can be said about Marta that hasn’t already been said. She is the best player in the world, perhaps the fastest player in the world, and certainly as determined as they come. She has figured in seven of the nine goals that Gold Pride has scored against the Independence in 2010. I honestly don’t think Philly’s back line has enough speed to stay with her for an entire match.
And if Marta wasn’t enough to deal with, then there’s Sinclair who scored four goals against Philly, including at least one in each game. There’s O’Hara, one of the most exciting young forwards in the league with two goals to her credit against Sunday’s opponent. And on top of that, there’s the crafty veteran, Tiffeny Milbrett, to cause opposing defenses even more problems. Add to that Kiki Bosio and her flip throws and you have the best offense in WPS.
Rodriguez has truly become a top notch forward this season. But Gold Pride’s forwards are fast, talented, and there are just too many weapons there to stop. The edge has to go to Gold Pride here.
Coaching
Paul Riley vs. Albertin Montoya
I think Riley has done a magnificent job coaching his team to two overtime victories. After a sluggish finish to the regular season, his team has come out and played two strong matches.
Many have discounted Montoya’s coaching performance, saying that any team that has Marta should win. While there is some truth to the fact that Marta has had a great effect on Gold Pride’s success, Montoya has had a lot to do with it as well. This will be his first playoff match, so it will be interesting to see how he matches up against Riley in a tactical chess match.
Call it dead even.
Intangibles
Gold Pride has been aces at home, going 8-1-3 over the course of the season. The only negative is that they were inexplicably blanked three times at home, all of those in Pioneer Stadium. Philadelphia has not been a good road team, but they beat the odds on Thursday night in Boston. In the two contests they played in northern California this year, they were beaten twice and neither game was really that close.
As far as playing three games in a week, I think that works both ways. It will certainly hurt that Philadelphia has had to play 240 minutes of soccer to get here. But there is something to be said for having two games of playoff experience under your belt. The two week layoff may also hurt a Gold Pride team that was clicking quite nicely at the end of the season. All you have to do is look at 2009 and the Sky Blue/LA Sol matchup.
Slight edge to Gold Pride for the home field advantage and in light of Philly’s game and travel fatigue.
My Prediction
It’s hard to see Gold Pride losing this match, but the same was said about the Los Angeles Sol last season. Surely though, Marta and Boxx remember last year’s game and will make sure that it doesn’t happen again. In the three regular season matches, there was no scoring in the first 39 minutes of any of the games. Gold Pride scored at the end of the first half in each of those matches. Philadelphia cannot afford a lapse in concentration toward the end of the half.
I think the first goal in this match will be critical. Having played so much soccer, it will be much harder for the Independence to come from behind in this one. They need to follow Sky Blue’s blueprint in last year’s championship. After the early goal and Falk’s subsequent red card, the Sol seemed almost in a daze for nearly 25 minutes before reality and urgency settled in. Gold Pride is a highly confident bunch and feeling the sting of an early goal, especially against a team that they handled so easily in three previous meetings, might throw a shock into them.
But putting one on the board before Marta and company do the same is easier said than done. Gold Pride has throttled Rodriguez, while their speedy forwards have ripped the Independence defense. Unless Paul Riley has a few more tricks up his sleeve, I see it…
FC Gold Pride 3, Philadelphia Independence 1.
Pioneer Stadium, Hayward, CA – September 26 (2:30 pm ET, 1:30 pm CT, 11:30 am PT)
Probable Rosters:
Philadelphia: GK-Val Henderson, Karina LeBlanc; D-Allison Falk, Nikki Krzysik, Heather Mitts, Holmfridur Magnusdottir, Sara Larsson, Estelle Johnson, Sarah Senty; MF-Lori Lindsey, Caroline Seger, Tina DiMartino, Jen Buczkowski, Kelly Henderson; F-Amy Rodriguez, Lianne Sanderson, Danesha Adams, Lyndsey Patterson.
FC Gold Pride: GK-Nicole Barnhart, Brittany Cameron; D-Rachel Buehler, Candace Chapman, Ali Riley, Kandace Wilson, Kristen Graczyk, Niki Cross; MF-Shannon Boxx, Becky Edwards, Camille Abily, Carrie Dew, Kimberly Yokers; F-Marta, Christine Sinclair, Kelley O’Hara, Tiffeny Milbrett, Kiki Bosio.
Previous Meetings (2010)
June13 – FC Gold Pride 3 @ Philadelphia 1
July 17 – Philadelphia 0 @ FC Gold Pride 2
September 11 – Philadelphia 1 @ FC Gold Pride 4
FC Gold Pride is 8-1-3 at home with a 20-8 edge in goals.
Philadelphia is 3-8-2 on the road being outscored 13-20 in the regular season, 1-0 on the road in the playoffs.
Top Performers in Series
Philadelphia: DiMartino (1 goal), Sanderson ( 1 goal), Lindsey (1 assist), Patterson (1 assist), Henderson (2 games, 3.00 goals against, LeBlanc (1 game, 3.00 goal against).
FC Gold Pride: Marta (3 goals, 4 assists), Sinclair (4 goals, 1assist), O’Hara (2 goals, 1 assist), Boxx (1 assist), Abily (1 assist), Gulbrandsen (1 assist), Barnhart (2 games, 1.06 goals against), Cameron (1 game, 1 shutout, 0.00 goals against).
Matchups:
Goalkeepers
Val Henderson vs. Nicole Barnhart
You can’t argue much with the results that Henderson has given Philadelphia, just one goal allowed in 240 minutes of playoff soccer. She wasn't tested much in game one and at times, she looked a little unsure in the match against Boston, but overall she has been solid. She is likely to be tested a great deal more by Gold Pride. Henderson faced them twice during the season, giving up two goals in the first and then four in the final match of the regular season. I guess there is still an outside chance that Riley might go with LeBlanc, who is more experienced and started last year’s championship match, but that’s not likely given Henderson’s record so far in the playoffs.
Barnhart, was the WPS Goalkeeper of the Year, with a sparkling 0.77 goals against average and eight shutouts to her credit. She also has USWNT experience, which could help in a match of this importance. She gave up a goal in each of her two starts against the Independence this year. Strangely enough, it was Brittany Cameron who earned the only shutout for FCGP against Philly this season.
Barnhart is experienced and had a great season. Give credit to Henderson for what she’s accomplished so far, but the edge goes to Gold Pride here.
Defenders
Allison Falk, Nikki Krzysik, Frida Magnusdottir, and Estelle Johnson (or Heather Mitts) vs. Rachel Buehler, Candace Chapman, Ali Riley, and Kandace Wilson.
The Independence defense has done the job so far, but they have had loads of trouble stopping Gold Pride’s attack this season. The most disturbing thing about Thursday’s match was how easily Fabiana was able to get around the Philadelphia defense on several occasions. They can’t have those kind of lapses in this match. Frida Magnusdottir, perhaps Philly’s most versatile weapon, must be careful not to get caught upfield lest the back line gets exposed by the Gold Pride counterattack. Overall, Falk and Krzysik have been solid and the rookie Estelle Johnson has been surprisingly strong, but in this match, they will have to rise to a whole new level to stop the best offense in the league.
Rachel Buehler had an outstanding season in 2010. She leads a Gold Pride back line that has greatly improved over the course of the season. Chapman was a key free agent signee and helped to solidify the defense. Riley and Wilson give Gold Pride two of the most dangerous and perhaps the two fastest outside backs in the league. The Independence midfielders will have to watch flank runs by those two, which could open up the middle for Boxx and Abily.
Again, Philadelphia has done an admirable job to this point. But they haven’t stopped Gold Pride all season and they can’t match their speed. I have to give the edge to Buehler and FCGP.
Midfielders
Lori Lindsey, Caroline Seger, Tina DiMartino, and Jen Buczkowski vs.
Shannon Boxx, Camille Abily, Becky Edwards.
There’s only one player that can say that she’s played every minute of every playoff game ever played in WPS. That’s Jen Buczkowski, who is hoping to be on her second championship team in a row. The Independence midfield has been tough as nails in the playoffs. Lindsey and Seger form the veteran core of perhaps the best midfield in WPS. Tina DiMartino has been impressive, both during the regular season and the postseason. She assisted on both game winners in the playoffs. DiMartino was literally all over the field on Thursday night.
The Gold Pride midfield is strong as well, starting with the great veteran leadership of Shannon Boxx. There is probably not a more respected player in the league and rightfully so. At her best, she can control the pace and flow of the game from her midfield position. She’s a strong defender and gets into the attack very well when opportunities arise. Boxx and Abily combined for 11 assists, although not quite as many as the Lindsey/Seger duo, still quite impressive. Becky Edwards turned in an impressive rookie season, in spite of being overshadowed in a strong rookie class. I think her performance has often been unfairly overlooked this season.
We’ll find out just how much stamina the Independence have in this match. Coming off 240 minutes of soccer in less than a week, they will have to cover a quicker Gold Pride team that has the weapons to spread the field very effectively. I absolutely love Philly’s midfield, but it would be hard to understate the importance of Boxx in this match. I would say that the midfields are as even as they can get, with maybe an infinitesimal edge to the Independence.
Forwards
Amy Rodriguez and Lianne Sanderson vs. Marta, Christine Sinclair, and Kelley O’Hara (or Tiffeny Milbrett).
In spite of not scoring, I thought Rodriguez had a heck of a game against Boston. On Philly’s first goal, she ran down a ball in the midfield, quickly got the ball to DiMartino and then had great vision to find Seger alone on the right side, earning an assist. On another play she worked against the defense until she saw an opening, sending a nice ball through to Seger, whose first touch was a little heavy. Throughout the match, she was dangerous. But she has not had much success against Gold Pride this season. She missed one match while on the USWNT and in the other two, she did not figure in the scoring.
Sanderson needs to be more dangerous in this match than she was against Boston. It appeared that she was playing kind of a half midfielder/half forward position on Thursday. Since the Independence midfield will have to hang back farther to defend against Gold Pride’s many weapons, Sanderson may become Rodriguez’s primary support in this match. Controversy or not, Danesha Adam’s play on the winning goal was still exceptional. Look for her to be a factor late in this match as well, especially if the Independence can stay close.
Meanwhile, Gold Pride’s forwards have simply destroyed Philadelphia this season. Marta, Sinclair, and O’Hara have combined for nine goals and six assists in just three matches. Not much more can be said about Marta that hasn’t already been said. She is the best player in the world, perhaps the fastest player in the world, and certainly as determined as they come. She has figured in seven of the nine goals that Gold Pride has scored against the Independence in 2010. I honestly don’t think Philly’s back line has enough speed to stay with her for an entire match.
And if Marta wasn’t enough to deal with, then there’s Sinclair who scored four goals against Philly, including at least one in each game. There’s O’Hara, one of the most exciting young forwards in the league with two goals to her credit against Sunday’s opponent. And on top of that, there’s the crafty veteran, Tiffeny Milbrett, to cause opposing defenses even more problems. Add to that Kiki Bosio and her flip throws and you have the best offense in WPS.
Rodriguez has truly become a top notch forward this season. But Gold Pride’s forwards are fast, talented, and there are just too many weapons there to stop. The edge has to go to Gold Pride here.
Coaching
Paul Riley vs. Albertin Montoya
I think Riley has done a magnificent job coaching his team to two overtime victories. After a sluggish finish to the regular season, his team has come out and played two strong matches.
Many have discounted Montoya’s coaching performance, saying that any team that has Marta should win. While there is some truth to the fact that Marta has had a great effect on Gold Pride’s success, Montoya has had a lot to do with it as well. This will be his first playoff match, so it will be interesting to see how he matches up against Riley in a tactical chess match.
Call it dead even.
Intangibles
Gold Pride has been aces at home, going 8-1-3 over the course of the season. The only negative is that they were inexplicably blanked three times at home, all of those in Pioneer Stadium. Philadelphia has not been a good road team, but they beat the odds on Thursday night in Boston. In the two contests they played in northern California this year, they were beaten twice and neither game was really that close.
As far as playing three games in a week, I think that works both ways. It will certainly hurt that Philadelphia has had to play 240 minutes of soccer to get here. But there is something to be said for having two games of playoff experience under your belt. The two week layoff may also hurt a Gold Pride team that was clicking quite nicely at the end of the season. All you have to do is look at 2009 and the Sky Blue/LA Sol matchup.
Slight edge to Gold Pride for the home field advantage and in light of Philly’s game and travel fatigue.
My Prediction
It’s hard to see Gold Pride losing this match, but the same was said about the Los Angeles Sol last season. Surely though, Marta and Boxx remember last year’s game and will make sure that it doesn’t happen again. In the three regular season matches, there was no scoring in the first 39 minutes of any of the games. Gold Pride scored at the end of the first half in each of those matches. Philadelphia cannot afford a lapse in concentration toward the end of the half.
I think the first goal in this match will be critical. Having played so much soccer, it will be much harder for the Independence to come from behind in this one. They need to follow Sky Blue’s blueprint in last year’s championship. After the early goal and Falk’s subsequent red card, the Sol seemed almost in a daze for nearly 25 minutes before reality and urgency settled in. Gold Pride is a highly confident bunch and feeling the sting of an early goal, especially against a team that they handled so easily in three previous meetings, might throw a shock into them.
But putting one on the board before Marta and company do the same is easier said than done. Gold Pride has throttled Rodriguez, while their speedy forwards have ripped the Independence defense. Unless Paul Riley has a few more tricks up his sleeve, I see it…
FC Gold Pride 3, Philadelphia Independence 1.
September 15, 2010
WPS Awards - Who I Voted For and Why.....Part 1
0
comments
Labels: 2010 WPS, FC Gold Pride, Nicole Barnhart, Paul Riley, Philadelphia Independence, Rachel Buehler
Labels: 2010 WPS, FC Gold Pride, Nicole Barnhart, Paul Riley, Philadelphia Independence, Rachel Buehler
The WPS Year-End Awards will be announced soon, so I thought I would do a two-part series on who I voted for and why. Every category had a number of good candidates and a couple of the awards were exceedingly hard to decide. So, without further ado, this is who I voted for in each category:
WPS Coach of the Year - Paul Riley, Philadelphia Indpendence
Nothing against Jim Gabarra, but to me, this came down to Riley, Tony DiCicco, and Albertin Montoya. I thought that both DiCicco and Montoya had more talent to work with than Riley. I also think that heading into the season, both Boston and Gold Pride had superstars in Kelly Smith and Marta, where Philadelphia really did not.
I was very impressed with how Riley brought together a group of spare parts (no offense to the Independence players intended) and had them playing competitive soccer from day one, something that is difficult with an expansion team. Players seemed to reach their potential for Philadelphia and I believe Riley needs to be given credit for a lot of that. I know critics are going to cite the four consecutive losses at the end of the season, but the expansion Independence still finished in 3rd place, just a scant two points behind established Boston.
Tony DiCicco did an admirable job in turning around a Breakers team that appeared to be headed nowhere in May. The Breakers made some acquisitions and DiCicco tweaked his lineup and things turned around in a hurry. But Boston entered the season with a strong veteran lineup and didn't have to deal with the handicap of expansion that Riley did.
One comment that I've heard far too much is that any team that has Marta should win, thus discounting Montoya's efforts with Gold Pride. Marta is a big difference maker to be sure, but it shouldn't detract from the job Montoya did, starting three rookies and leading FCGP from last place in 2009 to first this season.
Jim Gabarra has to be given credit for the Freedom's surge at the end of the season, picking up 14 points in the final 7 matches. But the Freedom had a dismal two months in June and July, so it was hard to see picking him over Riley.
MedImmune Defender of the Year - Rachel Buehler, FC Gold Pride
This is always a tough category to vote on. Defense is much more of a team effort than individual effort. There are no statistics to easily quantify a defender's performance and one really needs to watch them over a full schedule to appreciate what they do for a team, game in and game out. All four of the nominees are team leaders and solid defenders, but on my vote, I had Rachel Buehler edging out Amy LePeilbet.
Rachel Buehler is an exceptional defender and is known for her hard tackles. She captained a defense that went from 2nd worst to best in just one year. Of Gold Pride's regular starting back line, only Kandace Wilson had played with Buehler at all last year and then for only part of the season. I think Buehler has to be given a lot of credit for the group's cohesiveness given the small amount of time they had played together. I also rarely saw Buehler make a mistake.
Amy LePeilbet is often called the best defender in the league and I wouldn't be a bit surprised if she won this award. She is talented, consistent, and always gives top effort. It was a very hard decision, but I gave Buehler the nod over LePeilbet by the slightest of margins.
Both Allison Falk and Tina Ellertson are excellent defenders. Both are good in the air, keeping their respective teams out of trouble on set pieces. Falk is a threat at both ends of the field on headers. Ellertson makes many tackles that most defenders wouldn't even attempt and has perhaps the best closing speed of any defender in WPS. I thought both were hurt by the fact that their teams could be very inconsistent defensively. I would love to have them on my team, but I just couldn't vote for either over Buehler for 2010.
Coast Guard Goalkeeper of the Year - Nicole Barnhart, FC Gold Pride
Nicole Barnhart, often overshadowed by her USWNT teammate Hope Solo, had a great season in goal for FC Gold Pride. She led the league in shutouts with eight and in goals against average at 0.77 per game. She only gave up as many as two goals three times this season. I thought her consistency from start to finish of the 2010 season lifted her above the other candidates.
Karen Bardsley, stepping in for the injured Jen Branam, did a phenomenol job early in the season. She earned five shutouts before the All-Star break. Unfortunately, she suffered a season-ending injury in training for that game and missed the rest of the season. In spite of the great half season she had and my very high respect for her accomplishments, I couldn't choose her over Barnhart's season-long excellence.
I still regard Hope Solo as the beat keeper in the league, but again, it was hard to choose her over Barnhart in 2010. Controversy aside, there is no other goalkeeper that I would want in goal for a penalty kick or a breakaway and she kept the Beat in many a game that they had no business being in. But she suffered from Atlanta's inconsistent defensive efforts and there were just too many multi-goal games.
Jill Loyden is a solid young keeper who will only improve as she gains confidence and experience. Like Solo, she posted six shutouts. But again, it was hard to see choosing her over Barnhart in this particular season.
Tomorrow, part two of WPS Awards - Who I Voted For and Why.
WPS Coach of the Year - Paul Riley, Philadelphia Indpendence
Nothing against Jim Gabarra, but to me, this came down to Riley, Tony DiCicco, and Albertin Montoya. I thought that both DiCicco and Montoya had more talent to work with than Riley. I also think that heading into the season, both Boston and Gold Pride had superstars in Kelly Smith and Marta, where Philadelphia really did not.
I was very impressed with how Riley brought together a group of spare parts (no offense to the Independence players intended) and had them playing competitive soccer from day one, something that is difficult with an expansion team. Players seemed to reach their potential for Philadelphia and I believe Riley needs to be given credit for a lot of that. I know critics are going to cite the four consecutive losses at the end of the season, but the expansion Independence still finished in 3rd place, just a scant two points behind established Boston.
Tony DiCicco did an admirable job in turning around a Breakers team that appeared to be headed nowhere in May. The Breakers made some acquisitions and DiCicco tweaked his lineup and things turned around in a hurry. But Boston entered the season with a strong veteran lineup and didn't have to deal with the handicap of expansion that Riley did.
One comment that I've heard far too much is that any team that has Marta should win, thus discounting Montoya's efforts with Gold Pride. Marta is a big difference maker to be sure, but it shouldn't detract from the job Montoya did, starting three rookies and leading FCGP from last place in 2009 to first this season.
Jim Gabarra has to be given credit for the Freedom's surge at the end of the season, picking up 14 points in the final 7 matches. But the Freedom had a dismal two months in June and July, so it was hard to see picking him over Riley.
MedImmune Defender of the Year - Rachel Buehler, FC Gold Pride
This is always a tough category to vote on. Defense is much more of a team effort than individual effort. There are no statistics to easily quantify a defender's performance and one really needs to watch them over a full schedule to appreciate what they do for a team, game in and game out. All four of the nominees are team leaders and solid defenders, but on my vote, I had Rachel Buehler edging out Amy LePeilbet.
Rachel Buehler is an exceptional defender and is known for her hard tackles. She captained a defense that went from 2nd worst to best in just one year. Of Gold Pride's regular starting back line, only Kandace Wilson had played with Buehler at all last year and then for only part of the season. I think Buehler has to be given a lot of credit for the group's cohesiveness given the small amount of time they had played together. I also rarely saw Buehler make a mistake.
Amy LePeilbet is often called the best defender in the league and I wouldn't be a bit surprised if she won this award. She is talented, consistent, and always gives top effort. It was a very hard decision, but I gave Buehler the nod over LePeilbet by the slightest of margins.
Both Allison Falk and Tina Ellertson are excellent defenders. Both are good in the air, keeping their respective teams out of trouble on set pieces. Falk is a threat at both ends of the field on headers. Ellertson makes many tackles that most defenders wouldn't even attempt and has perhaps the best closing speed of any defender in WPS. I thought both were hurt by the fact that their teams could be very inconsistent defensively. I would love to have them on my team, but I just couldn't vote for either over Buehler for 2010.
Coast Guard Goalkeeper of the Year - Nicole Barnhart, FC Gold Pride
Nicole Barnhart, often overshadowed by her USWNT teammate Hope Solo, had a great season in goal for FC Gold Pride. She led the league in shutouts with eight and in goals against average at 0.77 per game. She only gave up as many as two goals three times this season. I thought her consistency from start to finish of the 2010 season lifted her above the other candidates.
Karen Bardsley, stepping in for the injured Jen Branam, did a phenomenol job early in the season. She earned five shutouts before the All-Star break. Unfortunately, she suffered a season-ending injury in training for that game and missed the rest of the season. In spite of the great half season she had and my very high respect for her accomplishments, I couldn't choose her over Barnhart's season-long excellence.
I still regard Hope Solo as the beat keeper in the league, but again, it was hard to choose her over Barnhart in 2010. Controversy aside, there is no other goalkeeper that I would want in goal for a penalty kick or a breakaway and she kept the Beat in many a game that they had no business being in. But she suffered from Atlanta's inconsistent defensive efforts and there were just too many multi-goal games.
Jill Loyden is a solid young keeper who will only improve as she gains confidence and experience. Like Solo, she posted six shutouts. But again, it was hard to see choosing her over Barnhart in this particular season.
Tomorrow, part two of WPS Awards - Who I Voted For and Why.
April 8, 2010
FC Gold Pride 2010 - Offseason Changes Make FCGP a Contender
0
comments
Labels: 2010 WPS, Ali Riley, Camille Abily, Christine Sinclair, FC Gold Pride, Kandace Wilson, Kelley O'Hara, Marta, Nicole Barnhart, Rachel Buehler, Solveig Gulbrandsen, Tiffeny Milbrett
Labels: 2010 WPS, Ali Riley, Camille Abily, Christine Sinclair, FC Gold Pride, Kandace Wilson, Kelley O'Hara, Marta, Nicole Barnhart, Rachel Buehler, Solveig Gulbrandsen, Tiffeny Milbrett
Coach: Albertin Montoya
2009 Record: 4-10-6 (7th place)
Postseason: Out of the playoffs.
Returnees (8): Nicole Barnhart, Rachel Buehler, Carrie Dew, Kristin Graczyk, Tiffeny Milbrett, Christine Sinclair, Kandace Wilson, Kim Yokers.
Draft Choices (6): Kelley O’Hara, Ali Riley, Becky Edwards, Kaley Fountain, Erin Guthrie, Ashley Bowyer.
LA Dispersal Draft (2): Marta, Kiki Bosio.
International Signings ( 1): Solveig Gulbrandsen.
Free Agents (3): Brittany Cameron, Candace Chapman, Rosie Tantillo.
Trades (1): Camille Abily.
After finishing last in 2009, Gold Pride was very aggressive in the offseason. Even before Marta joined the team, they had signed Solveig Gulbrandsen and Candace Chapman and traded for Camille Abily. They appear to have had the best draft of any team in the league, selecting quality players in areas of need. But no matter what else happened, the addition of Marta makes Gold Pride a contender.
Exactly two thirds of LA’s 2009 offense now make their home in the Bay Area. Marta scored 10 goals and Abily scored 8 in '09. Add to that Christine Sinclair’s 6 goals in WPS, Solveig Gulbrandsen 6 goals with Stabæk in the Toppserien, and Kelley O’Hara’s 26 goals on the college level for Stanford and we should see a scoring juggernaut this season from FCGP. But like many teams, there are question marks. Gold Pride gave up a lot of goals last season and it is yet to be seen whether newcomers Chapman, Ali Riley, and Becky Edwards can improve the defense enough to push Gold Pride to the top.
Goalkeeping-Bay Area returns starter and USWNT team goalkeeper, Nicole Barnhart. Barnhart posted a 1.44 GAA and 2 shutouts in 2009. With a better team in front of her, expect that to improve in 2010. Brittany Cameron spent 2009 as LA’s developmental keeper behind Karina LeBlanc and Val Henderson. She should get a better chance for action in 2010. Rutger’s Erin Guthrie, one of the top college prospects at goalkeeper, joins Gold Pride as their developmental keeper.
Defenders-Last year’s Gold Pride gave up 28 goals, the 2nd worst total in WPS. That has to improve. Leigh Ann Robinson is gone, but Bay Area will get a boost with the return of Kandace Wilson, a big part of FCGP’s early success before injury ended her season. Gold Pride also added two more players, Candace Chapman through free agency and Ali Riley through the draft. Chapman is a member of the Canadian National team and played for Boston last season. Riley had a stellar career at Stanford and is perhaps the best two-way outside back coming out of college. If Wilson and Riley start on the outside, opposing teams are going to have to contend with a lot of speed coming out of the back.
In the middle, USWNT defender Rachel Buehler leads the way. Buehler is solid defensively and known for her hard tackling. Kristen Graczyk also returns on defense. She is the only Gold Pride player to play in all 20 matches last season. Except for a couple of tough breaks, Carrie Dew had pretty good season at back last season and should continue to improve. Kaley Fountain, out of Wake Forest, will add depth on defense and can play forward as well. This defense should be improved from a year ago, but the question is how much.
Midfielders-No team revamped their midfield for 2010 more than FC Gold Pride. The two major additions are Camille Abily, obtained in a trade from Los Angeles, and Solveig Gulbrandsen, a longtime veteran of the Norwegian National Team. Abily’s eight goals were second only to LA teammate Marta’s league-leading total of 10 last season. Abily had an uncanny ability to find open space between defenders enabling her unleash her dangerous shot. Gulbrandsen comes over to the states with a distinguished career for Norway, where she ranks among the leaders in caps and goals scored. She has played in 15 World Cup and 9 Olympic matches over her career.
Past those two players, it gets a little more uncertain. Kim Yokers is one returnee in the midfield. She scored one goal in limited playing time in ’09. Gold Pride drafted top defensive midfielder Becky Edwards out of Florida State and later added Ashley Bowyer of Ohio State, who made the team as a developmental player. Ageless Tiffeny Milbrett can play attacking mid or forward. Milbrett proved she could still put it in the back of the net with 4 goals last season. Linking with Gold Pride’s talented forwards could be the key to the season. Expect Gulbrandsen to shoulder a lot of that load.
Forwards-At last year’s All-Star game in St. Louis, we saw the Marta-Sinclair connection for the first time and the two worked well together with Marta assisting on Sinclair’s first goal in that match. Sinclair’s talent was showcased in that game, giving a clinic in perfectly timed runs and scoring two goals. Marta is the best player in women’s soccer. A 4-time FIFA Player of the Year, she is not only talented, but her speed and determination make her very hard to stop. She also has the most lethal left foot in women’s soccer.
Even before Gold Pride secured Marta, they already had the makings of a great front line combo after drafting Kelley O’Hara out of Stanford. O’Hara, with teammate Riley, helped lead Stanford to the NCAA final before falling to perennial power UNC. Santa Clara’s Kiki Bosio and free agent Rosie Tantillo help add depth to this talented group of forwards. Bosio had 3 goals and 7 assists for the Broncos last season.
Summary-Last season, Bay Area had only two players (Sinclair and Milbrett) to score more than one goal over the course of the season. In fact, between May 3 and August 1 (a total of 12 matches), the only player that scored on anything other than a penalty kick was Sinclair. We won’t be seeing that kind of drought this year. My guess is Gold Pride will have 6 or 7 players with two or more goals this season.
That leads us to the midfield and defense. No organization did a better job at trying to fill their needs than FCGP. But will the midfield be deep enough and will the defense be good enough for Gold Pride to earn a title? No matter how many changes a team makes, it still isn’t easy to go from last to first in just one season. I’ve always said that any team that Marta is on will be a contender, but only time will tell whether Gold Pride’s other improvements will be enough to win it all.
2009 Record: 4-10-6 (7th place)
Postseason: Out of the playoffs.
Returnees (8): Nicole Barnhart, Rachel Buehler, Carrie Dew, Kristin Graczyk, Tiffeny Milbrett, Christine Sinclair, Kandace Wilson, Kim Yokers.
Draft Choices (6): Kelley O’Hara, Ali Riley, Becky Edwards, Kaley Fountain, Erin Guthrie, Ashley Bowyer.
LA Dispersal Draft (2): Marta, Kiki Bosio.
International Signings ( 1): Solveig Gulbrandsen.
Free Agents (3): Brittany Cameron, Candace Chapman, Rosie Tantillo.
Trades (1): Camille Abily.
After finishing last in 2009, Gold Pride was very aggressive in the offseason. Even before Marta joined the team, they had signed Solveig Gulbrandsen and Candace Chapman and traded for Camille Abily. They appear to have had the best draft of any team in the league, selecting quality players in areas of need. But no matter what else happened, the addition of Marta makes Gold Pride a contender.
Exactly two thirds of LA’s 2009 offense now make their home in the Bay Area. Marta scored 10 goals and Abily scored 8 in '09. Add to that Christine Sinclair’s 6 goals in WPS, Solveig Gulbrandsen 6 goals with Stabæk in the Toppserien, and Kelley O’Hara’s 26 goals on the college level for Stanford and we should see a scoring juggernaut this season from FCGP. But like many teams, there are question marks. Gold Pride gave up a lot of goals last season and it is yet to be seen whether newcomers Chapman, Ali Riley, and Becky Edwards can improve the defense enough to push Gold Pride to the top.
Goalkeeping-Bay Area returns starter and USWNT team goalkeeper, Nicole Barnhart. Barnhart posted a 1.44 GAA and 2 shutouts in 2009. With a better team in front of her, expect that to improve in 2010. Brittany Cameron spent 2009 as LA’s developmental keeper behind Karina LeBlanc and Val Henderson. She should get a better chance for action in 2010. Rutger’s Erin Guthrie, one of the top college prospects at goalkeeper, joins Gold Pride as their developmental keeper.
Defenders-Last year’s Gold Pride gave up 28 goals, the 2nd worst total in WPS. That has to improve. Leigh Ann Robinson is gone, but Bay Area will get a boost with the return of Kandace Wilson, a big part of FCGP’s early success before injury ended her season. Gold Pride also added two more players, Candace Chapman through free agency and Ali Riley through the draft. Chapman is a member of the Canadian National team and played for Boston last season. Riley had a stellar career at Stanford and is perhaps the best two-way outside back coming out of college. If Wilson and Riley start on the outside, opposing teams are going to have to contend with a lot of speed coming out of the back.
In the middle, USWNT defender Rachel Buehler leads the way. Buehler is solid defensively and known for her hard tackling. Kristen Graczyk also returns on defense. She is the only Gold Pride player to play in all 20 matches last season. Except for a couple of tough breaks, Carrie Dew had pretty good season at back last season and should continue to improve. Kaley Fountain, out of Wake Forest, will add depth on defense and can play forward as well. This defense should be improved from a year ago, but the question is how much.
Midfielders-No team revamped their midfield for 2010 more than FC Gold Pride. The two major additions are Camille Abily, obtained in a trade from Los Angeles, and Solveig Gulbrandsen, a longtime veteran of the Norwegian National Team. Abily’s eight goals were second only to LA teammate Marta’s league-leading total of 10 last season. Abily had an uncanny ability to find open space between defenders enabling her unleash her dangerous shot. Gulbrandsen comes over to the states with a distinguished career for Norway, where she ranks among the leaders in caps and goals scored. She has played in 15 World Cup and 9 Olympic matches over her career.
Past those two players, it gets a little more uncertain. Kim Yokers is one returnee in the midfield. She scored one goal in limited playing time in ’09. Gold Pride drafted top defensive midfielder Becky Edwards out of Florida State and later added Ashley Bowyer of Ohio State, who made the team as a developmental player. Ageless Tiffeny Milbrett can play attacking mid or forward. Milbrett proved she could still put it in the back of the net with 4 goals last season. Linking with Gold Pride’s talented forwards could be the key to the season. Expect Gulbrandsen to shoulder a lot of that load.
Forwards-At last year’s All-Star game in St. Louis, we saw the Marta-Sinclair connection for the first time and the two worked well together with Marta assisting on Sinclair’s first goal in that match. Sinclair’s talent was showcased in that game, giving a clinic in perfectly timed runs and scoring two goals. Marta is the best player in women’s soccer. A 4-time FIFA Player of the Year, she is not only talented, but her speed and determination make her very hard to stop. She also has the most lethal left foot in women’s soccer.
Even before Gold Pride secured Marta, they already had the makings of a great front line combo after drafting Kelley O’Hara out of Stanford. O’Hara, with teammate Riley, helped lead Stanford to the NCAA final before falling to perennial power UNC. Santa Clara’s Kiki Bosio and free agent Rosie Tantillo help add depth to this talented group of forwards. Bosio had 3 goals and 7 assists for the Broncos last season.
Summary-Last season, Bay Area had only two players (Sinclair and Milbrett) to score more than one goal over the course of the season. In fact, between May 3 and August 1 (a total of 12 matches), the only player that scored on anything other than a penalty kick was Sinclair. We won’t be seeing that kind of drought this year. My guess is Gold Pride will have 6 or 7 players with two or more goals this season.
That leads us to the midfield and defense. No organization did a better job at trying to fill their needs than FCGP. But will the midfield be deep enough and will the defense be good enough for Gold Pride to earn a title? No matter how many changes a team makes, it still isn’t easy to go from last to first in just one season. I’ve always said that any team that Marta is on will be a contender, but only time will tell whether Gold Pride’s other improvements will be enough to win it all.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Search
Welcome
