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Los Angeles Sol Dominates Again With 2-0 Win
The Sol continued their hot streak, earning a 2-0 win against FC Gold Pride.
May 25, 2009 2:48:42 AM
SANTA CLARA, Calif.— The Los Angeles Sol extended their lead at the top of the table with a decisive 2-0 victory over home side FC Gold Pride. Los Angeles secured the win with a first half penalty kick, a second half Han Duan solo effort, and a very stalwart defensive performance. FC Gold Pride created several chances on goal, but just could not get on the scoreboard. It was the second time this season that the Sol beat Gold Pride.
Coming into the game, both teams were missing key players away on national team duty for tomorrow’s scheduled USA/Canada friendly. The home team, FC Gold Pride, lost starting goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart, as well as central defender Rachel Buehler, and last week’s goal scorer Christine Sinclair. In Barnhart’s place, backup goalie Allison Whitworth got her first start with Gold Pride.
At the other end, Los Angeles were without their star goalkeeper, Karina LeBlanc, who leads the league with six clean sheets and has 28 saves to her name. In her absence, Val Henderson stepped into goal. Additionally, a last minute injury kept starter Aly Wagner from traveling.
First Half
FC Gold Pride was the first to come close on goal. In the 4th minute, midfielder Tina DiMartino passed the ball from the right across the top of the eighteen-yard box. Forward Tiffeny Milbrett received it, played a quick give and go with Tiffany Weimer, and ended up facing goalkeeper Val Henderson. Henderson went to ground and Milbrett got the ball around her, but couldn’t shoot before a defender made the clearance.
Los Angeles started off a bit slow, but finally got a look on goal in the 13th minute. Midfielder Aya Miyama received the ball from Marta and sent a long pass up to Han Duan. The forward deftly controlled the ball and fought off Kristen Graczyk to keep possession. Duan got around the defender and fired off a shot, but goalkeeper Allison Whitworth positioned herself well for the save.
The home side had another chance in the 24th minute, when Milbrett took a powerful shot from outside the eighteen, but in the end Henderson had enough time to comfortably collect the ball.
Two minutes later, the Sol broke the deadlock and claimed a 1-0 lead. Miyama received a pass from teammate Camille Abily and sped toward goal, but was tripped from behind by center back Carrie Dew. The referee pointed to the spot for a penalty kick. Abily stepped up to take it, and sent Whitworth the wrong way while sliding the ball into the lower right corner.
At the half hour mark, the Gold Pride defense failed to properly clear the ball, looking a bit nervous after the penalty call. Marta pounced on the loose ball and raced to goal, getting off a low shot from the left side, which the goalie did well to anticipate.
In the 39th minute, Gold Pride had their best chance yet, when Eriko Arakawa received teammate Erika’s pass up the right flank, and whipped a cross in front of goal. Forward Tiffany Weimer came rushing into the box to meet the ball, but her impressive attempt crashed off the ‘keeper, whose quick reflexes saved the equalizer.
The last chance of the half came during stoppage time, when the Sol’s Miyama fired off a shot from about twenty yards out, but it just skimmed over the crossbar.
The first half ended with Los Angeles leading FC Gold Pride 1-0.
Second Half
As the second half got underway, Marta came to life looking very hungry for a goal. In the 51st minute, she received a pass and used a sudden burst of pace to get past Carrie Dew and head straight for goal. She took a hard left-footed shot, but Whitworth got her body in front of it.
Just two minutes later, Marta again sprinted toward goal. She evaded two defenders and sent a square pass to Miyama, who came through the middle of the box and took a shot. Whitworth managed to deflect the ball away from goal with an outstretched foot.
Both teams stepped up their attacks for the next several minutes, but were unable to finish their chances. At times, FC Gold Pride’s forwards seemed somewhat out of sync with each other, and several passes went astray in the final third.
In the 74th minute, Gold Pride substitute Adriane spotted Arakawa making a run up the right side, and sent the ball up to her. Arakawa got around the defender, and curled a pass into the box. Adriane jumped for the header and sent the ball whizzing just wide of the left post.
A minute later, L.A. mounted a very dangerous attack starting from a headed flick by Duan over the Gold Pride backline. Marta sped onto the ball and then collided with Whitworth, who had come outside the eighteen-yard box to make the save. The ball deflected into the path of Manya Makoski, whose shot went just wide of the empty goal. Marta stayed down for a bit appealing for the foul, to no avail.
FC Gold Pride kept trying for the equalizer as the match wound down, and came close when second half substitute Brandi Chastain got her head on the ball in the box. Her effort flew over the top of goal, though.
Ultimately, it was LA who was finally able to find the back of the net before the clock stopped. Henderson took the goal kick, sending the ball up into Gold Pride’s half. Formiga jumped for it, but missed the header, and Duan raced onto the ball, passing Graczyk and shooting with the inside of her foot to the right corner of the goal. Whitworth had come out to cut off the angle, but was unable to make the save. Gold Pride had numbers back, but just did not react quickly enough. It was the first goal of the season for Chinese international Duan.
Two goals down proved to be too much for the home team to overcome, and the match ended with a 2-0 Sol victory.
Next Sunday, FC Gold Pride hits the road to play the Washington Freedom (2-2-3). The Freedom sit just below Gold Pride on the table, with one game in hand. Los Angeles returns home for their next match, which will be against Saint Louis Athletica (2-2-2).
Jennifer Dawson, Goal.com
for more on Women's Professional Soccer, go to Goal.com's women's soccer section.
Coming into the game, both teams were missing key players away on national team duty for tomorrow’s scheduled USA/Canada friendly. The home team, FC Gold Pride, lost starting goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart, as well as central defender Rachel Buehler, and last week’s goal scorer Christine Sinclair. In Barnhart’s place, backup goalie Allison Whitworth got her first start with Gold Pride.
At the other end, Los Angeles were without their star goalkeeper, Karina LeBlanc, who leads the league with six clean sheets and has 28 saves to her name. In her absence, Val Henderson stepped into goal. Additionally, a last minute injury kept starter Aly Wagner from traveling.
First Half
FC Gold Pride was the first to come close on goal. In the 4th minute, midfielder Tina DiMartino passed the ball from the right across the top of the eighteen-yard box. Forward Tiffeny Milbrett received it, played a quick give and go with Tiffany Weimer, and ended up facing goalkeeper Val Henderson. Henderson went to ground and Milbrett got the ball around her, but couldn’t shoot before a defender made the clearance.
Los Angeles started off a bit slow, but finally got a look on goal in the 13th minute. Midfielder Aya Miyama received the ball from Marta and sent a long pass up to Han Duan. The forward deftly controlled the ball and fought off Kristen Graczyk to keep possession. Duan got around the defender and fired off a shot, but goalkeeper Allison Whitworth positioned herself well for the save.
The home side had another chance in the 24th minute, when Milbrett took a powerful shot from outside the eighteen, but in the end Henderson had enough time to comfortably collect the ball.
Two minutes later, the Sol broke the deadlock and claimed a 1-0 lead. Miyama received a pass from teammate Camille Abily and sped toward goal, but was tripped from behind by center back Carrie Dew. The referee pointed to the spot for a penalty kick. Abily stepped up to take it, and sent Whitworth the wrong way while sliding the ball into the lower right corner.
At the half hour mark, the Gold Pride defense failed to properly clear the ball, looking a bit nervous after the penalty call. Marta pounced on the loose ball and raced to goal, getting off a low shot from the left side, which the goalie did well to anticipate.
In the 39th minute, Gold Pride had their best chance yet, when Eriko Arakawa received teammate Erika’s pass up the right flank, and whipped a cross in front of goal. Forward Tiffany Weimer came rushing into the box to meet the ball, but her impressive attempt crashed off the ‘keeper, whose quick reflexes saved the equalizer.
The last chance of the half came during stoppage time, when the Sol’s Miyama fired off a shot from about twenty yards out, but it just skimmed over the crossbar.
The first half ended with Los Angeles leading FC Gold Pride 1-0.
Second Half
As the second half got underway, Marta came to life looking very hungry for a goal. In the 51st minute, she received a pass and used a sudden burst of pace to get past Carrie Dew and head straight for goal. She took a hard left-footed shot, but Whitworth got her body in front of it.
Just two minutes later, Marta again sprinted toward goal. She evaded two defenders and sent a square pass to Miyama, who came through the middle of the box and took a shot. Whitworth managed to deflect the ball away from goal with an outstretched foot.
Both teams stepped up their attacks for the next several minutes, but were unable to finish their chances. At times, FC Gold Pride’s forwards seemed somewhat out of sync with each other, and several passes went astray in the final third.
In the 74th minute, Gold Pride substitute Adriane spotted Arakawa making a run up the right side, and sent the ball up to her. Arakawa got around the defender, and curled a pass into the box. Adriane jumped for the header and sent the ball whizzing just wide of the left post.
A minute later, L.A. mounted a very dangerous attack starting from a headed flick by Duan over the Gold Pride backline. Marta sped onto the ball and then collided with Whitworth, who had come outside the eighteen-yard box to make the save. The ball deflected into the path of Manya Makoski, whose shot went just wide of the empty goal. Marta stayed down for a bit appealing for the foul, to no avail.
FC Gold Pride kept trying for the equalizer as the match wound down, and came close when second half substitute Brandi Chastain got her head on the ball in the box. Her effort flew over the top of goal, though.
Ultimately, it was LA who was finally able to find the back of the net before the clock stopped. Henderson took the goal kick, sending the ball up into Gold Pride’s half. Formiga jumped for it, but missed the header, and Duan raced onto the ball, passing Graczyk and shooting with the inside of her foot to the right corner of the goal. Whitworth had come out to cut off the angle, but was unable to make the save. Gold Pride had numbers back, but just did not react quickly enough. It was the first goal of the season for Chinese international Duan.
Two goals down proved to be too much for the home team to overcome, and the match ended with a 2-0 Sol victory.
Next Sunday, FC Gold Pride hits the road to play the Washington Freedom (2-2-3). The Freedom sit just below Gold Pride on the table, with one game in hand. Los Angeles returns home for their next match, which will be against Saint Louis Athletica (2-2-2).
Jennifer Dawson, Goal.com
for more on Women's Professional Soccer, go to Goal.com's women's soccer section.
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