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A-Rod Finally Scores In 2-0 Boston Win
Amy Rodriguez and Kristine Lilly tallied to lead the Boston Breakers to a 2-0 win over the Chicago Red Stars on Sunday. Boston moved into third place in the standings, while Chicago sits at the bottom of the table.
Jun 22, 2009 4:57:06 PM
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. – Boston Breakers forward Amy Rodriguez scored her first goal of the season Sunday afternoon. Kristine Lilly added another to lead the Breakers to a 2-0 win over the Chicago Red Stars.
Boston (4-4-3, 15 points) moved into third place with the win. The Breakers are now undefeated in their last two matches, including a 1-1 draw with FC Gold Pride on Wednesday. And the other positive – Rodriguez finally got the monkey off her back by scoring.
The Red Stars are once again going through a rough patch. The club posted three straight draws on the road, before falling 1-0 to Sky Blue FC on Wednesday and Boston on Sunday. The Red Stars have not scored in 313 minutes dating back to June 7, breaking their first record of 308 scoreless minutes. Chicago also hasn’t won a match since April 25, a 4-0 win over Boston.
First Half
Both clubs took the field to hot and humid temperatures in Chicagoland. Both teams started off a bit slow with limited opportunities in the first half. Each team took three shots in the first half, including one on goal. The one shot on goal Boston had, they made count.
Lilly found an open Rodriguez in the 22nd minute and sent her the ball. Rodriguez ran into the box, challenged Red Stars goalkeeper Caroline Jonsson and slotted the ball into the lower left corner for a 1-0 lead.
Chicago’s Lindsay Tarpley sent a shot off the cross bar about a minute after the goal. The ball bounced back into play, missing Megan Rapinoe and being cleared by the Boston defense. The Red Stars continued the pressure into the second half. Two shots beat goalkeeper Allison Lipsher twice. But the Breakers defenders had her back, clearing the attempts. In the 68th minute another Tarpley blast appeared to bounce off Boston defender Alex Scott’s arm. The referee didn’t call it.
Second Half
The Red Stars came out firing on all cylinders again in the second half. They were bound and determined to get a goal. Boston again was limited in opportunities, but took advantage of one play.
Chicago sent two shots toward goal that beat goalkeeper Allison Lipsher, but were cleared by the FCGP’s defense. The Red Stars best chance took place in the 68th minute. Tarpley blasted a shot toward goal. It bounced off defender Alex Scott. The ball appeared to bounce off of Scott’s arm, but did not get called for a handball.
Before Chicago could tie things up. Boston snuck in again in stoppage time. Red Stars defender Nikki Krzysik took down Boston’s Jenni Nobis in the box. Kelly Smith buried the penalty kick for a 2-0 lead.
“I think it was a gutsy performance,” Breakers head coach Tony DiCicco said. “It was difficult to play in this weather and I thought it was really important to score first because chasing the game in this weather is not easy. Chicago probably deserved more, but we’ve been on that side of the games as well. So we’re delighted with the win and we went out with the right mentality.”
A strong Chicago defense limited the visitors to four shots. Team leading scorer Kelly Smith took just one shot, while Lilly had two. Tarpley, Rapinoe and Cristiane each had two shots for Chicago. The Red Stars finished with 13 shots, five on target. Lipsher made four saves.
“I’m very proud of my players today,” said Red Stars coach Emma Hayes. “I think the better team lost the game and I think if we could extend the goal width in either direction then we wouldn’t be talking about a clean sheet.”
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Boston (4-4-3, 15 points) moved into third place with the win. The Breakers are now undefeated in their last two matches, including a 1-1 draw with FC Gold Pride on Wednesday. And the other positive – Rodriguez finally got the monkey off her back by scoring.
The Red Stars are once again going through a rough patch. The club posted three straight draws on the road, before falling 1-0 to Sky Blue FC on Wednesday and Boston on Sunday. The Red Stars have not scored in 313 minutes dating back to June 7, breaking their first record of 308 scoreless minutes. Chicago also hasn’t won a match since April 25, a 4-0 win over Boston.
First Half
Both clubs took the field to hot and humid temperatures in Chicagoland. Both teams started off a bit slow with limited opportunities in the first half. Each team took three shots in the first half, including one on goal. The one shot on goal Boston had, they made count.
Lilly found an open Rodriguez in the 22nd minute and sent her the ball. Rodriguez ran into the box, challenged Red Stars goalkeeper Caroline Jonsson and slotted the ball into the lower left corner for a 1-0 lead.
Chicago’s Lindsay Tarpley sent a shot off the cross bar about a minute after the goal. The ball bounced back into play, missing Megan Rapinoe and being cleared by the Boston defense. The Red Stars continued the pressure into the second half. Two shots beat goalkeeper Allison Lipsher twice. But the Breakers defenders had her back, clearing the attempts. In the 68th minute another Tarpley blast appeared to bounce off Boston defender Alex Scott’s arm. The referee didn’t call it.
Second Half
The Red Stars came out firing on all cylinders again in the second half. They were bound and determined to get a goal. Boston again was limited in opportunities, but took advantage of one play.
Chicago sent two shots toward goal that beat goalkeeper Allison Lipsher, but were cleared by the FCGP’s defense. The Red Stars best chance took place in the 68th minute. Tarpley blasted a shot toward goal. It bounced off defender Alex Scott. The ball appeared to bounce off of Scott’s arm, but did not get called for a handball.
Before Chicago could tie things up. Boston snuck in again in stoppage time. Red Stars defender Nikki Krzysik took down Boston’s Jenni Nobis in the box. Kelly Smith buried the penalty kick for a 2-0 lead.
“I think it was a gutsy performance,” Breakers head coach Tony DiCicco said. “It was difficult to play in this weather and I thought it was really important to score first because chasing the game in this weather is not easy. Chicago probably deserved more, but we’ve been on that side of the games as well. So we’re delighted with the win and we went out with the right mentality.”
A strong Chicago defense limited the visitors to four shots. Team leading scorer Kelly Smith took just one shot, while Lilly had two. Tarpley, Rapinoe and Cristiane each had two shots for Chicago. The Red Stars finished with 13 shots, five on target. Lipsher made four saves.
“I’m very proud of my players today,” said Red Stars coach Emma Hayes. “I think the better team lost the game and I think if we could extend the goal width in either direction then we wouldn’t be talking about a clean sheet.”
Goal.com
For more on Women's Professional Soccer, go to Goal.com's women's soccer section.
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