WPS Previews: Week 15 Part Two

Week 15 of WPS action continues with three matches scheduled for the Fourth of July weekend. Last place Sky Blue FC faces second-place Boston, while leaders Los Angeles travel to take on Washington, who sit in the middle. The other last-place team, FC Gold Pride, hosts third-place Athletica. Chicago gets a break following their historic mid-week victory.

With just over a month left of the regular season, the race is tight to secure a berth in the play-offs. The top four teams will see post-season action, and Los Angeles has already clinched their spot. The final three spots are up for grabs, and with only six points separating second-place from last, each round can shuffle the table.

Sky Blue FC vs. Boston Breakers, Saturday, July 4th at 4:00 p.m. ET, Yurcak Field, Piscataway, NJ

Sky Blue FC and Boston Breakers will meet on the pitch for just the second time this season. In their previous match-up, home side Sky Blue FC came away with a 2-1 victory. Goals from Natasha Kai and Kacey White were enough to see off the Breakers, though Boston did get on the scoreboard courtesy of Kelly Smith. This Saturday’s game will be the first of two matches in a row for these two.

Sky Blue FC (3-6-3, 12 pts) is currently tied for last place with FC Gold Pride. In their most recent game, they suffered a 2-1 home loss against Saint Louis Athletica. That loss halted a two-game unbeaten streak, including a 1-0 defeat of the Chicago Red Stars on June 17th. Offensively, Sky Blue FC has only managed to net eight total goals, the fewest in the league. They have outshot opposition, 159-110, proving they aren’t shy about going for goal. Finishing those chances, of course, will be key. Natasha Kai and Rosana together account for half of Sky Blue FC’s goals this season, so they will hope to be on target Saturday.

Boston Breakers (5-4-3, 18 pts) are in second place. They are unbeaten in their last three games, with the latest being a 1-0 win at home against the Washington Freedom. The Breakers are the only team besides Los Angeles to hold a positive goal differential, with +1. (Of course, no one compares to LA at +18). For Boston, a win this weekend is necessary to hold off competitors and secure their spot. They have scored four goals in the last three matches, and will look to add to that stat.

A win for Boston will keep them very much in the play-off race, in second-place. For Sky Blue FC, a win could land them in fifth-place, just on the cusp of play-off eligibility. Three out of Boston’s four losses have been on the road, so Sky Blue will have the slight advantage this weekend.

Washington Freedom vs. Los Angeles Sol, Sunday, July 5th at 6:00 p.m. ET, Maryland Soccerplex, Germantown, MD (showing on FSC)

Washington Freedom and the Los Angeles Sol have faced each other twice this season, with the Sol coming out ahead 5-1 on aggregate. Both times, Los Angeles had the home advantage, so it will be up to Washington to show what they can do on their own turf.

The Washington Freedom (4-5-4, 16 pts) sit in fourth place on the league table. In their recent mid-week match against the Chicago Red Stars, Washington scored first, only to see Chicago fight to a historic come-from-behind win, 2-1. Since the beginning of June, the Freedom has posted a 1-3-1 record. They’ve only tallied three goals in the last five games, compared to the 13 they scored in the five prior fixtures. In Washington’s favor, team top scorers Abby Wambach, Lisa De Vanna, and Sonia Bompastor, with three apiece, have all proven dangerous in the final third. Bompastor found a way past the Sol backline in the last match-up, so she may be key.

With 34 points, the Los Angeles Sol (10-1-4) are well ahead in first place and have already clinched a play-off berth. They boast a 10-game unbeaten streak, and have won the last three in a row. In their most recent match, L.A. hosted the Chicago Red Stars, and proceeded to crush the visitors 4-0. Marta scored four goals in the last three games, and she and teammate Camille Abily share the title of league top scorers, with eight each. Three of Abily’s goals were against Washington. Goalkeeper Karina Le Blanc has posted 10 shutouts, and only allowed five goals in 14 starts. The numbers show Los Angeles has the best offense and the toughest defense.

With the Los Angeles Sol proving their mettle week in and week out, the stats, records, and history are all in their favor. Still, soccer fans know never to take anything for granted, and Washington will surely fight for the upset. Either way, expect a scintillating match with some of the league’s best players on the pitch.

FC Gold Pride vs. Saint Louis Athletica, Sunday, July 5th at 8pm ET, Buck Shaw Stadium, Santa Clara, CA

FC Gold Pride hosts Saint Louis Athletica this weekend, marking the first time these two teams have faced each other in nearly two months. In that fixture, on May 9th, Saint Louis topped FC Gold Pride 1-0, with Lori Chalupny notching the match-winning goal.

FC Gold Pride (3-6-3, 12 pts) is tied with Sky Blue FC at the bottom of the table. Their last win came on May 16th at Chicago, and since then they have lost three and drawn two. Gold Pride allowed nine goals in the last five games, and netted just three of their own. Twice in a row they took the early lead through Christine Sinclair, only to allow late equalizers. Their latest match resulted in a 0-2 road loss to league leaders Los Angeles. FC Gold Pride has allowed 17 goals to-date, second in the league only to the Freedom, who has let 18 into their net.

Saint Louis Athletica (5-5-2, 17 pts) currently hold third place, just one point behind second-place Boston. In their most recent match, Athletica went on the road and beat Sky Blue FC, 2-1. Elise Weber scored the game-winner for Athletica with six minutes on the clock. Eniola Aluko also scored against Sky Blue FC, bringing her season total to four. That win halted a two-game losing streak, and got their four-game road trip off to a good start. Athletica has won more and lost fewer away than at home, so that stat works in their favor this week. Goalkeeper Hope Solo has four clean sheets, second in the league in that category.

Five points separate FC Gold Pride and Athletica on the table. A win for Saint Louis could see them jump to second place, while a win for FC Gold Pride would mean a way out of the bottom. Expect a determined performance from both teams, with the slight edge going to Athletica.

Jennifer Dawson, Goal.com

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