RSS
ATOM
advertisement
WPS Previews: Week 17 Part One
Four of seven Women’s Professional Soccer teams take the pitch Wednesday. All four teams are in the hunt for three remaining playoff spots.
Jul 15, 2009 12:04:09 AM
Week 17 of Women’s Professional Soccer will be a busy one with five matches. Two East coast teams host matches Wednesday in must-win contests. The four teams taking the pitch Wednesday are all looking to earn playoff spots. They’ll throw all they have at their opponents. A win here or there and the standings could change in an instant. After all six points are all that stand between third place and seventh place.
Boston Breakers vs. Chicago Red Stars, Wednesday, July 15 at 7:00 p.m. ET, Harvard Stadium, Cambridge, MA
The Breakers (5-6-3, 18 points) dropped a 2-1 decision to Sky Blue FC last weekend. They still remain in third place, five points out of second. However, Sky Blue FC is also sitting in third place. Boston has dropped its last two matches. The Breakers are relatively tough at home with a 3-2-2 record.
Chicago (4-6-5, 18 points) bounced up to fifth place with a 3-1 win on Sunday. Chicago has won its last two matches, after dropping a 4-0 match to the Los Angeles Sol on June 27th. Cristiane lead the attack for the Red Stars, posting the first hat trick in WPS history. Cristiane also ranks third in the league for the leading scorer with six on the season. Chicago looks to be picking up the intensity when it matters most.
“We have to win,” Chicago’s Megan Rapinoe said after Sunday’s win. “We just have to keep winning. If that doesn’t motivate you, you shouldn’t be playing the sport. We need wins.”
This meeting will mark the third time Chicago and Boston will face each other this season. Chicago dominated the first match, posting a 4-0 win. Boston turned things around in their second meeting, topping the Red Stars 2-0.
A Chicago win would propel the Red Stars into third place. A win for the Breakers would move them into sole possession of third place, assuming Sky Blue FC doesn’t win. Either way you look at it, it’s a big match for both clubs.
Sky Blue FC vs. Washington Freedom, Wednesday, July 15 at 7:00 p.m. ET, Yurcak Field, Piscataway, NJ
Sky Blue FC (5-6-3, 18 points) caught up with the Boston Breakers this past weekend, by handing them a 2-1 loss. The New Jersey club is currently on a two-game winning streak. They’ve dropped just one match in the last five, posting a 3-1-1 record and outscoring opponents 5-3. Sky Blue also picked up three shutouts during that time frame.
Sky Blue had a chance of heart in May. A coaching change sparked the club to a new path – making it to the playoffs. With every minute played, they’re that much closer to making it to their goal.
Washington (4-6-4, 16 points) sat out Week 16 action, and fell to sixth place in the standings. Prior to the break, the Freedom dropped three straight matches. While they looked solid for a while, Washington is lacking finesse lately. The club will have to fight hard to get back into the playoff race.
The Freedom led the league for a while with the most goals scored. Their 18 goals are still second to the Los Angeles Sol. But their 22 goals allowed are also a WPS high. The Freedom has been struggling to figure out their winning combination all season.
Washington goalkeeper Briana Scurry said with every match they win. But the Sol are still the team to beat.
“The thing I’ve noticed about Los Angeles is they attack with numbers and defend with numbers,” Scurry said. “They figured it out early. They got points early and have run away with it.”
The Freedom and Sky Blue FC have met once this season. Washington earned a 2-1 win. With one month left, Sky Blue and Washington both are still in the race for a playoff spot. Expect both clubs to leave it all on the field at the end of 90 minutes.
Goal.com
For more on Women’s Professional Soccer, go to Goal.com’s women’s soccer page.
Boston Breakers vs. Chicago Red Stars, Wednesday, July 15 at 7:00 p.m. ET, Harvard Stadium, Cambridge, MA
The Breakers (5-6-3, 18 points) dropped a 2-1 decision to Sky Blue FC last weekend. They still remain in third place, five points out of second. However, Sky Blue FC is also sitting in third place. Boston has dropped its last two matches. The Breakers are relatively tough at home with a 3-2-2 record.
Chicago (4-6-5, 18 points) bounced up to fifth place with a 3-1 win on Sunday. Chicago has won its last two matches, after dropping a 4-0 match to the Los Angeles Sol on June 27th. Cristiane lead the attack for the Red Stars, posting the first hat trick in WPS history. Cristiane also ranks third in the league for the leading scorer with six on the season. Chicago looks to be picking up the intensity when it matters most.
“We have to win,” Chicago’s Megan Rapinoe said after Sunday’s win. “We just have to keep winning. If that doesn’t motivate you, you shouldn’t be playing the sport. We need wins.”
This meeting will mark the third time Chicago and Boston will face each other this season. Chicago dominated the first match, posting a 4-0 win. Boston turned things around in their second meeting, topping the Red Stars 2-0.
A Chicago win would propel the Red Stars into third place. A win for the Breakers would move them into sole possession of third place, assuming Sky Blue FC doesn’t win. Either way you look at it, it’s a big match for both clubs.
Sky Blue FC vs. Washington Freedom, Wednesday, July 15 at 7:00 p.m. ET, Yurcak Field, Piscataway, NJ
Sky Blue FC (5-6-3, 18 points) caught up with the Boston Breakers this past weekend, by handing them a 2-1 loss. The New Jersey club is currently on a two-game winning streak. They’ve dropped just one match in the last five, posting a 3-1-1 record and outscoring opponents 5-3. Sky Blue also picked up three shutouts during that time frame.
Sky Blue had a chance of heart in May. A coaching change sparked the club to a new path – making it to the playoffs. With every minute played, they’re that much closer to making it to their goal.
Washington (4-6-4, 16 points) sat out Week 16 action, and fell to sixth place in the standings. Prior to the break, the Freedom dropped three straight matches. While they looked solid for a while, Washington is lacking finesse lately. The club will have to fight hard to get back into the playoff race.
The Freedom led the league for a while with the most goals scored. Their 18 goals are still second to the Los Angeles Sol. But their 22 goals allowed are also a WPS high. The Freedom has been struggling to figure out their winning combination all season.
Washington goalkeeper Briana Scurry said with every match they win. But the Sol are still the team to beat.
“The thing I’ve noticed about Los Angeles is they attack with numbers and defend with numbers,” Scurry said. “They figured it out early. They got points early and have run away with it.”
The Freedom and Sky Blue FC have met once this season. Washington earned a 2-1 win. With one month left, Sky Blue and Washington both are still in the race for a playoff spot. Expect both clubs to leave it all on the field at the end of 90 minutes.
Goal.com
For more on Women’s Professional Soccer, go to Goal.com’s women’s soccer page.
Advertisement
Inside Goal.Com
-
ISOLA: Rafa Marquez is a grumpy veteran, and that needs to change
The New York Red Bulls defender recently stated that he would like to play three or four more years, but does he have the right attitude to continue?
-
RANKINGS: Donovan moves up to number two in the rankings
Landon Donovan has done plenty in his time at Everton to jump over Brad Friedel to second on the list.
-
ROGERS: Zambia wins a huge upset and a nod to a horrific 1993 crash
Zambia upset Ivory Coast to win the Africa Cup of Nations title in the same city of its greatest sports tragedy.
-
RIGG: Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic is certainly no Mr. February
The Swedish striker traditionally struggles in February. Facing a three-match ban this month, the jinx looks set to continue.
-
DEMPSEY'S DIARY: Playing in the World Cup was the ultimate dream
In his latest diary entry for Goal.com, the U.S. international and Fulham midfielder talks about playing in his first World Cup despite a back injury and what it meant to score.
Advertisement
Advertisement