Boston Breakers Forced To Play With Ten In Loss To Freedom, 1-0

The Boston Breakers held on by the tips of their laces for much of the game competing down a player from the fifth minute on. At the 73 minute mark, Abby Wambach finally broke through for the Washington Freedom in a 1-0 win over the Breakers in Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) action Wednesday night at Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds, Md.

Boston defender Alex Scott was handed a red card in just the fifth minute of the match for a foul on Sonia Bompastor, forcing the Breakers to play with only 10 players for the majority of the match. It was the first red card given to a Boston player this season.

“I’m really proud of the players, they played their hearts out,” said Breakers head coach Tony DiCicco. “The game changed unfortunately in the fifth minute and Washington did what they needed to do. I just feel very bad for my players to have to have played a very difficult game.”

Wambach’s goal was her team-leading sixth of the year as she took a through ball from Lisa De Vanna, beat a defender and shot the ball past Ali Lipsher to break the deadlock. The goal snapped a team season-best 396-minute scoreless streak for the Breakers.

With the loss, the Breakers (7-7-4, 25 points) fall back into fourth place, while the Freedom (7-6-5) move ahead of Boston into third. The Breakers can clinch a playoff spot with a win on Saturday against Saint Louis, followed by a Sky Blue FC loss next Wednesday.

Kelly Smith entered the game as a second-half substitute for her first action in a Boston uniform since July 4. She nearly equalized the game in stoppage time when she took the ball from a Freedom defender at the edge of the box, side-stepped and forced goalkeeper Erin McLeod to tip the ball over the crossbar for a corner kick.

As a result of the red card, the Freedom enjoyed the better of the play for much of the first half, although Boston did mount some pressure in the later stages, and was only out-shot, 6-4.

The best scoring chance of the first half came from Rebecca Moros in the 21st minute, when she received a cross with space to the far post on the right side of the goal, but she shot high over the bar.

The Breakers next travel to Saint Louis to take on Athletica, Saturday at 8 p.m. (ET). The game will be televised locally in St. Louis on KPLR 11, and can be seen via live webcast on saintlouisathletica.com.

Box Score  July 29, 2009 at Maryland SoccerPlex – Boyds, Md.

GOALS 1  2  – Total

Boston 0  0 0

Washington 0  1 1

Scoring Summary

First Half:  None

Second Half:  1 – WAS: Wambach 6 (De Vanna 4), 73rd minute.

Stats

Total Shots: WAS 14 BOS 8

Shots on Goal: WAS 3 BOS 1

Saves: Erin McLeod (WAS) 1, Alli Lipsher (BOS) 2

Corners: WAS 3 BOS 6

Fouls: WAS 7 BOS 4

Offsides: WAS 4 BOS 2

Lineups

BOSTON: Alli Lipsher; Alex Scott, Amy LePeilbet, Candace Chapman, Heather Mitts; Maggie Tomecka, Fabiana (Nancy Augustyniak-Goffi, 70th minute), Mary-Frances Monroe (Kelly Schmedes, 64th minute), Angela Hucles, Kristine Lilly; Jennie Nobis (Kelly Smith, 56th minute).

WASHINGTON: Erin McLeod; Jill Gilbeau (Kristin DeDycker, 82nd minute), Cat Whitehill, Becky Sauerbrunn, Alex Singer (Ali Krieger, 39th minute); Sonia Bompastor, Homare Sawa, Lori Lindsey, Rebecca Moros (Allie Long, 58th minute); Lisa De Vanna, Abby Wambach.

Misconduct Summary

Cautions: Washington: Cat Whitehill, 64th minute. Boston: Heather Mitts, 37th minute.

Ejections: Alex Scott, 5th minute.

Attendance: 3,123    Weather: 77, Partly Cloudy

Officials: R: Jose Carlos Rivero; A1: Debbie Coleman; A2: Moo Hackett; FO: Mathew Kreitzer

 

Photo Credit: David Silverman | DSPics.com