2010 WPS Power Rankings: Week 7
As we return to play in the WPS, let us say a prayer for St. Louis Athletica, who has officially folded as of Thursday. Athletica's final ranking prior to folding was fourth.
I will let you know that I will be miss the days in which I wrote play-by-plays and rankings of the action in the Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park in Fenton, which, to me, is still and always will be...The Brewery .
This means our power rankings have been reduced to seven sides, the same number from last year. And I am sure that this will cause a huge shake-up in the Fox Soccer Channel broadcasts.
Because we are in an odd-team format, just like last year a team that is off this week does not change positions. Let's go to the rankings.
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A new face appears at the top of the WPS Power Rankings this week.
Jim Gabarra's Washington Freedom did well in saluting the troops on Memorial Day Weekend with a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Independence, to go with a special black and blue fatigue-style top.
Rebecca Moros opened the scoring for Washington in the 24th minute off the pass from Christie Welsh. Moros had enough time to slot one past Indies keeper Val Henderson, opening her scoring account.
Abby Wambach (pictured) added to Philly's misery in the 34th minute of play. Sara Larsson's tackle on Sonia Bompastor inside the penalty box forced match referee Ted Unkel to point to the spot.
The goal was Wambach's third of the season.
"It was a good game, and we handled the ball well in the first half," Moros said after the contest "I thought we played really well, and definitely played really hard. We didn't have the same control in the second half."
Nonetheless, the Freedom's defending in the second half-save for the blunder by Erin McLeod that led to the Lianne Sanderson goal-maintained a well-earned victory for the Freedom.
"I don't think we played our best game, but we got the result," Gabarra said after the match. "We could have made it easier on ourselves.
"Philadelphia is always going to make it tough. They are going to battle."
Next week, however, they will be facing an FC Gold Pride side looking to get their momentum back.
"It will be a huge challenge for us going out to play FC Gold Pride next week," Gabarra said on the upcoming match. "It will be tough on our defense, but I think we played well in the back this week. Hopefully we can build on that."
Kickoff at the Castro Valley Athletic Stadium is scheduled for June 5 at 7 p.m. ET.
All good streaks must come to an end, and for Albertin Montoya's FC Gold Pride, that took place in a 1-0 defeat to the Chicago Red Stars at Toyota Park in Bridgeview.
The loss ended the Pride's five-game winning streak. To their credit, the Lionesses of the East Bay had done well in outshooting Chicago 14-13. However, none of those chances went through.
“There are very strong teams in WPS, every game is going to be tough," Montoya said after the match. "With the exception of a few periods in today’s match, I thought we were very sound especially on defense.
"Unfortunately, this time around we weren’t able to score and they did.”
The Pride slink back to the East Bay, where they hope their fortunes change against the Washington Freedom.
Kickoff at the Castro Valley Athletic Stadium is scheduled for June 5 at 7 p.m. ET. The match will be the last home game for FC Gold Pride at the Castro Valley Athletic Stadium before moving to their new home, Pioneer Stadium at California State University East Bay.
Paul Riley must be feeling sick to his stomach right now. Not only did his Philadelphia Independence lose 2-1 to the Washington Freedom at the Maryland SoccerPlex, but to add insult to injury, Caroline Seger's brain explosion forced the Indies to finish a player down.
"I'm disappointed with the result," Riley said after the match. "We had better possession in the second half, compared with the first, but we couldn't put the chances away."
And what a boatload of chances they had. Philly had 16 shots compared to Washington's 11. But only four of them were on goal, and the one that went in by Lianne Sanderson should have been a routine save for Erin McLeod.
Nonetheless, the England international was credited with her second of the season donning the Independence strip.
"I'm not happy with the loss and that we gave up two goals," Larsson said after the match. "I think we played really well at times, but we need to score on the chances we get.
Philly will need to keep their emotion in check as they take on Sky Blue FC at John A. Farrell Stadium in Chester. Kickoff is scheduled for Sunday, June 6 at 6 p.m. ET.
A new manager, a new sense of purpose...and just the second victory for the Chicago Red Stars this season, who make a big jump to the middle of our Power Rankings.
Taking the reins from Emma Hayes, who was sacked after her team's poor performance, the Red Stars shut out FC Gold Pride, 1-0.
"I just think the team really came out tonight and competed well together," Red Stars General Manager Marcia McDermott said after the contest, "and that was one of the primary goals they had: to make this a complete team effort.
"You could find different moments throughout this game when each player stepped up and played her role and made a contribution. So I think it was just a really good, comprehensive team effort tonight."
Indeed it was. And it was capped off with a goal by Kosovare Asllani off a Marian Dalmy cross in the 52nd minute. The goal opened the scoring account for the Swedish international.
"I was proud of the team and how we worked with each other, and the only word I can come up with in my head is 'teamwork,' " Asllani said after the match "I'm so proud tonight and I feel like it wasn't just my goal, it was the team's goal. Everybody had a real big part in this.
"We are really excited and I feel like it is our start, in my opinion. We had a couple of games that we had dominated that we didn't win, and after all, the winning is the most important thing. And I think we got good confidence from this game.
"I think everybody started to think that we really need to work with each other because we have, in my opinion, the greatest team in the league and I feel like we are supposed to be on top and we started tonight."
An opinion is just an opinion. But Asllani had a point regarding. While the Red Stars are still eight points behind the league leaders, this could be a sign of things to come heading into next week's match with the struggling Atlanta Beat.
Kickoff at Toyota Park in Bridgeview is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET on June 6 and will be televised by Fox Soccer Channel.
Tony DiCicco's Boston Breakers will be rueing the fact that the inability to finish just one...just one...of their 23 shots (10 on goal) forced a scoreless draw against Sky Blue FC at Joe Yurcak Field in Piscataway.
"I think it's mental right now," DiCicco said. "I think the players are trying to take the extra touch to get their shot off. In the penalty area, most goals are scored on one touch.
"First half, I thought we played pretty well, but we didn't put enough on goal. [Sky Blue FC keeper Karen] Bardsley came up with a couple of big saves in the second half, but we didn't really make her save anything, even though we had great opportunities, in the first half."
The Breakers will look to break out of their funk with a rematch against Sky Blue FC on Sunday, June 13 at Harvard Stadium. Kickoff at Soldiers' Field is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET.
While the home crowds in Germantown and Bridgeview were rocking and rolling, the same could not be said for the home contingent in Piscataway.
Pauliina Miettenen's Sky Blue FC had to settle for a scoreless draw against the Boston Breakers at Joe Yurcak Field on the campus of Rutgers University.
Defensively, Sky Blue FC goalkeeper Karen Bardsley did the work, making five saves to pace Sky Blue FC, who recorded five saves on Saturday.
Miettenen wanted to play it safe, and chose not to play Christie Rampone against Boston. Rampone had been a key ingredient in Sky Blue FC's success last season.
"We have to remember that she's only been training for four weeks," Miettenen said. "We do not want to take an unnecessary risk with her.
"We have so many games left, and we don't want to risk her in any way."
"I think it's tough being an attacking player sometimes with the pressure you put on yourself to score," Skye Ble FC's Heather O'Reilly said. "but that's what it means to be a professional athlete. You have to find it within you to make good on the challenges you set forth for yourself."
O'Reilly knows all too well the pressure player put on themselves to score. Two weekends ago, she finally got on the sheet for the first time in 15 tries for the USA national team in their 4-0 rout of Germany at Cleveland Browns Stadium.
However, one point is better than no points. Sky Blue FC are fourth in the WPS Standings, sitting four points behind league leaders FC Gold Pride.
They will look to reclaim momentum against a Philadelphia Independence side that will show no mercy in bringing in a physical style of play that will test the honesty of Miettenen's club.
Kickoff at Chester's John A. Farrell Stadium is scheduled for Sunday, June 6 at 6 p.m. ET.
Gareth O'Sullivan's Atlanta Beat were scheduled to face off against St. Louis Athletica, but the match was canceled due to Athletica going into administration.
Instead, they get an extra week of rest and will prepare for next week's road match with the Chicago Red Stars.
Kickoff at Toyota Park in Bridgeview is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. ET on June 6 and will be televised by Fox Soccer Channel.
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