2010 WPS Power Rankings: Week 12
In this week's Women's Professional Soccer Power Rankings, FC Gold Pride returns to the top of the mountain once again with a vengeance, while the Boston Breakers also make their move up.
As this season unfolds, I bring up the million-dollar question: will FC Gold Pride host the WPS Championship Game? Vote on the View from Victoria Street and on Bleacher Report. (Sorry, WPS Fan Corner readers; you'll have to vote on those two sites. Yeah, you know how it is.)
With that said, let us delve into the great unknown that is Week 12 of the 2010 WPS Power Rankings.
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Albertin Montoya's FC Gold Pride needed to do whatever they could to wash themselves of a 2-0 embarassment against Sky Blue FC at Pioneer Stadium, and the Lionesses of the East Bay took it out on the hapless Atlanta Beat at Beat/KSU Stadium in Kennesaw, Georgia.
The 4-0 shutout victory over Atlanta places the Pride at the top of this week's Power Rankings.
“The team played very well today,” Montoya said after the match. “We played with a new system and maybe that threw the Beat off a bit. We have been working very hard on playing in the new formation and we did really well with it. In the second half, we really gained control of the game and shifted our system again; the change opened up even more opportunities for us. Overall, this was an outstanding performance by our team.”
At the center of the scoring rampage was Marta, who drove home two goals and an assist.
In the second minute, Marta and Canadian international Christine Sinclair teamed up to give Sinclair her fifth of the campaign. It was also the fastest goal in league history.
In the 31st minute of play, Marta's ballhandling abilities paid off, driving one past Beat goalkeeper Hope Solo to make it 2-0 FC Gold Pride. The goal was her seventh of the season.
The Lionesses of the East Bay never looked back. In the 87th minute, FC Gold Pride goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart got her first-ever assist as a professional as Marta tallied her eighth of the campaign.
Just for good measure, Kelley O'Hara got her third of the year in the 91st minute. By then, the Beat fans were heading for the exits, if they didn't already.
The Pride outshot Atlanta 14 to seven, had 12 corner kicks to the Beat's two, and had 11 shots on goal to Atlanta's four.
Next up for FC Gold Pride is a match with the Washington Freedom at Pioneer Stadium in Hayward, California. Kickoff on Sunday, July 11 is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. PT and will be televised live on Fox Soccer Channel.
Off this week are Pauliina Miettinen's Sky Blue FC, who remain second in this week's Power Rankings.
During the past few days, the club were welcomed by President Barack Obama and given a tour of the White House.
In his remarks, Obama congratulated Sky Blue FC for their perseverance through three coaching changes during the season and for coming out victorious in three straight road games within the span of eight days to claim the inaugural WPS championship.
During the ceremony, Sky Blue FC CEO and President Thomas Hofstetter and Sky Blue FC captain Christie Rampone, who served as the team’s player-coach during its championship run, presented President Obama with a Sky Blue FC jersey featuring his name and the No. 9, representing the year of the club’s triumph.
With a renewed purpose and resolve, Sky Blue FC soldiers on for two games in a span of four days.
Their next match will take place against the Washington Freedom at Joe Yurcak Field on the campus of Rutgers University in Piscataway, New Jersey. Kickoff on Wdnesday, July 7 is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET.
They will then take on the Chicago Red Stars on Saturday, July 10. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET.
The last thing Paul Riley's Philadelphia Independence wanted was a second half comeback. Unfortunately, it came at the hands of the team sitting last in the previous edition of our Power Rankings, the Boston Breakers.
Ouch.
After going into halftime with a 1-0 lead, the Indies surrendered goals in the 47th and 85th minutes to fall, 2-1 at the John A. Farrell Stadium in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
Philadelphia's only goal came in the 18th minute, when Amy Rodriguez earned her seventh of the season through a Lianne Sanderson delivery.
Philly outshot Boston 13 to eight on Sunday. The Indies will next take on FC Gold Pride on July 17 at Pioneer Stadium in Hayward. Kickoff is scheduled for 10:00 p.m. ET.
The recent slide for Jim Gabarra's Washington Freedom continued with a scorless draw against the Chicago Red Stars at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown, Maryland.
The Freedom had been forced to go on the defensive from the first whistle to the last, as goalkeeper Erin McLeod delivered a scintillating performance.
McLeod made 10 saves on the night, frustrating the Red Stars attack with ice water coursing through her veins.
But while the Freedom have been steadfast on the defense, can they generate something offensively? The answer awaits Washington against Sky Blue FC on Wednesday, July 7 at Joe Yurcak Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET.
The Freedom will then take on FC Gold Pride on Sunday, July 11 at Joe Yurcak Field on the campus of Rutgers University in Piscataway. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET.
Tony DiCicco's Boston Breakers got the reprieve they needed, defeating the Philadelphia Independence 2-1 at John A. Farrell Stadium in West Chester.
In the 47th minute, Lauren Cheney earned her second goal of the season off a Breakers cross. The game winner came in the 85th minute, as Kristine Lilly received a pass from Kelly Smith to open her scoring account.
The win was Boston's first since April 10 against the Washington Freedom.
The Breakers will look to add to their victory with a clash against the Atlantas Beat at Soldiers Field in July 11. Kickoff at Harvard Stadium in Cambridge, Massachusetts is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. ET.
Omid Namazi's Chicago Red Stars had to settle for a scorless draw against the Washington Freedom at the Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown.
Despite landing 23 shots and 11 shots on goal for the match, the Red Stars were unable to get on past Erin McLeod and the Washington defense.
Chicago's biggest chance to earn the game-winner came ion the 81st minute, when a blast from Karen Carney was saved by McLeod. That epitomized the frustrations the Women of the Windy City were having on Independence Day.
The Red Stars will hope that their luck changes on the course of the next few matches. On Wednesday, July 7, Chicago takes on the Atlanta Beat at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET.
Chicago will then host Sky Blue FC on Saturday, July 10. Kickoff is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. ET.
It was nothing but agony for Gareth O'Sullivan's Atlanta Beat, as they were manhandles convincingly by FC Gold Pride 4-0 at Beat/KSU Stadium in Kennesaw.
The only major highlight (or lowlight, depending on your part of the spectrum) was Kia McNeill's studs-up tackle on FC Gold Pride keeper Nicole Barnhart in the 34th minute.
The ensuing red card reduced the Beat down to 10 players, but Aya Miyama had a chance to reduce the 2-0 deficit in the 70th minute. That was denied, along with Atlanta's chances to come back on Saturday.
“I felt like we were pulling from behind and we were getting opportunities,” said Atlanta Beat Head Coach Gareth O’Sullivan. “When we're playing the ball to feet, it led to those opportunities.
Atlanta will hope for a rebound as the face the Chicago Red Stars at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois on July 7. Kickoff is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. ET.
The Beat will then travel to Harvard Stadium in Cambridge, Massachusetts to face the Boston Breakers. Kickoff on July 11 is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. ET.
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