ST LOUIS ATHLETICA 0 - 0 LOS ANGELES SOL

GOALIES ON TOP


OR MISSED OPPORTUNITIES!

Missed opportunities were the story of the day Saturday afternoon at Hermann Stadium as Saint Louis Athletica played the Los Angeles Sol to a 0-0 draw in front 4, 228 fans.

The first missed chance went to the Sol and Aly Wagner. Wagner’s 73rd minute penalty was stopped by Hope Solo who dove to her right to cover and hold onto the shot just inside the post.

The penalty was set up on a run from Katie Larkin. Larkin eluded Tina Ellertson and dribbled into the area. Ellertson in hustling to try and win the ball back was late on a slide tackle clipping Larkin’s back foot for the foul.

“I don’t think she struck it very well,” said Solo. “Nevertheless I was going to my right.”

Following the penalty miss Athletica dashed to the other end of the field and Daniela nearly scored the first goal of the year as she pushed her shot wide to the left. Ashlee Pistorius provided the set up.

Ten minutes later it was Athletica’s turn at a penalty try. A flurry of chances inside the area resulted in a handball on Sol Defender Allison Falk. Ashlee Pistorius had the initial shot blocked and Eniola Aluko’s follow up effort came off the hand of Falk. Captain Lori Chalupny stepped up and drilled her penalty straight into Karina LeBlanc. Chalupny’s shot was right down the middle and LeBlanc barely moved as Athletica’s goal scoring drought continued.

"It was a very difficult game and we had very good chances. Goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc made huge saves for the team," said Los Angeles Sol Head Coach Abner Rogers. "It was a physical game and St. Louis had that edge on us. Overall, it was a very exciting game for the fans."

With close shots on goal by Shannon Boxx and Aya Miyama and missed shots from Daniela and Lori Chalupny (Athletica) the game remained scoreless in the first half.
The first best chance of the second half fell to Melissa Tancredi just inside the penalty area. Tancredi’s shot sailed well over and the scoreless streak continued.

The last best chance of the game came in the 89th minute when Angie Woznuk nearly gave Saint Louis a dramatic winner. Woznuk got to a second ball and put her shot toward the upper left hand corner only for Karina LeBlanc to make a spectacular save.

LA Sol were without Marta , Camille Abily and Han Duan who were on international duty. England's Eniola Aluko had returned from playing in the England Norway match was a 2nd half substitution. She sparked some life into Athletica but there was still no goals.

Lineups:

St. Louis Athletica: Hope Solo; Elise Weber, Kia McNeill, Niki Cross (Gray, 45); Lori Chalupny, Lisa Stoia, Daniela; Angie Woznuk, Tina Ellertson, Melissa Tancredi (Pistorius 77), Kerri Hanks (Aluko, 53)

Los Angeles Sol: Karina LeBlanc; Stephanie Cox , Brittany Bock, Allison Falk; Shannon Boxx, Aya Miyama, Manya Makoski, Aly Wagner, Katie Larkin, Martina Franco (Sari, 77), Christie Welsh (Bogus, 60)