BOSTON BREAKERS 1 - 0 WASHINGTON FREEDOM

Christine Latham scored a header off of Heather Mitts’ free kick in the 37th minute to give the Boston Breakers a 1-0 win over the Washington Freedom on Wednesday night at Harvard Stadium in Cambridge, Mass.

The win allows the Breakers (5-4-3, 18 points) to leap over the Freedom (4-4-4, 16 points) into sole possession of second place. It also gave Boston the overall series win for the season against Washington (currently 2-0-1) with one match between the two remaining on July 29. The Freedom drop to third place.

Mitts’ free kick came in the first half from a foul on Kelly Smith in the 37th minute. Mitts stepped in and crossed the ball to Latham on the right side of the goal, who then headed it into the opposite left corner, putting the Breakers up, 1-0. It was the second goal of the season for Latham, both of which were game-winners against the Freedom. The assist was Mitts’ first.

Washington had a chance to tie before halftime in the 44th minute when Lori Lindsey hit a shot from outside the box just wide to the left side of the goal.

Leading up to the goal, both Boston’s Amy Rodriguez and Kelly Smith were knocking on the door with several close calls. Rodriguez put pressure on early, in the 16th minute, when she shot a ball at the top of the net, but Erin McLeod just tipped it over the cross bar. She then sent a cross across the net minutes later, but again McLeod made the save.

Smith rocketed two shots; both from about 30 yards out, one over and the other wide. She also took a free kick after being fouled, which bounced off the cross bar just prior to Latham’s tally.

In the second half, Smith finally hit the back of the net in the 55th minute, when she shot a ball past McLeod to the lower left corner, but the goal was called back for offsides.

Amy Rodriguez, looking to catch another goal after scoring the game winner on Sunday over Chicago, had luck similar to Smith’s, sending several shots just past the goal.

Washington became dangerously close of equalizing the match several times in the second half, outshooting Boston, 6-4, but goalkeeper Ali Lipsher held the win until the final whistle with five saves. It was her second straight shutout in only her third start of the year.

Two of those saves came at the end of the second with the Breakers trying to hold on to the win. Lipsher deflected a shot, creating a scramble in the box, but Alex Scott made the clear before a Washington player could get on the end of it. In the 90th minute, Washington tried one last time to leave with a tie, as Homare Sawa hit a shot that Lipser caught just before it went over the goal line.

The Breakers next game is July 4 against Sky Blue FC in Piscataway, N.J. Sky Blue leads the series 1-0, having defeated Boston 2-1 on May 30.

The Freedom have this weekend off and next play on Wednesday July 1st against Chicago Red Stars at Toyota Park, Chicago. Both previous games between the two have been drawn.

Boston head coach Tony DiCicco

"I thought the first half was probably our best soccer from both an offensive and defensive standpoint. Washington is a good team and we just didn’t let them play in the first half,” he said. “It’s hard because you want to be a little more cautious when you are leading, and they came out hard in the second half. They had some opportunities, and good teams are going to get opportunities."



Freedom head coach Jim Gabarra

"I think we could get the ball, we couldn’t string a pass together. Our first touch was disappointing; we couldn’t play the ball to feet. Part of it might be the surface; we came from Saint Louis where the grass was long and played slow. And we came here on turf, and the field was wet so it is even quicker. We played too slow, we couldn’t possess the ball. Against a team like Boston, as soon as you win the ball, everyone is spreading out, and you give it to the other team, it’s going to create some dangerous situations."

Lineups:

BOSTON: Alli Lipsher; Amy LePeilbet, Sue Weber, Alex Scott, Heather Mitts; Christine Latham (Maggie Tomecka, 62nd minute), Kristine Lilly, Angela Hucles, Kelly Smith,,Sophia Mundy; Amy Rodriguez (Mary Francis Monroe, 71st minute; Kelly Schmedes, 90+2 minute).

CHICAGO: Erin McLeod; Cat Whitehill, Sonia Bompastor, Becky Sauerbrunn, Ali Grieger; Lori Lindsey, Homare Sawa, Kristin DeDycker (Abby Wambach, 54th minute); Jill Gilbeau (Parissa Eyorokon, 70th minute), Lisa DeVanna, Rebecca Moros.