Natasha Kai scored a goal to seal the 2-0 win for Sky Blue FC over FC Gold Pride at a packed Yurcak Field, New Jersey last night.
With a sold-out capacity crowd of 5,455 Sky Blue took one step into the playoffs.
The match was the first for Sky Blue with Captain Christie Rampone serving as interim player/coach. The match didn’t start smoothly with goalkeeper Karen Bardsley replacing Jenni Branam in the starting lineup at the last minute forcing Sky Blue to use one of its substitutions.
Sky Blue held an 11-2 edge in shots in the first half but couldn’t break through. Kai headed a corner kick from Yael Averbuch just wide of the post in the 18th minute and FC Gold Pride keeper Nicole Barnhart did a good job to pick the ball off the foot of Kai in the 35th minute.
FC Gold Pride’s best chance of the game came from Christine Sinclair in the 43rd minute, but Bardsley came up big to slide through the Canadian striker on a breakaway to keep the game scoreless.
After halftime, Sky Blue took control of the game right away as Rosana scored just 46 seconds into the second half. Heather O’Reilly carried the ball up the right side and floated a cross into the box that the Brazilian midfielder headed into the right side of the goal from eight yards out.
Kacey White then curled a 15-yard shot off the left post in the 59th minute. Two minutes later, substitute Collette McCallum just on, lofted a perfect ball forward for Kai and the striker took a touch before slotting a shot past a charging Barnhart for the 2-0 lead.
Gold Pride had a chance near the end.Sinclair rolled a shot just past the post in the 67th minute.
Kai could have got on the board again, once in the 70th minute and twice back-to-back in the 74th minute. Keeper Barnhart was on task to shut her out.
Sky Blue travels to the Maryland SoccerPlex on Saturday to take on the Freedom at 7 p.m. in the season finale. Boston hosts the regular season champion Los Angeles Sol on Sunday at 6 p.m. in a must-win game for the Breakers.
FC Gold Pride will return home to take on the second place Staint Louis Athletica for their final game of Inaugural season this Sunday, July 9 at 5 p.m. The Pride is 2-0-1 against the Athletica and will be looking to finish their season on a high note.
INTERIM PLAYER/COACH CHRISTIE RAMPONE
"It feels good now that we got a win. It’s been a great week. I think the team really had some great training sessions. Mike and I were just tweaking little things at training and everyone stayed focused and it really showed in the second half. I think the first half was just pure adrenaline and trying to find our rhythm but I think we came out in the second half really focused and we had nothing to lose at that point."
FC GOLD PRIDE HEAD COACH ALBERTIN MONTOYA
"Obviously I thought we did a little bit better in the first half and dealt with their high pressure. We knew they would come out at us. We had three tough games coming into this game and they had a week's rest and I don’t think our players have played in this type of weather in some time but that’s not an excuse. I thought Sky Blue FC played extremely well today and were very effective in making their runs and the way I look at it, they were just buzzing around everywhere. They had good energy and they played like a team that’s fighting for a playoff spot and we unfortunately didn’t come out with the intensity and energy and I think it cost us in the second half. "
Lineups:
Sky Blue FC:– Jenni Branam (Karen Bardsley 1’); Meghan Schnur, Christie Rampone(C), Jen Buczkowski, Keeley Dowling; Heather O’Reilly, Yael Averbuch, Rosana, Kelly Parker (Collette McCallum 60’); Kacey White (Kerri Hanks 71’), Natasha Kai.
FC Gold Pride: – Nicole Barnhart; Greer Barnes, Carrie Dew, Kristen Graczyk, Rachel Buehler; Tina DiMartino, Tiffeny Milbrett (Kim Yokers 83’), Leslie Osborne(C), Brandi Chastain (Adriane 60’); Christine Sinclair, Tiffany Weimer (Eriko Arakawa 56’).
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