WPS All-Stars v Umea IK Highlights

WPS ALL-STARS 4 - 2 UMEA IK

The WPS All-Stars came from behind to beat Swedish national champion Umeå, 4-2, in the WPS All-Star Game at The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park in Fenton, Mo. 4 - 2.

Umeå IK started to crash the party early. With just 2 minutes on the clock Mami Yamaguchi sent a through ball to Madelaine Edlund on the right side of the box. With only the Los Angeles Sol’s Karina LeBlanc to beat, Edlund fired her shot past the WPS All-Star goalkeeper to give Umeå an early 1-0 lead.

Umeå kept on the attack as two minutes later Yamaguchi unleashed a dipping shot from 30 yards out, which LeBlanc had to tip out of bounds to keep from going into the upper right corner.
In the 15th minute, Umeå made it 2-0 when Edlund again found space on the right flank and cranked a shot which LeBlanc got a paw to, but the rebound went straight to Sofia Jakobsson. The Swedish forward banged a shot off the left post to increase Umeå’s lead.
Umeå were playing without their star forward Ramona Bchmann. She had taken ill and was left back at the hotel.

Having not played together the WPS All-Star players were all at sixes and sevens but they started to play with a higher tempo and midfielder Shannon Boxx and Marta became more involved. They started to create chances.

First In the 24th minute, Marta zoomed down the left flank and attempted to serve a cross into the box, but it deflected off teammate Cristiane right back to Marta.The Los Angeles Sol forward’s next serve found its mark as Lilly streaked to the top of the box to fire a shot that bounced off the left post before finally settling into the goal to trim Umeå’s lead to 2-1.

Gaining momentum after their goal, the WPS All-Stars had a few prime opportunities to knot the score. In the 28th minute, Marta went on a breakaway down the left flank, but keeper Carola Soberg rushed out to stuff Marta’s shot. The rebound fell to Megan Rapinoe at the top of the box, but the Chicago Red Stars’ midfielder mishit the ball, which looped harmlessly out of bounds.

A minute later, the Sol’s Shannon Boxx sent a cross into the penalty area, which Saint Louis Athletica’s Tina Ellertson headed off the left goalpost.

In the 40th, Marta tied the score as she received the ball at the top of the 18-yard box from Chicago’s Cristiane and threw a few fakes to set up a left-footed shot into the far corner.

Into the second half Coach Abner Rogers decided to make all the substitutions at the start, all 7 in total.

It paid off. They switched to a 3-5-2 formation with Marta out wide on the left and Abby Wambach and Christine Sinclair upfront with Tiffeny Millbrett playing just behind the front two.

Just two minutes after halftime, the WPS All-Stars grabbed the lead as Marta, who moved to left midfield after the break, passed the ball to FC Gold Pride forward Christine Sinclair in front of the box. Sinclair knocked it into the goal to give the WPS All-Stars a 3-2 advantage.

Two minutes later Sinclair pushed the WPS All-Stars lead to 4-2 as she dribbled down the right flank, drew Soberg off her line and fired it past the Umeå goalkeeper.

In the 52nd minute, Sinclair had a chance to notch a hat trick on a breakaway, but shot directly into Soberg’s feet. Umeå then counterattacked as Jakobsson broke down the left flank, but Washington Freedom defender Cat Whitehill tracked her down to force a corner kick before she could get a shot off.

Then Marta began to work her magic in earnest. In the 69th minute, she sent a cross into the box from the left flank which landed at Sinclair’s feet. Still trying for the hat trick, Sinclair blasted a rocket off the crossbar that left the woodwork shaking.

In the 75th minute, Marta wormed her way into the left side of the penalty box and past a Umeå defender before sending a cross to Abby Wambach. The Freedom forward’s shot glanced off Soberg with the rebound caroming to Sky Blue FC’s Heather O’Reilly whose shot was cleared out of danger.

Edlund again caused trouble for the WPS All-Star defense in the 77th minute as she got free on the left and unleashed a shot that Saint Louis Athletica goalkeeper Hope Solo had to dive to her right to snag.

In the late-going, the WPS All-Stars continued to create scoring opportunities with Marta directing the attack. In the 82nd minute, Marta backheeled the ball to spring Sinclair into the penalty box on the left. Sinclair’s cross found a wide open O’Reilly, but the Sky Blue FC midfielder’s shot was kick saved by Soberg.

Lineups:

WPS All-Stars:Karina Le Blanc(Hope Solo 46), Tina Elertson(Tiffeny Milbrett 46), Amy LePeilbet (Christine Sinclair 46), Christie Rampone (C), Lori Chalupny , Megan Rapinoe (Heather O'Reilly 46), Aya Miyama ( Brittany Klein 46), Shannon Boxx, Kristine Lilly ( Cat Whitehill 46), Cristiane (Abby Wambach 46), Marta

Umea IK : Carola Soberg, Emma Berglund (Emma Kulberg 74), Johanna Frisk, Karolina Westberg(C), Frida Ostberg , Elaine Moura, Emmelie Konradsson, Emma Aberg Zingmark (Malin Mostrom 46), Madelaine Edmund, Mami Yamaguchi, Sofia Jakobsson

WPS ALL-STAR WEEKEND

WPS All-Stars v Umea IK Sun Aug 30 5pm ET Live FSC, FSN, CSN


The WPS Inaugural Season comes to a close this weekend, as the best players in WPS – per fans, media, players, and coaches vote – take on Swedish club Umeå IK in the first-ever WPS All-Star Game presented by the U.S. Coast Guard.
The match will take place at The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park in Fenton, Mo. - for the final time this year, creating a unique melting pot of players with each WPS franchise represented.

WPS All-Star Line-Up:
WPS Starting Eleven: Karina LeBlanc (LA), Tina Ellertson (STL), Amy LePeilbet (BOS), Christie Rampone (NJ), Shannon Boxx (LA), Lori Chalupny (STL), Kristine Lilly (BOS), Aya Miyama (LA), Megan Rapinoe (CHI), Marta (LA), Cristiane (CHI).
WPS Substitutes: Hope Solo (STL), Cat Whitehill (WSH), Brittany Klein (CHI), Heather O’Reilly (NJ), Tiffeny Milbrett (BAY), Christine Sinclair (BAY), Abby Wambach (WSH).

Coached by Los Angeles Sol coach Abner Rogers and Captained By NJ Sky Blue FC's Christie Rampone the All-Stars will be looking to show which league is the best. All friendly banter as Umeå IK coach Mika Sankala has said jokingly that the Swedish Damallsvenskan is still the best league in the world.

Umeå bring a talented squad to the match although they are missing some players to Euro 2009.
Chicago Red Stars Frida Ostberg and Los Angeles Sol's Johanna Frisk will suit up for Umeå. Both of them having played for Umeå last season before making the switch to WPS.

Umeå also have the talented Swiss forward Ramana Bachmann who is the second-leading goalscorer in the Damallsvenksan with 14 goals and five assists so far this season. Now that Marta is not there Bachmann has become the star of the Damallsvenskan league.

Another player to look out for is the Japanese midfielder Mami Yamaguchi. The former Florida State player and 2007 MAC Hermann Trophy winner moved to Umeå in 2008 and has quickly settled in and impressed the Swedish fans and sports journalists.











The players started arriving in Saint Louis on Friday night where both teams had dinner together. On Saturday there was a press conference and photoshoots and interviews to get done.
Saturday evening saw the first WPS Year-End Awards Gala and Banquet.

The event was hosted by Fox Soccer Channel’s Mark Rogondino and Jenn Hildreth and featured appearances by WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci, WPS Chief Operating Officer Mary Harvey and former President & GM of the Boston Breakers, Joe Cummings, who was honored for his contributions to WPS on-stage with a special WPS All-Star Game jersey in his name.

Six categories were awarded on the night.

2009 Michelle Akers Player of the Year Award
Marta (F) Los Angeles Sol

2009 PUMA Golden Boot Award
Marta (F) Los Angeles Sol

2009 Hint Water Sportswoman of the Year
Christie Rampone (D) Sky Blue FC

2009 Coast Guard Goalkeeper of the Year
Hope Solo (GK) Saint Louis Athletica

2009 MedImmune Defender of the Year
Amy LePeilbet (D) Boston Breakers

2009 AdvoCare Coach of the Year
Abner Rogers Los Angeles Sol

WPS ALL-STAR XI UPDATED

Women’s Professional Soccer announced the complete selections to its 18-player 2009 WPS All-Star Team on Friday. Five players were automatic selections as the next-highest vote-getters to replace players from the First XI who are unavailable due to the 2009 European Championships including Alex Scott (D, Boston Breakers), Kelly Smith (M, Boston Breakers), Camille Abily (M, Los Angeles Sol), Eniola Aluko (F, Saint Louis Athletica) and Sonia Bompastor (M, Washington Freedom). The changes to the First XI based on votes received (bolded; listed by position, club team and national team):

WPS All-Star Team Starters

Name	Position - Team	Country
Karina LeBlanc	GK - Los Angeles Sol	Canada
Tina Ellertson	D - Saint Louis Athletica	United States
Amy LePeilbet	D - Boston Breakers	United States
Christie Rampone	D - Sky Blue FC	United States*
Formiga	M - FC Gold Pride	Brazil*
Aya Miyama	M - Los Angeles Sol	Japan*
Shannon Boxx	M - Los Angeles Sol	United States
Lori Chalupny	M - Saint Louis Athletica	United States
Megan Rapinoe	M - Chicago Red Stars	United States*
Cristiane	F - Chicago Red Stars	Brazil*
Marta	F - Los Angeles Sol	Brazil

*next highest vote-getter to replace First XI

In addition, WPS All-Star Team Head Coach Abner Rogers and WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci named an additional seven at-large players to the roster, including:

WPS All-Star Team At-Large Selections (Commissioner/All-Star Team Head Coach)

Name	Position - Team	Country
Brittany Klein	M - Chicago Red Stars	United States
Kristine Lilly	F- Boston Breakers	United States
Heather O'Reilly	M - Sky Blue FC	United States
Christine Sinclair	F - FC Gold Pride	Canada
Hope Solo	GK - Saint Louis Athletica	United States
Abby Wambach	F - Washington Freedom	United States
Cat Whitehill	D - Washington Freedom	United States

WPS Commissioner Tonya Antonucci

“This is a fantastic roster of talented players who together make up a world class WPS All-Star Team that will put on a great show of soccer in St. Louis,I can’t think of a better way to end our terrific inaugural season than by celebrating our league’s teams and players with a weekend soccer festival right in the heart of America.”

WPS ALL-STAR STARTING XI ANNOUNCED

WPS has announced the starting XI for the first ever All-Star lineup.

The players were selected based on votes by fans (25%), media (25%), coaches (25%) and players (25%).

Los Angeles Sol coach Abner Rogers was voted for by the players.

Some of the players voted into the starting line-up will not take part in the inaugural All-Star game against Swedish side Umeå IK at The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park in Fenton, MO, on Sunday, August 30th .They will be replaced by the next-highest vote-getters at that position announced later this week. A total of 18 WPS players will be part of the WPS All-Star Team with the WPS Commissioner and the All-Star Game Head Coach selecting the other seven WPS All-Star Team members.

Lineup:

GK
Karina LeBlanc CAN
(Los Angeles Sol)

Defender Defender Defender
Alex Scott ENG Amy LePielbet USA Tina Ellertson USA
(Boston Breakers) (Boston Breakers) (Saint Louis Athletica)



Midfielder Midfielder Midfielder
Camille Abilly FRA Shannon Boxx USA Sonia Bompastor FRA
(Los Angeles Sol) (Los Angeles Sol) (Washington Freedom)

Midfielder Midfielder
Lori Chalupny USA Kelly Smith ENG
(Saint Louis Athletica) ( Boston Breakers)




Forward Forward
Eniola Aluko ENG Marta BRA
(Saint Louis Athletica) (Los Angeles Sol)



For more information see HERE

VOTE FOR YOUR WPS ALL-STARS!

WPS has opened up the voting to the public for your All-Stars team to take on the Swedish outfit Umeå IK.

Click here to vote

2009 WPS ALL-STAR GAME

Women’s Professional Soccer today announced that The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park in Fenton, MO, will be the site of the 2009 WPS All-Star Game on August 30, 2009, eight days after the WPS Championship is played on August 22. The game will be televised live nationally on Fox Soccer Channel and regionally on select Fox Sports Net affiliates, starting at 5:00 p.m. ET with a half-hour pre-game show prior to kick-off at 5:30. The league will employ a unique format for this inaugural WPS All-Star Game by selecting one WPS All-Star team of 18 players, who will face off against an international club team to be announced soon.

The WPS All-Star team will be selected by late July in the following way:

11 players Vote counting 25% fans, 25% media, 25% players, 25% coaches
7 players At-Large Selections (WPS Commissioner and All-Star Head Coach)

In a unique twist for the first year of the WPS All-Star Game, the All-Star Team head coach will be voted on collectively by the players with the announcement coming in late July.

The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park is currently the home field of the Saint Louis Athletica and has a rich soccer tradition dating back almost three decades to when it opened in 1982.

Speculation has already started about which international club will play against the All-Stars of the WPS. Marta's former club Umea (Sweden) has been strongly linked to be that club , as well as Olympique Lyon(France).

Both clubs are argubly two of the best clubs in Europe.It would be a great showpiece to stage and show off women's soccer. The only concern here at womans soccer insider that we have is that along with all the Europeans currently playing in the WPS like the Kelly Smiths', Sonia Bompastors', Camille Abillys' etc will be playing in the 2009 FIFA European Championships in Finland along with half of the Umea team and most of the Lyon team.With Sweden and France both participating in the Euros. The star players in the German top club teams will also be in Finland in August with Germany if the All-Star opposition happens to be a top German club.
Same applies to the top English clubs.

So will this big showpiece game consist of mostly american players... and Marta versus the reserves of any of these top clubs? I hope not but i can't see it being anything else.

For us at this moment it takes away ...just a little bit of the excitement we had before the date was announced.