Los Angeles Sol v NJ Sky Blue FC Highlights &Trophy Presentation

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WPS CHAMPIONSHIP

Los Angeles Sol v NJ Sky Blue FC Sat Aug 22nd 4pm ET Live on FSN and CSN


Well this is it. The Inaugural season of Women's Professional Soccer comes to a close with the championship game between Los Angeles Sol and NJ Sky Blue FC at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

We are back to where it all started.72 matches down, where the regular season champions, the no1 seeds Los Angeles look to cement themselves a place in history as the inaugural champions against the gritty, New Jersey team who stumbled into the playoffs, then bulldozed through to the Final with grit and determination by upsetting the no2 and no3 seeded teams.

Captains Shannon Boxx and Christie Rampone are very good friends from being in the US National team but all that is put aside as they battle for the title. Both have endured vastly different routes to this moment.

Sky Blue FC – the number four seed – has the unenviable task of playing its third playoff game on the road in eight days, the New Jersey side is also on a roll, playing some of its best soccer of the season. After highly inspirational victories over the Washington Freedom and Saint Louis Athletica in the first two rounds of the playoffs, Sky Blue FC will be hoping that momentum and adrenaline will be key factors to help the team bring home the title.

Los Angeles Sol wrapped up the top seed in the playoffs and the right to host the championship match weeks ago. Understandably, with the regular season title secured, Los Angeles closed the season with some subpar results winning just once in its final four games. The last match for the Sol was two weekends ago – a 2-1 road victory over the Boston Breakers on a penalty kick by Shannon Boxx in stoppage time.

In addition to the lengthy time off, the Sol will also have to deal with the absence of an important player in Camille Abily, who is with the France National Team for the UEFA Women’s Euro Championship. Abily was second in WPS with eight goals in the regular season.
Sky Blue FC will be missing key defender Anita Asante and reserve goalkeeper Karen Bardsley – the two are with England for the Euros – but the team has done well defensively in their absence.

So roll on the Final. How will Los Angeles cope without the calm play in midfield of Abily, how much longer can the legs of the Sky Blue players hold up, which captain is going to be the first ever person to hold aloft that championship trophy?

Boston Breakers v Los Angeles Sol Highlights

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BOSTON BREAKERS 1 - 2 LOS ANGELES SOL

The Boston Breakers’ hopes of making the playoffs ended in a 2-1 loss to the Los Angeles Sol on Sunday night at Harvard Stadium in Cambridge, Mass.

Needing a win to advance to the playoffs the loss ends Boston’s season, as they finish in fifth place, one point behind Sky Blue FC who earns the fourth and final playoff spot. The Sol (12-3-5, 41 points), the number one seed in the playoffs, will await to host the 2009 WPS Championship on August 22.

Los Angeles started off the stronger. In the 3rd minute Chinese international Han Duan took the ball down the right side, and cut around defender Alex Scott, goalkeeper Kristin Luckenbill came out to grab the ball before she could get her shot off. Aya Miyama had an opportunity when Aly Wagner bent a ball right in front of the net for her to connect on, but she hit it wide.

The Breakers opened the scoring in the 17th minute when Kristine Lilly send a long ball from the left side ahead of Kelly Smith, who ran past defenders and hit a low shot past Sol goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc into the left corner. Smith ends her season as the Breakers leading scorer with six goals.

Boston continued to be on the offensive after its goal, and had chances to add to its lead towards the end of the half. In the 31st minute, Smith, this time sent a ball to Lilly, but LeBlanc picked it up before she was able to catch it. In the 34th minute, Heather Mitts intercepted a ball, changing the direction of play and sending a cross into the box, but nobody was able to connect on it for a shot.

Into the 2nd half and Los Angeles started to connect with their passes and put some pressure on the Breakers who were finding it difficult to create the same chances like they did in the 1st half.French Midfielder Camille Abilly came on and made an immediate impact. This was to be her last game as she returns to France for Euro 2009 preparations.

It paid off as the tying goal was scored in the 59th minute, when Marta received a long ball over the Breakers defense from Wagner, and lifted it over goalkeeper Luckenbill who had hesitated in coming out, into the bottom left corner of the net. It was Marta’s league-leading 10th goal of the year.

After Marta’s equalizer, the Breakers pressed to get the lead back. Scott sent the ball through to Lilly in the 56th minute toward the left side of goal, but her shot went right into LeBlanc’s gloves.Smith and second-half substitute Amy Rodriguez had the best chances to regain the lead. Smith shot a free kick in the 70th minute that just grazed the crossbar. Rodriguez’ fellow second-half sub Christine Latham fought for the ball on the end line and slide tackled the ball for Rodriguez at the top of the area, but the forward’s shot went high in the 78th minute.

In stoppage time, Marta drew a foul in the penalty area, and Shannon Boxx sealed Boston’s fate with a penalty kick goal to the upper right corner of the net.

Boston Breakers Head Coach TonY DiCicco

“I’m very proud of our team, but we just came short,It was a very frustrating season. During the last home game we dominated Sky Blue FC, who’s in the playoffs ahead of us. This game here I thought that we had some pretty good looks to get the second goal, but we didn’t connect. When you keep a team like L.A. in the game, they did what they needed to do in the second half.”


Lineups
BOSTON: Kristin Luckenbill; Alex Scott, Amy LePeilbet, Candace Chapman (Amy Rodriguez, 74th minute), Heather Mitts; Maggie Tomecka, Kristine Lilly, Angela Hucles, Mary-Frances Monroe (Kelly Schmedes, 64th minute), Fabiana (Christine Latham, 68th minute); Kelly Smith.


LOS ANGELES: Karina LeBlanc; Keri Sanchez (Camille Abily, 46th minute), Allison Falk, Brittany Bock, Stephanie Cox; Shannon Boxx, Aya Miyama, Manya Makoski, Aly Wagner; Han Duan (McCall Zerboni, 87th minute), Marta.

LA Sol v Chicago Red Stars Highlights

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LOS ANGELES SOL 4 - 0 CHICAGO RED STARS

Marta scored 2 goals to take her total for the season to a league joint leading 8 against the hapless Chicago Red Stars in a 4- nil win at the Home Depot Center early Saturday morning.

The Los Angeles Sol who looked fresh despite playing their 3rd game in 7 days opened the scoring on 15 minutes when Captain Shannon Boxx received a through ball from winger McCall Zerboni making her 1st start in place of Aly Wagner, at the top of the penalty box. Beating the offside trap Boxx shot the ball to the farside to the right of GK Caroline Jonsson. In off the post. This sparked a Michael Jackson celebration dance in the centre-circle by the whole team. Chicago in shock. It got worse. Japanese international Aya Miyama found an inform Camille Abily with a pass at the top of the box, with composure she shot past Jonsson 2 - nil and Abily's 8th goal of the season.

The Red Stars reeling tried to get into the game. Coach Emma Hayes brung on substitute Cristiane on 31mins to replace defender Nikki Krizysik. The Red Stars switched to a 3-4-3 formation. It looked like it paid off when Lindsey Tarpley slamed the ball into the back of the net from a great pass by Cristiane in the 33rd minute. However the goal was ruled out for a close offside.

The Sol closed out the 1st half on a high as they had numerous chances to extend their league.

Into the 2nd half and Chicago started brightly but again on the 47th minute a Tarpley goal was ruled offside. This time it was a more clear offside. The Red Stars were trying to make a game of it by attacking but everytime they tried to get momentum the Sol midfield and defence would not let them get into any sort of rythem.

The game was over when Marta received a through ball by Miyama , past the defence and a deft shot by Marta past Jonsson on inthe 62nd minute to make it 3-nil. Chicago were out. Marta then scored her 2nd in stoppage time 90th minute to make it 4-o after a ball into the box by substitute Aly Wagner from the right.

Chicago players looked stunned. In all honesty it could have been 5 or 6 if not for a couple of good saves by Jonsson. Back to the drawing board.

Los Angeles took another step to qualifying for the playoffs and took their unbeaten run to 10 games. Chicago with the loss remains last in the WPS standings with the next game against Washington Freedom on Wednesday night vital.

Abner Rogers
"It was a big challenge today as it was our third game in seven days, but I thought we played very well. Obviously, the result speaks for itself. The number of opportunities that we created was very satisfying."

McCall Zerboni
"The team was very supportive of me starting today. The team has really good chemistry and they make it very easy for me to contribute on the field. I wouldn't be doing what I am without them."

"[The offsides] always hurt you," Red Stars team captain Lindsay Tarpley said. "But, you know, hopefully it's a matter of time -- just keep plugging away and keep our heads up. And hopefully we'll finish one next time and it'll count."

Lineups
Los Angeles Sol: Karina LeBlanc; Stephanie Cox, Allison Falk(57: Brittany Bock), Marina Franko, Katie Larkin, McCall Zerboni (72: Aly Wagner), Shannon Boxx (C), Camille Abily (80: Maya Makoski), Aya Miyama, Han Duan, Marta

Chicago Red Stars: Caroline Jonsson; Natalie Spilger, Frida Ostberg, Nikki Krzysik (31: Cristiane Silva), Jill Oakes, Brittany Klein (58: Vandenbugh), Megan Rapinoe, Chioma Igwe (77: Danesha Adams), Karen Carney, Lindsay Tarpley (C), Carli Lloyd