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

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LOS ANGELES SOL 0 - 1 NJ SKY BLUE FC

Sky Blue FC did the unthinkable...they beat the Los Angeles Sol 1- 0 in Saturday's inaugural Women's Professional Soccer Championship Game at The Home Depot Center.

Heather O'Reilly's goal in the 16th minute was enough to see the New Jersey side come through in a remarkable season. You couldn't have scripted it any better.

Sky Blue, which finished fourth in the seven-team league with a 7-8-5 record and had to win two playoff games, both on the road, to reach the championship game, dominated the first half offensively, taking nine shots to one for the Sol and led 3-1 in shots on goal.

The scoring sequence began with a throw-in by Keely Dowling to Kacey White, who sent a cross to Natasha Kai. Kai redirected the ball with her head to O'Reilly, who put a shot from eight yards out past Sol goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc.

Los Angeles started the match flat and it got even worse. Defender Allison Falk was issued a red card in the 27th minute for tackling Kai from behind. The referee maybe thinking that Falk was the last man and prevented a scoring opportunity.

The Sol reeling from the shock had trouble keeping pace with Sky Blue for the rest of the half. Coach Abner Rogers subbed in defender Sharolta Nonen for winger McCall Zerboni in the 35th minute to tighten the defence but this left space in midfield.

Into the second half. Los Angeles came out with more fire in their bellies and were aggressive.Captain Shannon Boxx showed her team the way and was almost always on the attack.Unfortunately for her Sky Blue captain Christie Rampone was also leading the way for her team.Perfect innings for the coach as she snuffed out Marta on several occasions.

As the half wore on Sky Blue players looked out on their feet. The adrenalin they were running on was nearly at empty.Los Angeles were creating more and more chances.

In the 52nd minute midfielder Aya Miyama dribbled into the box, but O’Reilly made a clean, yet dangerous tackle to prevent a shot.The crowd screaming for a penalty. In the 71st minute, Boxx drilled a shot to the lower left corner, which Jenni Branam pushed out of bounds.

In the 84th minute, Marta took a dangerous shot that goalkeeper Branam parried just wide. On the ensuing corner kick, the ball fell to Boxx at the back post and her shot was bobbled by Branam. Los Angeles substitute Lyndsey Patterson tried to get a foot to the ball, but Branam was able to fall on it.

Sky Blue held on for the win in what was a truely remarkable season for them.

In our opinion a team that defeats the 3rd seed Washington Freedom, the 2nd seed Saint Louis Athletica and the 1st Seed Los Angeles Sol, teams they have never beaten before , all in a span of eight days really deserves to be champions. Well deserved!

After the match, O’Reilly was named the Most Valuable Player of the WPS Championship.

We will give it to Christie Rampone and a special mention to Shannon Boxx for a great game. She was awsome.

Well now to answer our questions we had in the preview...LA played well without Abily...in the 2nd half. Sky Blues' legs held out...just and Rampone won out over Boxx..both showing why they are Captains.

Lineups:

Los Angeles Sol – Karina LeBlanc; Stephanie Cox, Brittany Bock, Allison Falk, Manya Makoski; Aya Miyama, Aly Wagner (Katie Larkin 68’), Shannon Boxx (C) , McCall Zerboni (Sharolta Nonen 35’); Marta, Han Duan (Lyndsey Patterson 78’).

Sky Blue FC – Jenni Branam; Meghan Schnur, Christie Rampone (C), Jen Buczkowski, Keeley Dowling; Heather O’Reilly (Noelle Keselica 83’), Yael Averbuch, Francielle, Kacey White; Rosana (Collette McCallum 71’), Natasha Kai (Kerri Hanks 67’).

NJ SKY BLUE FC 1 - 0 BOSTON BREAKERS

Heather O’Reilly scored the game’s only goal in the sixth minute to give Sky Blue FC a 1-0 win over the Boston Breakers on Saturday afternoon at Yurcak Field in Piscataway, N.J.

O'Reilly scored directly of a corner kick. The Assistant referee ruling the whole ball crossed over the line even though Boston GK Ali Lipsher got a hand to it.

Boston (5-5-3, 18 points), which played for the first time in 10 days, came into the match having won back-to-back matches and were unbeaten in their last three. The loss keeps the Breakers in second place for the moment pending tomorrow’s matches. Boston has a one-point edge over third-place Saint Louis, and a two-point lead over fourth-place Washington. Both teams are in action tomorrow. Sky Blue FC (4-6-3, 15 points) moves to fifth place with their second win in as many matches over the Breakers this season – both snapping three-match unbeaten runs.

Boston nearly answered O'Reilly's fortuitous corner kick in the 20th minute, but Christine Latham's header off service from Kelly Smith barely missed the right post.

Sky Blue FC had the better chances in the later stages of the opening half. In the 32nd minute, Kacey White played a nice through ball to Rosana but Lipsher came off her line well to stuff the Brazilian's chance. Three minutes later, Collette McCallum curled a 22-yard left-footed shot over Lipsher but off the front of the crossbar.

In the 40th minute, McCallum ran onto a cross from White but her close-range effort was deflected by Nancy Augustyniak-Goffi and then touched wide by Lipsher.

In the second half, the Breakers came up with two good chances back-to-back in the 73rd minute. Smith fed Amy Rodriguez in the box, but Jenni Branam was there to make a diving stop on her shot from 12 yards out. Moments later, Smith buzzed a shot past the right post from outside the box.

Sky Blue FC had a couple of opportunities of its own four minutes later. Lipsher came up big to stuff White and then held on to a blast from distance by McCallum.

The last good chance of the game went to Boston as substitute Jenny Nobis ran onto a long ball behind the Sky Blue FC backs and cut past a defender in the box, but her shot was knocked away by a diving Branam.

Sky Blue FC held a 13-12 advantage in shots and Branam was stellar in goal with five saves to register her fourth shutout of the season.

These two teams will do battle again, this time in Boston, on Sunday, July 12 at 6pm ET. The game will be televised live on Fox Soccer Channel and webcast at womensprosoccer.com.


Sky Blue FC Head Coach Kelly Lindsey:

"I thought we did much better today playing with the lead than we have in the past. We possessed the ball, kept Boston chasing, and found the corners. We didn't force anything at goal - overall I think that we managed the lead today much better than we did a few weeks ago."

Boston Breakers Head Coach Tony DiCicco:

"It's always hard when you have to chase the game. Recently we've been doing a good job of getting the first goal, but today that wasn't the case - Sky Blue FC did well today. We had our share of chances and we didn't put them away. Jenni Branam made a few good saves; it's unfortunate we didn't fare better because I think we've been playing pretty well of late."


Line-ups:

SKY BLUE FC: Jenni Branam; Keeley Dowling, Anita Asante, Christie Rampone, Megan Schnur; Kelly Parker (Julianne Sitch, 58th minute), Yael Averbuch (Jen Buczkowski, 62nd minute), Rosana (Kerri Hanks, 68th minute), Collette McCallum; Kacey White, Heather O'Reilly.

BOSTON: Ali Lipsher; Alex Scott, Amy LePeilbet, Nancy Augustyniak-Goffi, Heather Mitts (Kasey Moore, 46th minute); Christine Latham (Maggie Tomecka, 79th minute), Sophia Mundy (Jennie Nobis, 67th minute), Angela Hucles, Kristine Lilly; Kelly Smith, Amy Rodriguez.

WPS PREVIEW WEEK 4

haha love this pic!


CHICAGO RED STARS v. NJ/NY SKY BLUE FC Sun 19th April 6pm ET Live on FSC, matchtracker

Televised game is from Toyota Park in Illinois. Chicago's first home game. They are the last team in the WPS to have their opening home match and they are expecting nearly 10,000 to attend.
The Red Stars are still unbeaten with great defensive displays against St Louis Athletica which they won and Washington Freedom where they were down to 10 men for the last 30 minutes of the match holding on for a 1-1 draw. With the defenders on top of their game including Scotland's Ifeoma Dieke and GK Caroline Jonsson look for another strong match from them although left-back Captain Frida Ostberg will be suspended. It's the offence that needs to be seen more. Although Lindsey Tarpley has scored 2 goals already look for the midfielders including Carli Lloyd to show more in front of their home fans. Karen Carney has said on twitter that her parents have flown over for the match, so expect her to have a blinder.Brazil star Cristiane should start from the off.
Sky Blue FC having battled back to a draw in their last match should have Captain Christie Rampone recovered from a slight hamstring strain. Look for Heather O'Reilly to once again put in a great performance and continue her quest for goals.This game will be a battle in midfield with both teams having talented players in there and the first goal will be key. Australian striker Sarah Walsh looking to have a good game also as she linked up well with O'Reilly and both said they enjoy playing together as they are on the same page on the pitch.
My prediction a score draw(both teams looking to start their seasons really).

SKY BLUE FC 1 - 1 FC GOLD PRIDE

It took a while but Sky Blue FC finally found the back of the net for the franchise’s first goal ever. Local girl Heather O’Reilly(pictured above bottom) did the honors connecting in the later stages of the second half to help Sky Blue FC salvage a 1-1 draw with FC Gold Pride at TD Bank Ballpark.
Sky Blue FC didn’t lack quality chances in the match with the first coming in the 17th minute. Collette McCallum drove in a short corner kick that was met by the head of Keeley Dowling but her attempt bounded off the top of the bar and over the goal.

FC Gold Pride’s goal in the 33rd minute came thanks a couple of fortunate deflections. A short corner kick from Tiffany Weimer deflected back to defender Carrie Dew(pictured above top), who hit a shot from the top of the box that took a deflection into the lower left corner of the goal past Sky Blue FC keeper Karen Bardsley.Four minutes after the opening goal, the visitors threatened again but Bardsley did well to kick away a shot from Christine Sinclair as the Canadian international broke into the box.

Sky Blue FC had the better of the play in the second half culminating with O’Reilly’s goal. Natasha Kai and FC Gold Pride keeper Nicole Barnhart were involved in a big collision in the box but the loose ball was cleared out. One minute later, Kai laced a shot from outside the box that just deflected wide right.In the 62nd minute, Sarah Walsh laid off a nice pass for O’Reilly but Barnhart was on point with a diving save at the near post.
Sarah Walsh set up the play for O’Reilly, who was serving as the team captain in the absence of injured defender Christie Rampone. O’Reilly burst into the box and rolled a right-footed shot into the lower left of the goal from 10 yards out.

FC Gold Pride's best chance of the second half came in the 86th minute when Eriko Arakawa hooked a shot just over the bar from outside the top of the box.

LINEUPS:

SKY BLUE FC: Karen Bardsley, Anita Asante, Meghan Schnur, Keeley Dowling, Julianne Sitch, Jen Buczkowski, Kelly Parker, Heather O’Reilly-Captain, Collette McCallum (Yael Averbuch 66’), Natasha Kai, Sarah Walsh (Kacey White 88’)
Head Coach: Ian Sawyers

FC GOLD PRIDE: Nicole Barnhart, Rachel Buehler, Leigh Ann Robinson, Kristen Graczyk (Kandace Wilson 82’), Carrie Dew, Tina DiMartino (Brandi Chastain 72’), Leslie Osborne, Formiga, Tiffany Weimer (Tiffany Milbrett 75’), Christine Sinclair, Eriko Arakawa
Head Coach: Albertin Montoya