Match Report: Freedom 4, FC Gold Pride 3

SANTA CLARA, Calif. – It was never a matter of if, it was always a matter of when.

After failing to connect on her first 16 shots over the previous three Women’s Professional Soccer games, Abby Wambach finally did what everyone expected her to do on Sunday – score a goal.

But Wambach didn’t stop there. After heading in the game’s first goal on a free kick from Cat Whitehill, Wambach put the period on the match by heading in another Whitehill free kick in stoppage time to give the Freedom its first WPS win, 4-3 over FC Gold Pride in Santa Clara, Calif.

“Everyone can say there’s a monkey on my back, I do want to score goals for my team but most importantly I want to win games,” said Wambach. “There are still some things to work on – defensively we had a few break downs.  We put some goals in the back of the net today and that’s a big reason why we came out on top today.”

Heading into the half tied up at 1-1, Washington (1-2-1) seemed to put the game away early in the second half as Wambach assisted Lori Lindsey to put the Freedom up 2-1, after which Lindsey assisted Allie Long to increase the lead to 3-1.

FC Gold Pride (1-2-1) answered with goals from Tiffany Weimer and Christine Sinclair to knot things up at 3-3 in the 83rd minute before Wambach’s second goal put the end to the comeback bid.

“Well, I’d rather win in un-dramatic fashion but we are glad that we got the result,” said Freedom Head Coach Jim Gabarra. “We’ve been playing well the first couple weeks of the season but we haven’t got any bounces and we’ve given up some tough goals and not put our chances away so it was nice to do so today.  Even though it was the last minute, I thought both teams played well attacking-wise but we are very happy to get the first win.”

Wambach came into the match with the most shots and shots on goal of anyone in WPS, but had failed to score a goal. Her troubles seemed to mirror the entire Washington offense as the Freedom had scored two goals while allowing six on the way to a 0-2-1 record and a spot at the bottom of the WPS standings. The win now vaults the Freedom into a tie for fourth with FC Gold Pride.

“That’s what we knew we were getting, it was nice for her to get a goal no matter how it was today and get her first goal of the season,” Gabarra said. “I think you see when she got one that she’s a lot more relaxed. Cat played a great ball to her and that is not something that is new to either of them. It is certainly very difficult to defend but I thought it was great.  I’m more pleased with her (Wambach’s) assist because that’s the space we need her to get into.”

One of the most encouraging signs for the Freedom aside from the offense has to be the ability of the team to win despite missing Sonia Bompastor, one of the team’s most consistent players through the first three games. Bompastor was called up to play with the French national team this week, causing her to miss the contest.

Her absence created one of several lineup changes for the Freedom, which had Kati Jo Spisak make her debut in goal and saw Kristin DeDycker, Jill Gilbeau and Rebecca Moros all make their first WPS starts.

Washington will look to follow up this performance next Sunday when the Freedom host Saint Louis Athletica at 6 p.m. at the Maryland SoccerPlex. Sunday’s game will be the second of three straight Fox Soccer Channel appearances for the Freedom. Sunday’s game will also carry extra meaning as the team will honor WUSA standouts Mia Hamm and Siri Mullinix by inducting the two into the Hall of Freedom at halftime.

Freedom 4, FC Gold Pride 3
April 26 // Santa Clara, Calif.

Scoring: 1. WSH, Abby Wambach, 1 (Cat Whitehill, 1) 18. 2. FCGP, Tiffeny Milbrett, 2 (Tiffany Weimer, 1) 30. 3. WSH, Lori Lindsey, 2 (Wambach, 1) 51. 4. WSH, Allie Long, 1 (Lindsey, 1) 70. 5. FCGP, Weimer, 1 (Kandace Wilson, 2) 75. 6. FCGP, Christine Sinclair, 1 (Rachel Buehler, 1) 83. 7. WSH, Wambach 2 (Whitehill, 2) 90.
Scoring by Period:
WSH                      1   3 – 4
FCGP                     1   2 – 3
Shots: WSH 9, FCGP 13; Shots on Goal: WSH 5, FCGP 7; Saves: Kati Jo Spisak (WSH) 4, Nicole Barnhart (FCGP) 1; Corners: WSH 1, FCGP 1; Fouls: WSH 3, FCGP 5.
Lineups: WSH: Spisak; Gilbeau, Whitehill, Sauerbrunn, Singer; DeDycker (De Vanna, 62), Lindsey, Sawa, Long, Wambach, Moros (Janss, 76). FCGP: Barnhart; Wilson, Graczyk, Buehler, Robinson (Massengale, 78); Weimer, Yokers (Sinclair, 60), DiMartino, Osborne, Milbrett, Arakawa.
Referee: Sandra Sarafini
Referee’s Assistants: Mike Kampmeinert; Maurizio Laudani
4th Official: Vicente Cortes
Attendance: 3,321

Courtesy of: Washington Freedom

Indianapolis vies for WPS franchise

INDIANAPOLIS, IN, April 24, 2009 —  Indianapolis could be ready to field a Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) team in 2011 with FC Indiana’s Shek Borkowski, who is leading the drive, saying the possibility of bringing a Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) team to Indianapolis is perhaps “50-50.”
To hear Borkowski talk about it, Indianapolis has everything in place for the local W-League franchise, FC Indiana, to move up to WPS as its expansion franchise. Indianapolis, he says, meets two of three important criteria — an active ownership group and an established fan base. What it needs is soccer stadium.
According to Borkowski, his group Indiana Women’s Sports Group (IWSG) studied stadium designs and came to the conclusion that a facility with a capacity of around 6,000-8,000 was needed for the franchise to be profitable.
“We are investigating options,” said Borkowski. “You can’t play in a stadium you don’t own. You need the revenues. The only way to get it is with ancillary revenues such as parking, signage, food and beverages.”
The IWSG, could sign a letter of intent before January 2010.
“We are actively working on bringing WPS to Indianapolis,” Borkowski recently told the WASK radio station. “It could be a fantastic market for WPS.”
“The challenge is that it’s still a difficult business model. The FC Indiana ownership group is certainly interested in being owners of a WPS franchise and we are meeting with potential partners. We have the infrastructure to run the franchise, and we have the fans.”

Courtesy of: FC Indiana

Late Milbrett Goal Denies Point for Breakers in Season Opener

Santa Clara, Calif. (April 6, 2009) – Tiffany Milbrett came off the bench to spoil the Boston Breakers comeback with a goal in the 90th minute to lift FC Gold Pride to a 2-1 victory over the Breakers in the first-ever match for both teams in Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) action Sunday evening in front of 6,459 fans at Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

Milbrett’s winner for FCGP (1-0) came against the run of play as the Breakers (0-1) had taken the momentum following a Kelly Smith equalizer in the 79th minute. Second-half substitute Stacy Bishop dribbled into the box and poked the ball thru to Smith in front of goal. Smith then touched the ball and rounded FCGP goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart, settled and then blasted the ball into the top of the net.

Smith had a great chance for a second equalizer in the final minute of stoppage time when her 22-yard left-footed effort beat Barnhart but smacked the crossbar and went out of play.

Eriko Arakawa opened the scoring for the home team with a 15th-minute glancing header at the near post after some good build up and a Tiffany Weimer cross from the right edge of the penalty area.

Milbrett’s winner came after another second-half sub, Kandace Wilson, crossed and forced Boston goalkeeper Kristin Luckenbill to punch ball away. The ball fell right to Millbrett in front of area, however, as she settled and blasted ball in center of goal before Luckenbill and the Breakers defense could block the ball off the line.

“We are disappointed, but I thought we had some good performances and some average ones out there,” said Breakers head coach Tony DiCicco.  “We just need to get better consistency. It was an exciting game and I think it would have been a fair result as a tie, but they took their chances and we didn’t.

“I thought Kelly Smith was the class player out on the field for us today.”

The Breakers travel back to Boston for the team’s home opener on Saturday against Saint Louis Athletica at 7 p.m. at Harvard Stadium. Single-game tickets for all games, as well as group and season tickets are now on sale by calling 781-251-2100. For online orders, package details and a seating chart, visit www.bostonbreakers.com.

Arakawa got the counter-attack going for the first goal by picking up a loose ball in Boston’s attacking third and giving to Formiga, who ran through midfield before dishing to Christine Sinclair on the left side.  The Canadian international then centered back to Arakawa, who left it back to Carrie Dew, who then distributed on the flank to Weimer for the cross to Arakawa.

The Breakers settled after the goal and went on the attack – with Smith and Amy Rodriguez being a constant attacking threat throughout the rest of the match.  Rodriguez had her first of two opening-half chances on goal when she stole a ball in the back after the Brazilian Erika misplayed the ball and had a clear path to goal in the 18th minute – only to have Barnhart come out and get the stop.

Smith then set up a pair of chances for Boston with a couple of surgical through balls. First in the 32nd minute, from about 10 yards into her own defensive half, Smith sent a long pass on the ground into the path of Christine Latham.  Latham took the ball in the box and centered for Rodriguez, but the ball was cleared away before she could get a touch.

Three minutes later, again starting from midfield, Smith dribbled into space and placed the ball between two defenders for Rodriguez, who then had a left-footed effort saved by the leg of Barnhart in front of goal.

Formiga nearly added to the FCGP lead after she forced a leaping save from Luckenbill in the 62nd minute after stealing the ball just outside the box.

Boston’s attack picked up steam shortly thereafter. In the 68th minute, Kristine Lilly passed the ball along the left touchline for substitute Kelly Schmedes, who then sent a cross into the center of the penalty area for Rodriguez, but FCGP defender Rachel Buehler was there to close in and break the opportunity up.

Rodriguez was at it again in the 77th minute, this time providing the service herself from the right side of the area to Lilly at the far post, but the cross was just a little too high.

The Breakers got it right in the 79th minute with Smith’s tally, and then had a number of chances to add a second before and after Milbrett’s winner. The best perhaps in the 88th minute when Smith scooped up a clever ball over the top of the FCGP defense for Schmedes, who then touched the ball over the keeper, but also just over the crossbar.

Box Score

April 05, 2009 – Boston Breakers vs. FC Gold Pride

GOALS 1 2 Total

Boston 0 1 1

FC Gold Pride 1 1 2

SCORING SUMMARY

Minute Team Goal

15’ FC Gold Pride Eriko Arakawa (Tiffany Weimer)

79’ Boston Kelly Smith (Stacey Bishop)

90’ FC Gold Pride Tiffany Milbrett (UA)

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY

None

LINEUPS

FC Gold Pride: Nicole Barnhart, Rachel Buehler, Erika, Carrie Dew, Formiga, Leslie Osborne (Brandi Chastain, 65′), Leigh Ann Robinson, Kristen Graczyk, Christine Sinclair (Tiffany Milbrett, 69′), Eriko Arakawa (Kandace Wilson, 83′), Tiffany Weimer

Boston Breakers: Kristin Luckenbill, Alex Scott, Nancy Augustyniak-Goffi, Amy LePeilbet, Heather Mitts, Kasey Moore (Sue Weber, 81′), Kristine Lilly, Angela Hucles (Stacy Bishop, 72′), Kelly Smith, Christine Latham (Kelly Schmedes, 58′), Amy Rodriguez

ATTENDANCE: 6,459

Courtesy of: Boston Breakers

CHASTAIN AND MILBRETT SECURE SPOTS ON FC GOLD PRIDE 18-PLAYER REGULAR SEASON ROSTER

SANTA CLARA, CA (March 23, 2009)- FC Gold Pride head coach Albertin Montoya confirmed on Sunday that US Soccer icon Brandi Chastain and one of the United States all-time top goal scorers, Tiffeny Milbrett would both occupy roster spots when the regular season kicks off in less than two weeks.

Chastain and Milbrett served as trailblazers for women’s soccer as part of the golden decade of the US Women’s National team during the 90’s, one of the most dominant teams the sport has seen to date.

The Bay Area native, Chastain is best known for elevating the profile of women’s soccer with her game winning penalty kick in the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup that defeated China and ignited an explosive soccer following and increased participation in the sport. Chastain was selected by the Pride in the seventh round (45^th overall) in the WPS Draft.

Milbrett, one of the most dangerous forwards the US has ever fielded, scored 100 goals in international competition during her illustrious career that saw her earn 204 caps. She joined the Pride in March as a non-roster invitee, playing her way onto the roster during training camp.

In addition to penciling in women’s soccer veterans Chastain and Milbrett, FC Gold Pride Head Coach Albertin Montoya made some roster moves on Sunday afternoon, reducing the roster size in preparation for the season. FC Gold Pride waived WPS General Draft picks Tracy Hamm and Jill Oakes and released non-roster invitees Stacy Alberico and Caitlin Fisher.

The Pride will be required to make adjustments to the roster in order to meet the league requirements of 18 rostered players and up to four developmental players which must be announced on or before Wednesday, March 25.

Courtesy of: FC Gold Pride

Watsonville waitress trying to earn spot on FC Gold Pride soccer roster

 

By Elliott Almond

Mercury News

Instead of taking breakfast orders last Sunday, the waitress reclined in a booth at Norma’s Family Restaurant in downtown Watsonville and let the customers come to her.

“I’m praying for you,” one of her regulars said. “And I don’t go to church too often.”

Many in the Pajaro Valley are praying that Priscilla Meza can trade serving platters at Norma’s for a career with FC Gold Pride, one of seven teams in the new Women’s Professional Soccer league that launches next month.

The 22-year-old waitress has become a local inspiration, an unlikely prospect in an upper-crust sport played on the groomed fields of suburbia.

Meza wasn’t involved with the elite youth Olympic Development Program. Her college experience consists of one season at Cabrillo College. She has played on local rec teams here and there while living on her own since 16 because both parents have been in and out of prison much of her life.

Now Meza will learn Thursday if she is one of the 10 players who survived the Gold Pride’s first cuts. The final roster — 22 players, including four on the developmental squad — will be determined by March 25.

“Three more days,” Meza said Sunday, referring to the time left to show she belongs on a team of famous Olympians, World Cup winners and NCAA stars. (Read More)

WPS Preseason Schedule

Here is a preliminary preseason game schedule for the WPS. I’m assuming Chicago and   St. Louis will add more preseason games.

Los Angeles Sol

March 10 Sol vs USC @ Home Depot Center

March 14 Sol vs FC Gold Pride @ Home Depot Center (free to the public)

March 17 Sol vs FC Gold Pride @ Home Depot Center (closed to public)

March 21 Sol vs TBA @ Home Depot Center

 

FC Gold Pride

TBA              FC Gold Pride vs CAL

TBA              FC Gold Pride vs Sacramento Storm (WPSL)

March 14   Sol vs FC Gold Pride @ Home Depot Center (free to the public)

March 17   Sol vs FC Gold Pride @ Home Depot Center (closed doors)

 

Washington Freedom

March 14    Freedom vs Sky Blue FC @ Maryland SoccerPlex

March 22    Freedom vs UNC @ Legion Stadium, Wilmington, N.C.

 

Sky Blue FC

March 14    Freedom vs Sky Blue FC @ Maryland SoccerPlex

March 20    Sky Blue FC vs UNC @ Greensboro, NC

 

Boston Breakers

March 18    Boston Breakers vs Chicago Red Stars in Florida

TBA           Boston Breakers vs Connecticut

TBA           Boston Breakers vs Boston College

 

 Chicago Red Stars

March 18    Boston Breakers vs Chicago Red Stars in Florida

 

Saint Louis Athletica

TBA          Athletica vs Notre Dame

Other important dates:

February 23 – Team deadlines to announce pre-season schedules and exhibitions


February 24 – WPS Team Uniform unveiling in Manhattan (Home & Away)


March 2 – Training camps open; players report


March 2 – Deadline for pre-season rosters to be announced 


March 12 – U.S. Women’s National Team and other int’l players report to camp following Algarve & Cyprus Cups


March 13 – Teams must announce roster cut-downs to 24 players


March 19 – 10-day countdown to WPS Inaugural Match


March 25 – Teams must announce final Opening Day rosters (18 players + optional 4 developmental players)


March 29 – WPS Inaugural Match


April 4-5 – WPS Kick-Off Week


FC Gold Pride Signs Brazilian Soccer Star Formiga

Santa Clara, CA- January 4, 2009- FC Gold Pride, the Bay Area franchise of Women’s Professional Soccer announced today the signing of Brazilian Soccer standout Formiga, to a one-year contract.  FC Gold Pride selected Formiga as the first overall draft pick at the WPS International Draft. 

“With Formiga, we have signed the best midfielder in the world,” said FC Gold Pride Head Coach Albertin Montoya.  ” She holds teams together.  I spoke to several coaches from around the world before selecting her in the WPS international draft.  She is consistently regarded around the world as the engine of her team.  She embodies the heart and soul of the Brazilian National team and we are looking forward to having her bring her talent and passion to FC Gold Pride.”

The 30 year old native of Sao Paulo, Brazil has been a constant presence on the Brazilian national team for 15 years, representing her country in four World Cup competitions (1995, 1999, 2003, 2007) and four Olympic tournaments (1996, 2000, 2004, 2008). The talented midfielder has been a leader and a catalyst for the marked rise of women’s soccer in Brazil.  She has twice helped Brazil reach the Olympic gold medal match (2004, 2008) and twice captured the Pan American Games Championship (2003, 2007), lifting her team to victory in 2003 by scoring the game-winning goal in the match.  

Formiga, who currently resides in Brazil, will join her FC Gold Pride teammates in the Bay Area when the team opens training camp on March 1.

Fans won’t want to miss a minute of the action as the Pride kicks off the inaugural WPS season at Buck Shaw Stadium at Santa Clara University on Sunday, April 5.

Courtesy of: FC Gold Pride