Sol close out Freedom series with a 1-0 win in D.C.

Sunday, 05 July 09, 11:05 PM · Comments(0)

The Washington Freedom hosted the LA Sol on July 5th at the Maryland SoccerPlex. This was the third and final meeting of the season between them, which ended in a 1-0 win for Sol. While the Freedom dominated the first half, the Sol found a way to win it on a late second-half goal by Marta in stoppage time.

The first big chance for Freedom was in the 14th minute when Homare Sawa intercepted a Sol pass in the Sol's defensive half which Abby Wambach took. She dribbled the ball past a defender and took a great left-footed shot that forced Karina LeBlanc to dive and deflect the ball out for a corner kick.

In the 19th minute, Shannon Boxx stole the ball from a Freedom defender near the left corner and crossed the ball to the far post where McCall Zerboni found it. Her header was cleared off the line by defender Becky Sauerbrunn.

In the 26th minute, Washington had another great chance. Cat Whitehill took a free kick and her shot cracked the far post.

In the 29th, Sonia Bompastor took a corner kick. Sawa got her head on it, but it went just over the crossbar.

Just 3 minutes into the second half, Wambach and Christie Shaner both went down hard for a 50/50 ball in the box. Shaner got the worst of it, and left the field on a stretcher with what seems to be a broken fibula and tibia. Us Sol fans certainly wish her the best.

After a long break (around 1o minutes) from the match both teams got back into action. In the 60th minute, Manya Makoski, who came in for Shaner, brought the ball up the field, and passed it out to the wing for Zerboni. She crossed it to the near post where Camille Abily got a touch on it, turned, and shot the ball just wide.

In the 88th minute, Allie Long had a chance at finding the back of the net when Lori Lindsey sent a long ball inside the small box. Long's volley went over the bar.

Aya Miyama found Marta outside the box in the 91st minute. Marta dribbled it in and got away from 3 defenders. She blasted a left-footed shot into the goal.

Marta now stands alone as the league's leading scorer with 9 goals.

The win gets the Sol 3 more points for a total of 37. Freedom stays at fourth with 16.

The LA Sol's next match against St. Louis Athletica will be the last home game at the HDC in Carson, CA. A win for LA will make them the 2009 WPS Season Champions and guarantee them a spot in the Final, which they will host. The match is set to kick off at 12 noon.

Sol close out Freedom series with a 1-0 win in D.C.

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