reason second half was more LA play was just from the fact that Sky blue sat back a little and rested and didn't try to go forward as much...risky but tired legs wil do that to you... pretty much domination today for Sky Blue...thank you Ian for acting the eway you did to get let go adn thank you kelly for resigning anda not supporting your girls....Yea Rampone..we wouold have never been here without rampone adnt he changes she made... after her changes we began to dominate midfield and forwards receive much better balls.....
SkyBlue Rocks....Congratulations to the team (and to our family's favorite player, Kelly Parker)!! You are the Champions!!!!
Congratulations Sky NRWO Blue! ( Given the 'runup' to the game, I'd wager that they would've wanted the orange kits, even if they were offered blue). I think Seitz just pulled that card too quickly and then couldn't take it back. I assume it was denying an obvious goal scoring opportunity because Kai was past all three defenders when she made her break. The red card changed the game. Sol impressed me tremendously in the second half - it did not look like they had only 10.
While the red card surely impacted the game, it wasn't like LA was dominating the game or anything at that point. They showed a real lack of urgency for most of the game. It was like they just assumed that eventually they would score and they didn't have to get all worried about it. They also didn't really have much in the way of offensive substitutions to bring in off the bench. Not sure that Zerboni should have been the one to come off so early. In truth, I thought maybe they should have stayed with a three back once the red card came. They were already down a goal and they had to know NJ would get tired the last 20mins of the game SkyBlue kept their shape very well on defense. And they had some rather nice passing and possession at points during the game. Well won game.
Superb game from Sky Blue. They were the better team today. Well done girls and a special hug to my favorite Natasha Kai.
Coach Rodgers argued that Stephanie Cox was coming into position so that Falk wasn't the last defender. It's hard to tell from the replays, though.
Here are some more pictures from the championship game. Click on view slideshow once you get inside the gallery for the best quality. Enjoy Photos here
Yes it is. It's one of the 4D. 1) Number of Defenders 2) Direction of play 3) Distance to goal 4) Distance to ball.
And this is pretty funny. Only at BigSoccer, home of the BigAbsurd. Whatever, it's working for both teams. Netherlands wins its opening game at the Euros. "Oranje sparkle in opening fixture." #8 by the way is Kristen van de Ven who played for Florida State. Probably on the WPS scouting lists...
Congrats to Sky Blue and especially to Christie Rampone, a class act all the way. She demonstrated that a top-notch player with deep, intimate knowledge of the women's game can excel as a coach and I hope we see some of the first wave of soccer women take up that challenge.
YEA BABY! SKY BLUE ROCKS!!! People put them down all year and their organization but boy when you say something minor people get all in a tizzy.....catch up to everyone in March you posters enjoy your winter! see ya next year SKY BLUE! Enjoy that championship that YOU SO deserve!!!!! Hope this is on the politically correct thread! Im just a dumb soccer person so I hope its ok.
Second half our girls were just trying to keep the game interesting for all the LA Sol fans. I had the fortune of being at the game and from the end line where the goal was scored. The second half our defense played tremendously, always respecting the talent of Marta with up to 3 defenders backing each other up in case one or 2 got beat. Everyone watch for Gloria Averbuch's book, "The Season Beyond Reason" next year. Okay maybe not that title but I told her she could use it. And just to enjoy the moment more, we celebrated at a rooftop restaurant on the beach while the sun set on the ocean.
Sky Blue was "SOL" A report on what may have been the Sky Blue philosophy as this game unfolded. Scroll to the bottom. http://www.insidesocal.com/soccer/2009/08/wps-championship-final.html While the author refers to The Sol as being the ones that were SOL (and they may have been) I interpret it as Sky Blue seeing themselves that way. Either way I thought it was an entertaining tidbit.
Anyone here know if Sky Blue FC players will get Championship rings like other pro sports? I think that would be cool.
I have been searching for the the 2009 WPS Champions T-shirt that sky blue team was wearing after there win. I'm hoping I find some help in here.