GAME PREVIEW: Atlanta Beat (4-1-2, 14 points) at San Diego Spirit (3-1-3, 12 points) Where: Torero Stadium When: Saturday, 9:00 PM ET Season Series: series tied, 0-0-1 All-Time: Beat lead series, 3-2-2 This has suddenly become one of the most intriguing match-ups in the WUSA. The direct, in-your-face Atlanta Beat will go to Torero Stadium and try to solve San Diego's troublesome 3-5-2 alignment. The teams met in Atlanta three weeks ago and played to a 1-1 draw. These are the second and third place teams in the league, and since the CyberRays play the Breakers earlier in the day, the winner here will find themselves in a very favorable position in the table. Points of interest: The Beat have yet to give up more than a goal in any game this season. Briana Scurry has played every minute and owns a league-best 0.57 goals against average...The Spirit gave up two goals on opening day, and no more than one goal since. Both of their keepers, Jaime Pagliarulo and Jenni Branam, have their goals against average at 1.00...The Spirit's six-game unbeaten streak is the longest current streak in the league, and equals a franchise best...First overall draft pick Aly Wagner enters this match off the high created when she used her first WUSA goal to defeat the Courage on the road last weekend. OTHER ARTICLES: Wary Beat Ready for Mac-less Spirit By Jon Cooper http://theatlantabeat.com/364786.html
WUSA SITE GAME PREVIEW: Saturday, May 31, 2003 - Atlanta Beat at San Diego Spirit - 9:00 p.m. (ET) - CSS (Atlanta - possible tape delay - 10:00 p.m. ET); Cox 4 (San Diego - tape delay at approx. 1:00 a.m. ET) (Season Series: Series tied 0-0-1) (All-time Series History: Atlanta leads 3-2-2) Atlanta moved into sole possession of second place in the WUSA standings with a 3-1 victory over Boston on Sunday, May 25 at Nickerson Field. The Beat became the first team since San Diego (August 5, 2001) to defeat the Breakers on their home turf. San Diego recorded its first ever win at Carolina with a 2-1 victory over the Courage on Saturday, May 24 at SAS Stadium. With the victory, San Diego is off to its best start (3-1-3) in team history. The last meeting between these two teams resulted in a 1-1 tie on May 10, 2003 at Herndon Stadium. San Diego's Julie Fleeting got the Spirit on the board first in the 67th minute; however, Atlanta's Maribel Dominguez tallied the equalizer in the 75th minute. Key Players to Watch: Atlanta's Dominguez (6g, 3a, 15 pts. - tied for 2nd among WUSA scoring leaders) registered her third assist of the season during the Beat's 3-1 victory over Boston on May 25. Dominguez is third in the WUSA in points per game with 2.14. Forward Charmaine Hooper (3g, 5a, 11 pts. - tied for 5th among WUSA scoring leaders) notched two goals and an assist versus Boston on May 25. In six meetings with the Spirit all-time, Hooper has recorded three goals for six points. Midfielder Homare Sawa (3g, 2a, 8 pts. - tied for 9th among WUSA scoring leaders) tallied a goal and an assist versus Boston on May 25. Sawa has had more success versus San Diego than any other Beat player, scoring three goals and two assists in seven matches (all-time). San Diego's Fleeting (4g, 1a, 9 pts. - 8th among WUSA scoring leaders) registered her first assist of the 2003 season on May 24 versus Carolina. Fleeting has recorded two goals in three matches all-time versus Atlanta. Midfielder Julie Foudy (1g, 1a, 3 pts.) notched the first goal in San Diego history at SAS Stadium with a converted penalty kick in the 45th minute on May 24. In seven matches versus the Beat (all-time), Foudy has notched a goal and an assist. Goalkeeper Jaime Pagliarulo (3-1-2, 1.00 GAA) won her 10th career WUSA match with San Diego's 2-1 victory over Carolina. "Pags" is unbeaten in her last five starts (3-0-2). Key Matchup: (Atlanta defender Sharolta Nonen versus San Diego forward Julie Fleeting) Fleeting has recorded a point in five consecutive games, including a goal versus the Beat on May 10, 2003. Nonen anchors the top rated defense in the WUSA, allowing 0.57 goals per game. Fleeting has registered two goals in three meeting versus the Beat and will be looking to add to her total. Nonen and the Atlanta defense have faced seven of the top 10 goal scorers in the WUSA and have held them to just two goal during the 2003 season. The "Inside Scoop": The series between these two teams in tied at 1-1-1 all-time at Torero Stadium. Atlanta has won two straight matches to move into second place in the WUSA standings. San Diego, unbeaten in its last five matches, is right on the Beat's heels, tied for third in the WUSA standings. Atlanta holds the WUSA's all-time best road record at 11-8-4 (.565). The Spirit is 8-8-8 (.500) all-time at Torero Stadium. They Said it: "Atlanta is probably the deepest team in the league and we have to play at our best to beat them. Anytime we play them it's going to be a battle, it was in the preseason and it was a few weeks ago in Atlanta in a game that easily could have gone either way. We have to try to match their physical play and if we do that, we might be able to get a good result." - San Diego Spirit Head Coach Omid Namazi on Atlanta. Referee: Sandra Hunt. Assistant Referees: Bryan Elliott, Kia Dehpanah. 4th Official: Raymundo Prisco. ----------------------------------------- INJURY REPORT: Atlanta- Nikki Serlenga: Questionable (hip flexor) San Diego- Shannon MacMillan: Out (R ACL tear). No National team callups for either team
So we are entering the abode of the Whiner Queen and the Spiritless. I say we plant a blue flag in the yard and make ourselves at home! Game predictions _______________ Beat - 3 Spiritless - 1 Minutes our nonstop Foudy yappin' - 90+
If the game is truly starting at 9:00 EST then CSS is carrying it delayed at 10:00 EST, according to the schedule as of 05-28-03. I guess means that there will be no live Atlanta PBP. [Grumble] I miss the first season when MANY more games were on and live. Of course Atlanta has gotten a better contract each year. It is just that fewer people can see the games and more are tape delayed than in the first season. [End Grumble] I guess it is a little better than last year when only people in the local Atlanta area could see most of the games. I wonder which Beat team is making the trip to SD. The nearly unstoppable one or the ordinary one with the defenders that play good defense but cannot complete a pass. 2-0 Beat.
"We have to try to match their physical play and if we do that, we might be able to get a good result." - San Diego Spirit Head Coach Omid Namazi on Atlanta. Noted that "No Mas" is setting up the Game for Fouling Foudy ie Physical Play. Our Beat play with skill so he figures the best way to win is to clog us out of the game or put in an oscar winning acting role such as in" Brush me and I fall" or " High Diver" One good note is that The Ref. is Sandra Hunt so she is wise to all the tricks. GO BEAT!!!! You've got the B with an E then add the A T, That's BEAT. You've got the B with an E then add the S T, That's BEST. That's all The BEAT'S BEST. Speedy Recovery wished to Shannon Mac.
Where does one go to order this sort of upgrade? I know where to get an upgrade for my computer system, TiVo, or even for my car but upgrading my body now THAT would be very valuable.
I'm not going to the viewing party at J & J's, so I can do a PBP if anyone is interested. ----------- BTW, love your sig, FoF.
From CyberSoccerNews: The Beat bring their weapons to bear against a strong defense Both teams looking to hang on the heels of the Freedom by Joseph Wanandi True Grit San Diego looking to prove new attitude can lead to playoffs by Jorge Palacios So now it's OK to play this way?: Someone correct me if I'm wrong but in the past two seasons both opposing players and fans have bitched about the Beat being physical......
I think the whole league has realized that soccer is a contact sport. I see a lot more contact, and somewhat fewer foul calls, in most of the games I've seen this year. With the SandyEgos, it will be nasty.... which means we should win, unless someone gets a red card
If you can't beat 'em, join them...and maybe your team will cease to underachieve and make the playoffs. The Beat like to play on the road, and especially at Torero. I'm predicting a 2-0 victory for Atlanta. With the usual starting lineup: Scurry, Bivens, Nancy, Nonen, Gaston, Miller, Serlenga, Sawa, Parlow, Dominguez, Hooper.
Krzykowski at Home in San Diego By John Philip Wyllie http://wusa.com/press_room/365033.html Come on now Lisa, you really do miss 24/7 Atlanta traffic - admit it And I think she took our sunshine with her - its the end of May and our temps are just now hitting the 80's (and I still need a jacket in the evenings). hmmm, sounds like another team Lisa knows well.
WUSA took time discovering star from Mexico City This article is on the front page of this morning's Union-Tribune http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/uniontrib/sat/sports/news_1s31spirit.html
AHA!!!! FINALLY!!!! I knew she was somehow attached to the Spirit in some way before the 2001 season kicked off. This confirms it. I rule!
beat lineup scurry gaston nancy noneny bivens sawa serlenga parlow dominguez hooper and pohlers i missed sds
first min sd attacks, sullie right side cross cleared sawa, counter hooper pass to maribele too far, pags gets and clears
foudy takes corner, sawa out, retake, ball winds up to farside to wagner shoots, hits someone, out, corner, nothing
nice attack by beat, cp back to charging bivens on side, to pohlers, cross, past face of goal, nothing