The Freedom are coming off their first point of the season...relying on a defender to score their only goal.. Breakers coming off their 2-0 home opener...Their play improved greatly in the 2nd half after getting used to the wet turf. Hopefully we'll have dry weather in Maryland this weekend and we'll see some good soccer... 2 matches 2 different starting 11. Thoughts/guesses on their projected lineup? BTW, to our travelling contingent...I think Solo would have saved it is in order seeing as it worked so good Saturday!!
DC forecast- partly cloudy, 72 as the high. It got really chilly after sunset at the 'Plex on Saturday- bring a jacket just in case! Aren't Kelly Smith and Alex Scott going to be on international duty? I'm going to be a bit worried without them. DC mustered up 26 shots on Saturday, 14 on goal, Bompastor and Sawa are really dangerous at serving really good balls into the area. How many Breakers fans are going to be here/where are you sitting? I haven't bought my tickets yet... I'm thinking a 2-2 draw as my prediction.
I think this is the game where Jenny Nobis makes her debut. If Kelly isn't around, Latham and Schmedes will prob start up top. What's the word with Candace Chapman? Also, Nancy Augustiniak-Goffi is nursing an injury so who knows what her status may be.
Without Kelly Smith this game could be a lot tougher since she scored and set up Lily's goal and scored the only against FC Gold. So she IS your offense for the entire season. I was thinking of a 2-2 tie but Washington is playing better and Abby has to break through eventually so Washington could hold an edge here. Plus I don't think Luckenbill is one of the better goalies in the league.
No way that I agree with you on this one. Remember, we're playing A-rod out of position. Once she gets comfortable, we will be fine. Using your logic, Hucles, Latham, and A-Rod all "have to break through eventually" as well. Just because our offense has been Kelly Smith up to this point doesn't mean that's all we have. As for Luckenbill, a goalie is only as strong as her defense. Hope knows that all too well.
I believe there will be 3 of us. Jackie and Julie will be flying down and I will be driving down on Friday. Haven't really thought about tickets yet. They should be easy enough to get day of game at the ticket window. I'll be driving to Germantown and giving the girls a lift from the hotel in Crystal City. Also will be buying my ticket to the DC scum game at the gate. Planning on taking the public transport from the hotel to the game instead of driving.
My strategy exactly, I'm sure there will be lots. The unreserved side is just about the same as the reserved side, by the way, except you have the sun in your face for a little while and its cheaper. Just a hint. Hope to see you there!
Friendly warning about Germantown: the roads around the stadium (basically once you get off I-270) are loaded with photo speed traps--the ones that surreptitiously take your picture and send you a ticket in the mail. Welcome to Maryland.
Also, the seats aren't quite as nice on the unreserved side - they're just bleachers. On the reserved sides, there's some sort of seat to sit on, though there are still no backs unless you're in the back row. I've only noticed the speed cameras on the road right outside the Soccerplex, but they are worth keeping an eye out for. Should be a nice evening for soccer - hope you all enjoy your visit (except for your team losing, of course ).
Your knees (even my knees!) don't really fit on either side, though. The rows are WAY too close together, in my opinion!
According to the league both Smith and Scott will be in action not only this Saturday vs. the Freedom but also against the Red Stars the following saturday. They are playing 3 games in a week. I can understand them playing in the game vs. the Freedom but that game vs. the Red Stars they are going to be completely jetlagged and exhausted having just played 48 hours earlier. Hopefully Tony manages them well in that Red Stars game.
excellent. I thought them leaving before this weekend was a bit much...As for the Chicago match I think they'll be available but on the bench...I like the idea of bringing on Kelly in say the 60th minute... BTW, I've already got permission for us from Tony to root against England...But really I rooting for an easy injury free match...
I've never had anyone sitting in front of me, so it's not been a problem. Of course, most of the times I've been there it's been for the W-League team along with no more than a few hundred other people, so it's always been easy to find a seat with plenty of elbow room. I guess I was just fortunate on Saturday to still have some room, though being in the corner section helped, no doubt.
Oh, that's comforting to know. Breakers have a much better chance now. Still sticking by my 2-2 prediction though.
Boston has a lot of fine players but Kelly Smith does seem to be one of a handful of truly elite players. (And glad she's still playing at the level since I have her England jersey!). Kristine Lilly is a very special player, too, but there is the issue, not so much her age as that she's coming back from childbirth, which sometimes seems to take more than a year to fully bounce back from. So it'll be interesting to see how well Boston copes when Kelly is with her national team. The "logic" of "having to break through eventually" does not apply equally to Abby Wambach vs Hucles, Latham and A-Rod, as much as I like those three. Wambach is a proven prolific scorer and offensive force at the highest levels of international play -- the same cannot be said of the other three.
Good to hear that we'll have Smith and Scott. I think this team will eventually get to the point where they don't have to rely on Kelly to create the offense, but we're not there yet. I'm planning on just buying tickets at the gate. Looks like we'll have 4 Breakers fans there?
These next two days and games will be the best weather we've had to see a game since last summer! Can't wait! Looks like 4 Riptide/Breakers fans to me.
It has been 5 1/2 long years since Washington knocked the Breakers out of the playoffs. Wambach's touch has not come back yet and Scurry looks a fish out of water thus far. I am hoping for a big Breaker's win of 3-0. But I will throw it to Mr T. for the final word on my prediction. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1TxiVhrkZA&feature=related"]YouTube - Prediction for the Fight[/ame]
Huh. That's interesting about Smith and Scott not playing. Good for y'all, but I was hoping Norway would see a full England squad when they play an unofficial match next Saturday.
Scott and Smith are both flying back to England for the match vs. Norway on the 23rd. As are Carney and Aluko. The only player sitting out the Norway match is Faye White of Arsenal who has a knee injury. This information is as of Tuesday on TheFA website, unless you heard something else. The only match I doubt that the English players will be seen in are the return matches Carney, Smith and Scott for the Breakers v. Red Stars matchup in Chicago on the 25th. Not sure where the Athletica are that week but I doubt Aluko will play very much either.
I know they'll be there for the 23rd -- that's the official friendly. But the last time I checked, England and Norway were also going to do a 3x30 min unofficial match (closed doors) on the 25th.
I'm Blind!!! Didn't read the last phrase in your post or you cleverly editted it...hmm. The article I read only said 3 games in a week and not knowing about the double secret, unofficial, played with a flashlight under a blanket England match. I assumed that included 2 WPS matches. They could very well be in England for that saturday match. It would actually make more sense for them to stay than hoping an 8+ hour flight to Chicago after the thursday match. This is turning into a Nancy Drew mystery very quickly. Before you know it they will skip both matches and go out for ice cream instead.
Didn't edit the first post but I did the second. But I edited it as soon as I posted it. So, it wasn't delayed ... Hmmmm. And see, I was thinking the opposite. I'd think they'd rather be back here in the U.S. to play the WPS match, than an unofficial training match. But that's just me. Strange. I thought it had been clarified they would be playing both WPS matches, but maybe not? Sorry if it turns out to be true. I didn't mean to rain on the parade. (For once.)
To those going down to DC for the weekend, enjoy the double-shot of games! We get to do it locally in May.
Check my similarly titled thread in the Freedom section for information about post-game activities. Hope you enjoy your visit (other than the soccer part of it), and thanks for bringing some nice weather in with you. This looks to be the first Freedom match that won't have me shivering through most of the second half.