Gold Pride deliver a 4-0 Beat-down to Atlanta

Shannon Boxx of FC Gold Pride shields the ball from Aya Miyama of the Atlanta Beat during FC Gold Pride’s defeat the Atlanta Beat 4-0. Photo: David Todd, isiphotos.com

FC Gold Pride didn’t mess around in its game with the Atlanta Beat. Just 40 seconds into the match, Christine Sinclair got out of her recent slump but sliding a shot past Hope Solo for a 1-0 lead.

Atlanta defense misplayed a ball, Tiffeny Milbrett ran onto the 50-50 ball in the box, but Solo came out to block her shot. Marta got the rebound about 15 yards from goal and played a square ball to Sinclair who freed up her right foot before slotting it in the side netting.

Shannon Boxx had a good strike on goal in the ninth minute for the Pride, hitting a strike first-time off a blocked Marta shot. However, Boxx’s shot went just over the crossbar and out for a goal kick. Read more…

Marta, FCGP teammates shine in WPS All-Star Game

Team captain Marta celebrates her second goal in the WPS All-Star Game. Photo: Howard C. Smith, isiphotos.com

Center Line Soccer’s complete coverage includes a Gold Pride focus story and post game audio interviews with coaches and players.  

In the second annual WPS All-Star Game on Wednesday night, Marta XI was able to outscore Abby XI in an expected high-scoring game, 5-2. Marta of FC Gold Pride netted two goals early to set the pace for her club, winning MVP honors for the game.

“Before I played professionally, I always dreamed of playing for the Brazilian national team, and I always dreamed to be playing at such a high level,” said Marta through a translator. “Today I wasn’t the MVP. The whole team was the MVP.” Read more…

FCGP shut out at home 2-0 by Sky Blue FC

Natasha Kai celebrates her goal as Sky Blue FC defeated FC Gold Pride 2-0 at Pioneer Stadium in Hayward. Photo: Kelley L. Cox, isiphotos.com

Sky Blue FC came into Pioneer Stadium in Hayward, Calif., and were able to do exactly what they needed to do: beat the league-leading FC Gold Pride, 2-0, courtesy of two second-half goals.

Rosana got things started for the defending champs, scoring a goal in the 58th minute; Tasha Kai put home the insurance goal in the 88th minute, and Sky Blue FC (5-4-2, 17 points) jumped into third place with the win.

“They were very disciplined today,” said Sky Blue FC coach Pauliina Miettinen. “We were able to keep the ball and generate chances and defensively, we were very discipline.”

Gold Pride pressured the Sky Blue FC goal relentlessly the entire second half, but the defense was up to the task, and Miettinen feels that’s the key to winning any game.

“Defense is the key to any game,” Miettinen said. “When the defense is united and works together, it helps them to defend against great individuals like Marta, (Kelley) O’Hara and (Christine) Sinclair.”

With the loss, FC Gold Pride (7-3-1, 22 points) fell for the first time at home this season (4-1-1) but remain in first place going into the All-Star Game presented by U.S. Coast Guard Reserve in Georgia this week. Read more…

Earthquakes hold Real Salt Lake to scoreless draw in return to MLS action

Goalkeeper Jon Busch helps the San Jose Earthquakes to their first clean sheet in four MLS matches. Photo: Kelley L. Cox, isiphotos.com

The San Jose Earthquakes returned to action against Real Salt Lake Friday night shutting down the MLS Cup champions for a scoreless draw. Goalkeeper Jon Busch, making his first league start of the season, earned the clean sheet with some fine saves and with the support of a retooled back four. While the Quakes did earn a point on the road, the result does extend their winless streak to four games.

Having watched his team leak in seven goals in the three games before their 20 day World Cup break, coach Frank Yallop made a couple key changes to his lineup for the trip to Utah. Looking for size over experience in the center of his defense, Jason Hernandez was moved to right back, with Bobby Burling and rookie Ike Opara getting the start in center. The biggest switch came between the posts, as regular season starter Joe Cannon dropped to the bench in favor of Jon Busch.

“I just did my job, my job is to make saves and catch crosses,” said Busch. “Credit to the guys in front of me, they did a great job. Jason (Hernandez), Bobby (Burling), Ike (Opara) and Rams (Ramiro Corrales) on the left did a great job of blocking shots and getting their bodies in the way. They made it kind of easy for me because I didn’t have to see too much.” Read more…

USA/Algeria: A view from the stands

US fans celebrate the team’s historic victory over Algeria, which gave them the Group C crown and advanced them to the Round of 16 in the 2010 World Cup. Photo: Jay Hipps, centerlinesoccer.com

PRETORIA, SOUTH AFRICA — Two days after attending the US national team’s magnificent 1-0 win over Algeria, I’m still trying to come to terms with everything I experienced at Loftus Versfeld Stadium. Never before has a match left me so emotionally exhausted, and that includes those in the Earthquakes’ miracle playoff run of 2003. Wednesday’s win broke the scale. Read more…

Pride break down Breakers for first Pioneer win

FC Gold Pride opened up their new stadium on the campus of CSU East Bay with a 1-0 victory over the Boston Breakers courtesy of a Kelley O’Hara first half goal. Photo: Kelley L. Cox, isiphotos.com

In the true home opener for the Gold Pride at Pioneer Stadium on the campus of Cal State University-East Bay in Hayward, the lone West Coast WPS team was able to defeat the WPS’ eastern most team, the Boston Breakers, 1-0, to remain unbeaten — overall, including a 3-0-1 record at Castro Valley High — at home.

Gold Pride (7-2-1, 22 points) extended its lead in first to five points over second-place Philadelphia Independence (5-2-2, 17 points) with the win, while Boston (1-4-4, 7 points) is reeling, dropping its second in a row, while stretching its winless streak to eight games.

Here is the summary by half of the game. Read more…

Be sure to “catch” the latest Center Line Soccer podcast

Poor Robert Green, you might have fumbled the ball over the goal line for Clint Dempsey and are now facing the wrath of the English press, but don’t despair. Start the heeling process with the latest installment of the Center Line Soccer podcast. Keiran Downie, Robert Jonas, and Giovanni Albanese, Jr. are back after a one-week hiatus and ready to talk soccer in the Bay Area and over in South Africa. Bookended with talk of the World Cup, this week’s ‘cast features Earthquakes news with coach Frank Yallop and FC Gold Pride news with coach Albertin Montoya. The venerable Jay Hipps could not make it this time out - he’s still partying it up with the Uruguay supporters after their team defeated the host nation South Africa 3-0. We’ll try to catch up with Jay for next week’s show. In the meantime, have a listen to the Center Line Soccer podcast and get ready to cheer on the Yanks against Slovenia. USA! USA! USA! Photo: Joe Toth, isiphotos.com Read more…

Earthquakes fall flat in 2-0 loss to FC Dallas

FC Dallas midfielder Brek Shea scored twice as the Hoops defeat the San Jose Earthquakes 2-0.

The San Jose Earthquakes wilted in the early summer heat of North Texas while losing against FC Dallas 2-0 in a match they rarely appeared competitive. A second half brace from midfielder Brek Shea sealed all three points against a Quakes team that tried valiantly to keep pace with the home team, but eventual showed the signs of playing three MLS matches over an eight day stretch.

With temperatures on the field approaching 100 degrees in the early evening sunshine, head coach Frank Yallop mixed up his starting line-up from last Wednesday’s 2-2 draw with the Columbus Crew in an effort to bring more energy to the team. Chris Leitch and Ike Opara returned to the defense, while Scott Sealy made his first start of the season at forward. Arturo Alvarez also started at forward, with the team’s leading scorer on the season, Chris Wondolowski falling back into the midfield.

Neither team opened up the match with a lot of energy, as the Earthquakes seemed content to play in a more defensive formation and Dallas tried unsuccessfully to rain long passes deep into San Jose territory.

In the 9th minute, midfielder Atiba Harris collected a nice feed on the right flank and drove toward goal. He saw Cunningham charging toward the far post, but his cross attempt was expertly cleared by Jason Hernandez for a Dallas corner kick. Read more…

FC Gold Pride remains top of WPS after 1-1 draw with Freedom

FC Gold Pride forward Marta emphatically celebrates her game-tying golazo against the Washington Freedom. Photo: Kelley L. Cox, isiphotos.com.

Center Line Soccer’s complete coverage includes post game audio interviews with coaches and players.

FC Gold Pride and Washington Freedom went into their tangle on Saturday night at Castro Valley High School Athletic Stadium with first place on the line. The game didn’t disappoint.

Gold Pride dominated the possession and created countless opportunities at goal, while Washington’s Allie Long netted one of the best WPS goals of the season en route to a 1-1 draw in front of the 3,442 fans in attendance.

Meanwhile, Marta came out to have arguably her best game while in a Pride (5-2-1, 16 points) jersey, taking a number of shots, including the only one to beat Freedom (4-2-2, 14 points) keeper Erin McLeod, while helping her club maintain sole possession of first.

Shannon Boxx, playing in her first game with the Pride, was a factor early on, heading a loose ball over McLeod but just over the crossbar for a goal kick. Boxx was set up on a throw-in from Kandace Wilson in the fourth minute, but couldn’t convert. Read more…

CLS podcast previews Quakes, Pride — features a special guest appearance

Oh, Dax! You could have avoided getting a yellow card if you had just listened to the latest Center Line Soccer podcast. This week the regular crew of Keiran Downie, Robert Jonas, and Giovanni Albanese Jr. break down the latest news and happenings with the San Jose Earthquakes and FC Gold Pride. Can the Pride bounce back and retain first place in the WPS against the surging Washington Freedom? Will the Earthquakes continue their fine form on the road and take the points in their annual visit to Frisco, Texas? Listen for our panelists’ expectations ahead of Saturday’s matches. Plus, we are especially pleased to welcome as a guest on the pod the newest soccer celebrity from the BBC — a man we like to call Future Jay. Regaling us with tales from the far corners of the world, F.J. will be with us throughout the World Cup giving his unique take on the world’s greatest sporting event. Photo: Kelley L Cox, isiphoto.com Read more…

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