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Kelly Smith has scored six goals in the Breakers' last four games, and ranks third in WPS with 10 goals for the season. (Photo by CHRIS ADUAMA/aduama.com) |
After Lauren Cheney opened the scoring in the 24th minute, Philadelphia left back Holmfridur Magnusdottir scored on a couple long-range strikes to send the home team into the half with a 2-1 lead. Kelly Smith equalized in the 52nd minute for the Breakers, who had the Independence on their back foot for most of the last half hour, but couldn�t find the go-ahead goal that would�ve given Boston the three points.
Instead, the Breakers remain two points behind Philadelphia in the race for second place and homefield advantage in the WPS semifinal. Both teams have six games remaining, including another match in West Chester Aug. 29.
�I think, overall, to get a point back was good for us,� said Breakers captain Kristine Lilly. �We had a couple chances to finish it off, but we didn�t. But it was a hard-fought battle from both sides.�
After Smith�s goal - a terrific strike from 25 yards out - it wasn�t long before the Breakers were knocking on the door again. Independence keeper Karina LeBlanc had an excellent double-save off a corner kick in the 57th minute, stopping Cheney�s header and then Ifeoma Dieke shot off the rebound from close range.
Just two minutes later, Smith sent a long ball up the right wing to Lindsay Tarpley, who found herself in plenty of space. Tarpley advanced to the box and sent a cross along the ground toward the far post, where Jordan Angeli put a shot across the face of goal just wide.
In the 75th, Fabiana and Alex Scott worked a nice 1-2 to get the Brazilian into the box with room for a cross. She found Smith at the penalty spot, and Smith connected well with her shot, but sent it right at LeBlanc.
Smith said after the game she�d want to have that shot back.
�I was still seeing it five minutes after the play,� Smith said. �[Fabiana] hit such a great ball and I connected well with it. I just didn�t have enough bend on it to get it out of Karina�s path.�
The Independence (8-6-4, 28 points) had a couple good chances of their own in the second half. With 20 minutes left, Amy Rodriguez - who, overall, was well neutralized by Dieke and fellow Breakers center back Amy LePeilbet - sped past Dieke to get deep into the box. She was left with a tough angle, though, and her shot from inside the six was saved by Boston keeper Alyssa Naeher.
Naeher, who had to pounce on a couple through balls to Rodriguez as the match wore on, made a good stop diving to her right on Lori Lindsey in the 86th minute. More importantly, she held on the ball well as Philadelphia�s Lianne Sanderson was right there to pounce on any rebound.
Overall, Breakers head coach Tony DiCicco felt his team had the advantage in the second 45 minutes.
�In the second half, we were a little unlucky not to score another goal. I thought we played very well in the second half,� he said. �I give [Philadelphia] credit. I thought they played a good game. Their game plan was to put us under pressure. We spilled the ball too much in the first half but, in the second half, they didn�t really have as many chances.�
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Lauren Cheney (pictured above in action against Philadelphia in April) opened the scoring Sunday night with a strike from 20 yards out. (Photo by CHRIS ADUAMA/aduama.com) |
Magnusdottir worked her magic twice from long distance in the first half, but got a little help both times. Her first came on a 30-yard free kick in the 28th minute, as a well-struck shot ricocheted off the wall and snuck inside the post to Naeher�s left for the goal.
In the run of play two minutes later, Magnusdottir took a pass from midfielder Caroline Seger and struck from 40 yards. The shot went over Naeher, off the far post, back off the keeper (who was still on the ground) and behind the line to give Philadelphia the lead.
Despite the two goals, DiCicco said he felt his keeper played well.
�It was solid,� DiCicco said. �She�s been solid for us. She had to come up with a couple of plays in each half, and I think she�s been a plus.�
Cheney gave the visitors the lead 24 minutes in with a great goal of her own. Collecting the ball at the edge of the penalty area, Cheney took one touch to her right to elude her mark and sent an unstoppable shot inside the far corner to LeBlanc�s left.
After scoring just two goals in Boston�s first 15 matches, Cheney has now scored two in the last three games.
�Every team I play on, I want that to be my role. But I�ve learned that it�s not all about goal-scoring,� Cheney said. �I defend my butt off. If I can playmake, I can playmake, and that�s what�s been happening this season. I haven�t scored the goals, but I�ve been working hard and hopefully they�ll keep coming.�
Aside from that goal, the Breakers (7-6-5, 26 points) produced little before halftime.
�In the first half, we couldn�t get it going,� Smith said. �We had no rhythm, and it was a little bit frustrating for everybody involved. We kind of regrouped at halftime and figured it out a little bit. I thought we could�ve nicked it at the end with the chances that we had, but we�re happy with the point on the road. It was a good result for us.�
Coming back has been a routine for Boston this year, something that was largely lacking during a disappointed 2009 season.
�This team has a lot more character than last year,� DiCicco said. �When we had that stretch of games, they didn�t get down on themselves. They didn�t start infighting. They didn�t disconnect. This group stays together off the field as well as on the field, and I think the leadership with Lil and Leslie (Osborne) and some of the other players have done a great job.
�I don�t even want to compare the two teams. The character of this team is on a whole �nother level.�
Smith said the team�s ability to come back is down to a confidence that it can create and finish scoring chances.
�I think it�s the quality of the players in front of goal,� Smith said. �We�ve got Lauren Cheney, who�s now scoring goals for us. Jordan�s come in and played well. Fabiana�s doing a good job for us. I think last year we didn�t have those players, those game-winning opportunities or crosses into the box. It just wasn�t there.�
More postgame reaction
DiCicco on referee Dallas Malhiwsky: �I thought the ref let a little bit too much go. It was too rough. [Philadelphia is] a big, strong, physical team, and I think she let them play out of their physicality too much. But they also had some very good performances from players.�
Smith on Fabiana�s impact off the bench: �She�s so quick, it�s hard for defenders to track her�She played a great ball in to me at the top of the box. She�s worked on that and gotten better at her crossing. She�s just a threat going forward because she�s so fast.�
Independence head coach Paul Riley on Smith: �Kelly Smith was a problem tonight. We just couldn�t get a hold of her. Even though we talked about it all week, she caused a lot of problems. She�s a world-class player.�
Riley on the Boston-Philadelphia rivalry: �I�ll be shocked if we don�t play them in the playoffs. Shocked. One of us, I think, will finish second, and one of us will be in a dogfight for third and fourth. Whoever finishes second, somebody�s going to have to go to their field, and I don�t really like Boston�s field. I gotta be honest, it�s probably the one field in the league I don�t like, so I�d like to get them at home if we can.�
Mark Goodman can be reached at newsdesk@soccernewengland.com.
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