Breakers Ready For First Place Gold Pride

Defenders Will Need To Be On Form Against Marta, Sinclair

By Mark Goodman

July 21, 2010

Who: Boston Breakers vs. FC Gold Pride
What: WPS Regular Season
Where: Harvard Stadium, Boston, Mass.
When: Wednesday, 7 p.m.

BOSTON -- All eyes will be on the Boston Breakers’ defense as they host league-leading FC Gold Pride tonight in WPS action at Harvard Stadium.

The visitors from the Bay Area, led by Marta (league-leading 10 goals) and Christine Sinclair (7 goals), are in first place with 31 points, 10 more than second-place Philadelphia.

Amy LePeilbet (left) fends off FC Gold Pride striker Christine Sinclair during a game on May 14. Gold Pride has won both meetings between the teams so far this season. (Photo by CHRIS ADUAMA/aduama.com)

Boston has had a habit of shipping goals early in games lately, having conceded within the first 20 minutes in the last four games (and within the first 10 minutes in the last two). The Breakers have come back to win the last three of those to pull themselves back in the playoff hunt, but they’ll be playing with fire if they fall behind early again against Gold Pride.

The Breakers will likely welcome back central defender Amy LePeilbet, who picked up an ankle injury during national team duty last week. She played the full 90 minutes for the U.S. in Saturday’s 3-0 win over Sweden in East Hartford before watching the Breakers’ 2-1 win over Washington from the bench Sunday.

LePeilbet sat out most of Tuesday’s practice, but said it was a precautionary measure more than anything else. Head coach Tony DiCicco said Tuesday it would be a “game time decision,” but LePeilbet gave every indication she’d be ready to go.

Assuming she does play, LePeilbet will be counted on to provide some leadership in the back four. DiCicco said the third-minute goal scored by Washington’s Nikki Marshall Sunday was an “organizational goal” that could have been prevented with better communication between the defenders and rookie keeper Alyssa Naeher.

“We really have to focus on communication,” LePeilbet said after Tuesday’s practice. “I really don’t think [the early goal] was a lack of ability on our part. I think it was down to miscommunication.”

The Freedom’s goal started with a 50-yard run by Sarah Huffman down the right wing after she got past Boston left back Stephanie Cox. Central defender Ifeoma Dieke didn’t come over to cover, allowing Huffman an easy cross to Marshall at the far post.

DiCicco pointed out that Sunday’s game was the first time Dieke and Cox had played together.

“We’re trying to get everyone thinking alike,” said the coach. “That goal was a good goal from their standpoint… but it was not a good goal from our standpoint. Our adjustments came too late.”

DiCicco said Dieke would get the start alongside LePeilbet, pushing Kasey Moore, who has started 10 of the team’s 13 games, to the bench.

Two other players who may not be in the starting XI are forward Lauren Cheney and winger Fabiana. The Brazilian sat out Tuesday’s practice after taking a couple knocks in Sunday’s game, including a minor knee strain, DiCicco said.

Cheney, who played well as a substitute in Sunday’s match, may simply be the victim of circumstances. Liz Bogus has scored in the last two games, and Kelly Smith and Lindsay Tarpley have been integral parts of an attack that has scored seven goals in its last three games.

“The players getting into games have performed,” DiCicco said. “The team feels that anyone that goes out onto the field can get it done, and I feel that way, too.”

Against Gold Pride, though, it’s going to start with the defending.

While praising Gold Pride’s midfield - which is led by Shannon Boxx, Camille Abily and rookie Kelley O’Hara - DiCicco said success centers around stopping Marta and Sinclair.

“If they are able to run around in our defensive third, that would cause problems for us,” DiCicco said. “We feel we can break down their defense, but we have to do it in our defensive end, first.”

“We’re going to have to be continuously moving,” LePeilbet said. “We can’t sit back too far, or else their midfield will pick us apart. And we can’t play too high up the field, because they’ll pop it over the top and Marta is so fast.

“We need to communicate and read the game early. They’re so incredibly talented. We need to solve what they’re going to do before they do it.”

Follow the match between the Boston Breakers and FC Gold Pride on Twitter with Soccer New England. Follow "SoccerNE" for updates throughout the game.

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