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Sun, Apr 19th 2009, 10:13
Freedom, Wambach Frustrated in Loss
Washington Freedom forward Abby Wambach lined up for a penalty kick late in the second half last night with an opportunity to give the Freedom its first lead of the season — and to score her first goal of the Women’s Professional Soccer season.
Instead, Boston Breakers goalkeeper Kristin Luckenbill denied Wambach’s bid to the lower left corner. And in the following nine minutes Washington allowed two goals to let the game slip away in a 3-1 loss in front of 4,232 at Maryland SoccerPlex in Boyds.
Wambach’s missed penalty kick encapsulated the frustration for a Washington team that in the past two weeks has turned in two stellar performances and created a number of scoring chances but has failed to capitalize on those opportunities.
The moment also added to the early disappointment for Wambach, one of the country’s top goal scorers, who continues to work back from a broken leg suffered in a pre-Olympic friendly against Brazil on July 16.
“She has to be patient just like we have to be patient for her,” Freedom Coach Jim Gabarra said. “It is frustrating. You know the goals are going to come. But she still has a ways to go physically. And as frustrating as it she still has got to realize that there’s still a ways to go with her physically and once she gets one and gets that gorilla off her back she’ll probably take a little bit of the pressure off herself.”
Washington (0-2-1) had done well to rally after falling behind, 1-0, on a 56th minute penalty kick from Boston’s Kelly Smith.
It took the Freedom just four minutes to draw even, with Lori Lindsey finding the upper right corner with a left-footed shot from about 20 yards out.
But after a hand ball in the box gave Washington a penalty kick in the 72nd minute, and Wambach’s bid for the lead was turned away, the game quickly fell apart. Boston defender Alex Scott lofted a cross from the right sideline into the box four minutes later and forward Christine Latham’s header just cleared the outstretched hand of Freedom goalkeeper Briana Scurry, who got a touch on the ball but not enough at the far post, and Boston took the 2-1 lead.
Continue reading match recap….
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