WUSA Week 4 Predictions and Previews

Predictions

Here are Soccer America Associate Editor Dean Caparaz’s predictions for this weekend: Boston 1 Atlanta 1 San Diego 1 Washington 2 Philadelphia 1 Bay Area 0 New York 2 Carolina 0

Previews

(all times ET) Saturday, May 5 – (7:30 pm) – Atlanta Beat at Boston Breakers. Season series: First Meeting; All-time regular-season series: First Meeting. Leading scorers: Atlanta: none; Boston: F Maren Meinert and M Kristine Lilly (each w/1 goal = 2 pts). Did you know? The Beat’s Nikki Serlenga is featured in Jezebel Magazine’s “Sexiest Athletes in Atlanta” May issue. Key players out: Atlanta: none; Boston: none. Notes: When will we see the real Atlanta Beat? Once M Marci Miller (broken jaw), Sun Wen (knee) and Charmaine Hooper (benched last game) all start and play close to 90 minutes each. M Homare Sawa and F Cindy Parlow need help from Sun and Hooper in the attack. Miller is on the 16-player travel squad to Boston. … Allie Kemp (hyperextended knee-R) is probable for the game, though she didn’t travel to last week’s game at the Bay Area. KEY MATCHUP: Atlanta M Nikki Serlenga vs. Boston M Bettina Wiegmann: Serlenga is a rising star, but Wiegmann is probably the best defensive midfielder in the game today. Serlenga needs to disrupt the Breakers’ rhythm in midfield and keep Wiegmann from creating for M Kristine Lilly, F Maren Meinert and F Dagny Mellgren. SCHEDULED REFEREES: Referee: Terry Vaughn; Assistant Referees: Thomas Supple (SAR), Jeffrey Cukor (JAR). Fourth Official: Jennifer Bennett. Saturday, May 5 – (10 p.m.) – Washington Freedom at San Diego Spirit. Season series: First Meeting; All-time regular season series: First Meeting. Leading scorers: Washington: F Pretinha (2 goals = 4 pts); San Diego: none. Did you know? Washington coach Jim Gabarra played for the San Diego Sockers in 1989-92. Key players out: Washington: M Anne Makinen (school); San Diego: none. Notes: Washington D Bai Jie joined the Freedom last Tuesday and may see some action against San Diego as a second-half substitution. … If San Diego D Rhi Tanaka, who was cautioned in the Spirit’s two previous matches, gets her third yellow card against Washington, she will be suspended for the May 12 game at Atlanta. … The Spirit will lose defender Kristin Bengtsson and goalkeeper Ulrika Karlsson to the Swedish national team for the May 12 match against Atlanta, as they have been called up for duty for a May 13 friendly against Norway. … Veteran broadcaster Jim Stone will sub for the absent Chris Ello on the local Channel 4 San Diego telecast. Ello is in Boise, Idaho with the WCHL’s San Diego Gulls for the Taylor Cup Championship. KEY MATCHUP: Washington M Mia Hamm vs. San Diego D Kristin Bengtsson: At some point in the match Hamm will push forward and meet up with the tough Swedish defender. Bengtsson, who gave up a PK to Philadelphia in Week 2 when she pulled down Charge F Kelly Smith, will have to cut down on the fouls around her penalty area against a team with a potent free kick specialist like Hamm. SCHEDULED REFEREES: TBA. Sunday, May 6 – (4:00 p.m.) – Bay Area CyberRays at Philadelphia Charge. Season series: First Meeting; All-time regular season series: First Meeting. Leading scorers: Bay Area: F Katia (1 goal = 2 pts); Philadelphia: D Doris Fitschen and F Kelly Smith (each w/1 goal = 2 pts). Did you know? The match will be played on the artificial turf of Villanova Stadium. Key players out: Bay Area: D Lauren Molinaro (broken ankle-R); Philadelphia: G Melissa Moore (broken hand-R), D Erica Iverson (stress fracture foot-R). Notes: The Charge is expecting to draw a crowd of close to 10,000 (capacity: 11,800) for its home opener at Villanova Stadium. … Bay Area M Tisha Venturini (broken wrist-L) is doubtful, while Bay Area F Katia (sprained ankle-L) is expected to play. … The CyberRays trained twice this past week on the artificial turf of James Logan High School in Union City, Calif., to prepare for this match. KEY MATCHUP: Bay Area D Brandi Chastain vs. Philadelphia F Kelly Smith: CyberRays D Thori Bryan has the wheels to keep up with England’s Smith; Chastain does not. SCHEDULED REFEREES: Referee: Todd Perry; Assistant Referees: Karalee Sutton, Kelly Lee. Fourth Official: Tony Russo. Sunday, May 6 – (7:00 p.m.) – Carolina Courage at New York Power. Season series: First Meeting; All-time regular season series: First Meeting. Leading scorers: Carolina: F Silvana Burtini (1 goals = 2 pts); New York: none. Did you know? New York defeated Carolina, 2-0, in an April 7 preseason match at Carolina’s Fetzer Field. F Tammy Pearman and F Kerry Connors scored for the Power. Key players out: Carolina: M Nicole Roberts (broken leg-R); New York: F Ann Kristin Aarones (lower back), M Jen Lalor (sprained ankle-L). Notes: Carolina D Staci Burt, D Carla Overbeck and D Wen Lirong have no chance of containing New York F Tiffeny Milbrett unless Carolina D/M Tiffany Roberts drops back to the defense as she did last week. … What will help the Courage defense the most is the continued absence of Milbrett’s frontline partner Aarones and Lalor, the Power’s playmaker. … New York D Christie Pearce and D Gro Espeseth each has one yellow card. KEY MATCHUP: Carolina M Hege Riise vs. New York M Kristy Whelchel: Last week, Whelchel marked San Diego M Julie Foudy in a 0-0 tie. The Duke product might get the same assignment with the Norwegian playmaker, who has more skill but covers less ground than Foudy. SCHEDULED REFEREES: TBA.