Predictions

Here are Soccer America Associate Editor Dean Caparaz’s prediction for the July 7-8 games: Atlanta 0 Washington 0 Carolina 1 Philadelphia 3 Bay Area 1 New York 1 San Diego 2 Boston 1

Previews

(all times ET) Saturday, July 7 – (7:00 pm) – Washington (5-5-2, 4th place, 17 pts) at Atlanta (5-1-6, 2nd place, 21 pts) (Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic, Fox Sports Net South). Season series: Atlanta leads 1-0 ; All-time regular-season series: Atlanta leads 1-0 (Atlanta leads 2-1 in aggregate goals). Leading scorers: Washington: F Pretinha (5 g, 1 a = 11 pts); Atlanta: F Charmaine Hooper (4 g, 2 a = 10 pts) and F Cindy Parlow (3 g, 4 a = 10 pts). Did you know? Atlanta drew a crowd of 19,133 for its June 9 win over M/F Mia Hamm and the Freedom. Key players out: Washington: None; Atlanta: F Charmaine Hooper (1-game suspension/red card), M Marci Miller (torn ACL-L/cap relief list). Notes: All the internationals are back in this matchup, except for Atlanta’s Hooper and, maybe, M Amy Walsh (sprained ankle). Walsh sprained an ankle in Canada’s 2-2 tie with the United States last Saturday and is listed as probable. … Who will win this matchup in the bandbox of Bobby Dodd Stadium? Washington is wildly inconsistent, losing three straight and then beating Carolina without Hamm, M/D Michelle French and G Siri Mullinix. Atlanta is a team that has a hard time scoring — its scored 13 goals in 12 games — and now loses the services of a marquee forward for the second straight week. … Atlanta’s Korgel gets married on Saturday in her hometown of Vail, Colo. KEY MATCHUP: Washington M/F Mia Hamm vs. Atlanta D Sharolta Nonen: Hamm has played more up top lately and should see a lot of her Canadian opponent, who has done a respectable job marking Hamm at the international level. SCHEDULED REFEREES: Referee: Peter Kokolski. Assistant Referees: Karalee Sutton (SAR), Brian D’Amato (JAR). Fourth Official: Patrick Baker. Saturday, July 7 – (7:30 pm) – Philadelphia (5-4-3, 3rd place, 18 pts) at Carolina (2-8-2, 8th place, 8 pts) (CNN/SI regional). Season series: Philadelphia leads 1-0; All-time regular-season series: Philadelphia leads 1-0 (Philadelphia leads 3-0 in aggregate goals). Leading scorers: Philadelphia: M Liu Ailing (6 g, 1 a = 13 pts); Carolina: F Danielle Fotopoulos (5 g, 2 a = 12 pts). Did you know? The last time D Doris Fitschen and F Kelly Smith played for Philadelphia was in the Charge’s June 10 win over Carolina. Key players out: Philadelphia: D Doris Fitschen (Germany/Euro 2001), G Melissa Moore (1-game suspension/red card); Carolina: G Kristin Luckenbill (1-game suspension/red card), D Nicole Roberts (tibia/fibula fracture-R). Notes: Unless Fitschen hops on a plane immediately after Germany’s Euro 2001 final vs. Sweden and avoids jet leg, she won’t be playing in Chapel Hill, N.C., this weekend. The Charge is closer to full strength with England’s Kelly Smith and the United States’ Lorrie Fair back from national team duty. The Courage has Hege Riise and Bente Nordby back from Norway duty. Philly has a good shot at reversing its recent downward spiral, which was caused mostly by injuries and absences, against last-place Carolina. … SaturdayÆs game will mark Lorrie FairÆs first WUSA game back at Fetzer Field since joining the Charge. In January, UNC retired FairÆs No. 14 jersey. KEY MATCHUP: Carolina D Staci Wilson vs. Philadelphia F Kelly Smith: The tenacious Wilson is the only member of the sieve-like Courage defense with the skill and toughness to stay with the dangerous Brit. SCHEDULED REFEREES: Referee: Nancy Lay; Assistant Referees: Jon Wilson (SAR), Marie Amatulli (JAR); Fourth Official: Abbas Piran. Sunday, July 8 – (6:00 pm) – New York (6-1-5, 1st place, 23 pts) at Bay Area (4-4-3, 5th place, 15 pts) (CNN/SI national). Season series: Tied; All-time regular-season series: Tied (0-0 tie in only meeting on June 10). Leading scorers: New York: F Tiffeny Milbrett (10 g, 2 a = 22 pts); Bay Area: F Julie Murray (4 g, 1 a = 9 pts). Did you know? Bay Area G LaKeysia Beene saved a penalty kick by Milbrett in the previous meeting to preserve the shutout. Key players out: New York: None; Bay Area: G Jen Mead (knee surgery-L), D Lauren Molinaro (tibia fracture-R). Notes: The CyberRays did not give up a goal in five June games. They shut out the Power, San Diego twice, Carolina and Philadelphia. … This should be a defensive battle, despite the presence of Milbrett and Bay Area F Katia and F Julie Murray. Both teams usually play with four in the back and have two off the best defenses in the league. They also have two of the best goalkeepers in the league in New York’s Gao Hong (second in the league with a 0.85 GAA) and the Bay Area’s Beene (third with a 1.00 GAA). KEY MATCHUP: New York F Tiffeny Milbrett vs. Bay Area D Brandi Chastain: Milbrett is on fire and faces an equally hot defense and goalkeeper. Bay Area D Thori Bryan has a better chance to keep up with the Portland product, but Milbrett’s battles with Chastain will be more telling. Chastain doesn’t have the pure speed to match Millie and will have to limit her runs forward to have any chance of staying with her U.S. teammate. SCHEDULED REFEREES: Referee: Sandra Hunt; Assistant Referees: Yader Reyes (SAR), Robert Sabella (JAR); Fourth Official: Alex Del Angel, Jr. Sunday, July 8 – (10:00 pm) – Boston (3-5-3, 7th place, 12 pts) at San Diego (3-5-4, 6th place, 13 pts) (AT&T 3, Cox Ch. 4). Season series: San Diego leads 1-0; All-time regular-season series: San Diego leads 1-0 (San Diego leads 3-1 in aggregate goals). Leading scorers: Boston: F Maren Meinert (5 g, 1 a = 11 pts); San Diego: F Shannon MacMillan (6 g, 4 a = 16 pts). Did you know? The Boston Germans — F Maren Meinert and German M Bettina Wiegmann — each played the whole way in the June 9 loss at San Diego. They won’t play in the rematch. Key players out: Boston: F Maren Meinert (Germany/Euro 2001), M Bettina Wiegmann (Germany/Euro 2001), F Robin Confer (strained back/cap relief list); San Diego: D Kristin Bengtsson (Sweden/Euro 2001), G Ulrika Karlsson (Sweden/Euro 2001), D Joy Fawcett (rehab for maternity leave). Notes: Boston has played well without its Germans in the past — as in a 4-2 win at the Bay Area on May 16 — while San Diego has played okay (a 1-1-1 record) without both of its Swedes. At some point, not having players the caliber of Meinert and Wiegmann has to hurt Boston. Since San Diego’s at home and doesn’t lose much in Bengtsson or anything in backup keeper Karlsson now that G Jaime Pagliarulo is back, the Spirit has the edge. … San Diego expects there’s a slight chance that D Joy Fawcett, who is off the maternity leave list and has been training with the Spirit, could play in its next game, July 13 at Philadelphia. KEY MATCHUP: Boston D Kate Sobrero vs. San Diego F Shannon MacMillan: Sobs is one of the best defenders in the world, but even she will have a hard time stopping Big Mac. To make matters worse, the Boston star sprained her right ankle in the United States’ 2-2 tie with Canada on June 30 and is listed as probable. SCHEDULED REFEREES: Referee: Kari Seitz; Assistant Referees: Kelly Lee (SAR), Pat Novak (JAR); Fourth Official: Debbie Hoelscher.