Marinette Pichon netted her sixth and seventh goals of the season and visiting Philadelphia won its second showdown this season with second-place Carolina to extend its lead to five points in the WUSA standings. Pichon, who has scored six of the Charge's past eight goals, gave Philadelphia (7-1-3, 23 points) a short-lived lead in the 26th minute and extended an advantage in the 67th before 5,244 at the SAS Stadium. Danielle Fotopoulos answered the Frenchwoman's first goal within a minute to pull the Courage (5-2-3, 18 points) even, but Kerry Connors' first goal this season, a 39th-minute blast from a deflected Pichon shot, gave Philly the lead for good. Fotopoulos' goal was her seventh this season. New York's Tiffeny Milbrett and San Jose's Katia also have seven goals, tops in the WUSA. German star Birgit Prinz got the assist; she's had a goal or assist in each of the four games she's played since arriving from FFC Frankfurt's European title run. Both Courage losses have come to Philadelphia. The Charge won on May 25 in Cary, N.C., also by a 3-1 score. Carolina plays at resurgent Washington on Saturday, and Philadelphia visits San Diego — the only team to beat the Charge this season — on Sunday. WEDNESDAY'S SUMMARY June 19 at Cary, N.C. Carolina 1 Philadelphia 3. Goals: Pichon (Mitts) 26, Connors 39, Pichon (Zhao, Connors) 67; Fotopoulos (Prinz) 27. Carolina — Luckenbill; Burt, Overbeck (Fettig, 46), O'Hanley (Anderson, 81), Dlaton; T. Roberts, Lehn, Riise; Barnes (James, 46), Fotopoulos, Prinz. Philadelphia — Moore; Mitts, Iverson, Tietjen, Benson; Tullock, Zhao (Clemens, 79), Fair, Monroe (Demko, 71), Connors (McDowell, 88), Pichon. Yellow cards — Carolina: Slaton 73. Referee — Sandra Hunt. A — 5,244. STANDINGS 1. Philadelphia 7-1-2, 23 points; 2. Carolina 5-2-3, 18; 3. San Jose 5-3-2, 17; 4. Atlanta 5-4-1, 16; 5. Washington 4-4-3, 15; 6. Boston 2-5-4, 10; 7. San Diego 2-6-2, 8; 8. New York 2-7-1, 7. THIS WEEKEND'S GAMES
Saturday, June 22
Carolina at Washington, 4 p.m.
San Jose at Atlanta, 7 p.m.
New York at Boston, 7 p.m. Sunday, June 23
Philadelphia at San Diego, 8 p.m. All times EDT.