Prediction

Here are Soccer America Associate Editor Dean Caparaz’s predictions for the May 26-27 games: Carolina 1 San Diego 2 Boston 2 Philadelphia 1 New York 3 Washington 2 Bay Area 1 Atlanta 3

Preview

(all times ET) Saturday, May 26 – (noon) – San Diego (1-2-2, 6th place, 5 points) at Carolina (0-4-1, 8th place, 1 point) (TNT). Season series: First meeting; All-time regular-season series: First meeting. Leading scorers: San Diego: F Shannon MacMillan (2 g = 4 pts); Carolina: F Danielle Fotopoulos (2 g = 4 pts). Did you know? San Diego D Joy Fawcett played with Carolina coach Marcia McDermott in the latter’s last match with the U.S. national team. The United States lost that match, 1-0, to Norway in Punyu, China, on June 8, 1988. Key players out: San Diego: M Trudi Sharpsteen (arthroscopic knee surgery, cartilage-R); Carolina: D Wen Lirong (bruised eye-R), D Staci Wilson (strained hip flexor), M Nicole Roberts (fractured tibia and fibula in leg-R). Notes: Carolina’s Wen was injured in practice when a crossed ball hit her in the eye. There was no major damage, though the eye did swell and there was some bleeding in the rear of the eye. She is sitting out as a precautionary measure. … This has all the makings of a low scoring game. Both teams have trouble finishing, though Carolina broke out for two goals in last week’s 2-2 tie with Washington. However, San Diego has a quality backline, while Carolina has misfiring forwards in Meredith Florance and, other than on set pieces, Danielle Fotopoulos. … San Diego D Fan Yunjie (groin strain) and F Traci Arkenberg (sore ankle-R) are probable. F Tara Koleski is expected to start over M Jen Mascaro (knee strain-R) in midfield. Fan, Arkenberg and Mascaro each played limited minutes in last week’s 1-0 home loss to New York. … Carolina F Maren Hendershot got engaged last week. KEY MATCHUP: San Diego M Julie Foudy vs. Carolina M Erin Baxter: Since M Tiffany Roberts will move to the back to replace Wen, M Erin Baxter will replace TR as the defensive midfielder. Roberts did a good job shadowing Bay Area M Sissi and Washington M Mia Hamm the past two weeks. She would’ve had that same role against Foudy, but now that task falls to Baxter. If the former Florida Gator can keep the former Stanford star from creating for the scoring-challenged Spirit, that would be a big boost for Carolina’s overworked defense. SCHEDULED REFEREES: Referee: Brenda Wright; Assistant Referees: Steven Taylor (SAR), Sandra Serafini (JAR). Fourth Official: Kim Oberle. Sunday, May 27 – (6:00 pm) – Philadelphia (2-1-2, tied for 3rd place, 8 pts) at Boston (2-1-2, tied for 3rd place, 8 pts) (CNN/SI). Season series: First meeting; All-time regular-season series: First meeting. Leading scorers: Philadelphia: D Michelle Demko, D Doris Fitschen, F Rakel Karvelsson, F Erin Martin, M Rebekah McDowell, M Margret Olafsdottir, F Kelly Smith (each w/1g = 2 pts); Boston: F Dagny Mellgren and F Maren Meinert (each w/2 g = 4 pts). Did you know? Philadelphia F Deidre Enos scored a school-record 51 goals and 121 points goals for Boston University (1997-2000). Key players out: Philadelphia: D Erica Iverson (stress fracture foot-R), G Melissa Moore (broken hand-R), F Kelly Smith (stress fracture ankle-R); Boston: M Heather Aldama (school). Notes: The Charge will be tired, coming off a Thursday night 2-0 loss to Atlanta in Philly. … Boston’s Aldama, finishing up classes at Santa Clara, will rejoin the Breakers midway through next week. … This match features the league’s three German players — Philadelphia D Doris Fitschen and Boston M Bettina Wiegmann and F Maren Meinert. KEY MATCHUP: Philadelphia M Rebekah McDowell vs. Boston F Maren Meinert: The North Carolina alumna needs to keep Meinert under control, as the German international is the linchpin of the Breakers attack. Meinert starts out up top but usually drifts back to midfield. SCHEDULED REFEREES: Referee: Thomas Perry; Assistant Referees: Jennifer Bennett (SAR), Claudio Badea (JAR). Fourth Official: Bahij A. Salman. Sunday, May 27 – (7:00 pm) – Washington (2-1-2, tied for 3rd place, 8 pts) at New York (2-0-3, tied for 1st place, 9 pts) (MSG). Season series: First meeting; All-time regular-season series: First meeting. Leading scorers: Washington: F Pretinha (4 g = 8 pts) New York: F Tiffeny Milbrett (2 g = 4 pts). Did you know? New York defeated Washington, 4-2, in Spring Training, as Freedom M Mia Hamm watched from the sidelines. Key players out: Washington: None; New York: None. Notes: Washington M Anne Makinen has her work visa and is on the club’s 20-player active roster. Coach Jim Gabarra expects to play the Finnish international from 20 to 45 minutes, perhaps as a second-half substitution, against New York. … New York hopes to have F Ann Kristin Aarones back from a lower back injury. … Washington needs to tighten up the defense after it allowed four goals in the second half of each of the last two games, squandering a 2-0 lead each time. In particular, Freedom D Skylar Little needs to rebound from a sub-par game at Carolina. KEY MATCHUP: Washington M Jen Grubb vs. New York F Tammy Pearman: The Freedom will have a hard time tracking the speedy Pearman from her withdrawn forward position. Grubb, the former U.S. national team defender, doesn’t have the pace to keep up with the George Mason product, so she’ll have to rely on her defensive savvy and help from her teammates. SCHEDULED REFEREES: TBA. Sunday, May 27 – (10:00 pm) – Atlanta (2-0-3, tied for 1st place, 9 pts) at Bay Area (1-3-1, 7th place, 4 pts)(KICU-Ch. 36). Season series: First meeting; All-time regular-season series: First meeting. Leading scorers: Leading scorers: Atlanta: F Charmaine Hooper (1 g, 1 a = 3 pts); Bay Area: M Sissi (1 g, 3 assists = 5 pts). Did you know? When Beat M Amy Walsh left the Bay Area last Monday for Atlanta, she brought just one bag of clothes to get her through next Monday. She’ll pick up more of her things on this trip. “I’m excited to be back out there, even though it’ll be against girls who are my good friends,” Walsh said. Key players out: Atlanta: M Sara Reading (knee-R); Bay Area: Bay Area: D Lauren Molinaro (broken ankle-R). Notes: Atlanta will be tired. The Beat flies into the Bay Area Friday afternoon after a Thursday night win at Philadelphia. A Friday afternoon press conference for Atlanta F Sun Wen and M Homare Sawa won’t help the Asian stars. … The status of Atlanta M Nikki Serlenga is up in the air. Walsh made her Atlanta debut in place of the former Santa Clara star in Philadelphia because Serlenga has a nagging right hamstring strain that bothered her in pre-game warmups. … The CyberRays have already sold more than 4,686 tickets for the Atlanta match. The C-Rays drew just 4,686 for its last home match. … The earliest Danish D Lene Terp will play for the Bay Area is in the June 2 match at San Diego. Terp is still in Denmark awaiting her work visa. KEY MATCHUP: Atlanta M Amy Walsh vs. Bay Area M Sissi: Any team that can shut down the Brazilian star has a good chance of knocking off the CyberRays. Walsh, the former CyberRay, is relishing her return to the Bay Area and should match up well with either Sissi, M Tisha Venturini or M Brandi Chastain in central midfield. SCHEDULED REFEREES: Referee: Arnold Baldeaux; Assistant Referees: John E. Wilson (SAR), Robert E. Sabella (JAR). Fourth Official: Alex Del Angel Jr.