WUSA Week 5 Predictions and Previews

Predictions

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

Previews

(all times ET) Saturday, May 12 – (noon) – San Diego (1-1-1) at Atlanta (1-0-2) (TNT). Season series: First Meeting; All-time regular-season series: First Meeting. Leading scorers: San Diego: F Shannon MacMillan (2 g = 4 pts); Atlanta: Sawa (1 g = 2 pts). Did you know? San Diego and Atlanta are both Cox-operated teams. They met in a March 9 preseason match in El Paso, Texas, where Atlanta won, 3-2. They played again on March 28 in Spring Training in Chula Vista., Calif., where Atlanta won, 2-0. The series has produced three penalty kicks and a broken jaw (Beat M Marci Miller). Key players out: San Diego: M Trudi Sharpsteen (arthroscopic knee surgery-R); Atlanta: M Sara Reading (knee-R). Notes: With G Ulrika Karlsson playing for Sweden, San Diego called up G Carly Smolak from the reserve squad. San Diego D Kristin Bengtsson is also away with Sweden. Sharpsteen is on the seven-day injured list. … San Diego F Shannon MacMillan was named player of the week for her two-goal outburst in the Spirit’s May 5 win over Washington. … Last week’s return of Atlanta’s Miller and, potentially, more minutes for F Sun Wen could signal a goalscoring explosion for the Beat, especially with Bengtsson out. But the Spirit defense has played better of late, shutting out New York and Washington after allowing two goals in a season-opening loss to Philadelphia. San Diego G Jaime Pagliarulo earned both shut outs after replacing Karlsson in the starting lineup. … Atlanta M Nikki Lamb (bronchitis) is expected to return to action this week after missing last weekÆs 1-0 win at Boston. KEY MATCHUP: San Diego F Shannon MacMillan vs. Atlanta D Sharolta Nonen: Big Mac broke out in a big way last week. Atlanta’s “no-name” defense is one of the best in the league, but the speedy and physical Nonen, a Canadian international, may be the only Beat defender who can match up with the U.S. Olympian. SCHEDULED REFEREES: Referee: Ricardo Salazar; Assistant Referees: Melanie Johnson (SAR), Corey Rockwell (JAR). Fourth Official: Thomas Rathgeb. Saturday, May 12 – (2:00 p.m.) – Washington (2-1-0) at Boston (1-1-1) (AT&T 3). Season series: First Meeting; All-time regular-season series: First Meeting. Leading scorers: Washington: F Pretinha (2 g = 4 pts); Boston: M Kristine Lilly and F Maren Meinert (each w/1 g = 2 pts). Did you know? The last time Boston M Bettina Wiegmann played in the Washington, D.C, area, she scored an amazing goal against the United States in a World Cup ’99 quarterfinal. The United States won that match, which was played in Jack Kent Cooke Stadium (now FedExField) in Raljon, Md. Key players out: Washington: None; Boston: None. Notes: This is the first of two Washington double-headers with MLS’s D.C. United, which plays the San Jose Earthquakes after the WUSA match. D.C. and Washington officials expect a crowd of 30,000. … This will be the first time Washington G Siri Mullinix faces Boston F Dagny Mellgren since Norway’s Mellgren scored a controversial golden goal against Mullinix and the United States in the 2000 Olympic final. … Washington M Anne Makinen is done with school but may not be ready to play. … Washington coach Jim Gabarra might use Freedom M Bai Jie at right mid, meaning M Mia Hamm may move up top. KEY MATCHUP: Washington M Mia Hamm vs. Boston M Keri Raygor: Washington doesn’t get much playmaking out of its central midfield and relies on Hamm to give it a spark. Bai Jie may get that role against Boston. Raygor has the pace and defensive skills to keep up with Hamm, her former North Carolina teammate. SCHEDULED REFEREES: Referee: Todd Perry. Assistant Referees: Bill Dittmar (SAR), Sarah Kraus (JAR). Fourth Official: John Schmitz. Sunday, May 13 – (5:00 p.m.) – Carolina (0-3-0) at Bay Area (0-2-1) (Fox Sports Net Bay Area). Season series: First Meeting; All-time regular-season series: First Meeting. Leading scorers: Carolina: F Silvana Burtini and F Danielle Fotopoulos (each w/1 g = 2 pts); Bay Area: M Sissi (1 g, 1 a = 3 pts). Did you know? Through three game, more fans (55,250) have come to watch the CyberRays than any other WUSA team. The C-Rays also lead the league in shots (43) and shots on goal (28). Key players out: Carolina: D Staci Wilson (hip flexor), M Nicole Roberts (fractured tibia and fibula in leg-R); Bay Area: D Lauren Molinaro (broken ankle-R). Notes: Bay Area M Tisha Venturini (broken wrist-L) and F Katia (sprained ankle-L) are game-time decisions. D Kelly Lindsey is back from taking final exams at Notre Dame. … Carolina players were upset with their flat performance in a 3-1 loss at New York last week but head into the Bay Area after a good week of practice. … The Bay Area placed Katia on the seven-day injured list on May 3, so she’s eligible to play this weekend…. Carolina placed M Nicole Roberts on the cap relief list. … The Courage may need to score a few times to secure a win this weekend because its leaky defense has hurt the club the last two weeks. Carolina took early 1-0 leads but still lost to Washington, 2-1, and New York. … The CyberRays had their own defensive problems last week on the carpet at Villanova Stadium, as they gave up three goals to a Philadelphia team missing F Kelly Smith. Lindsey’s return to central defense should help. … Courage F Mikka Hansen (San Jose, Calif.) and D/M Tiffany Roberts (San Ramon, Calif.) are Northern California products. KEY MATCHUP: Carolina M Hege Riise vs. Bay Area M Amy Walsh: If the Courage makes proper use of its Norwegian playmaker, then Riise should see a lot of the CyberRays’ Canadian. The C-Rays’ defensive midfielder needs to rein in Riise or the dormant Carolina attack might wake up. SCHEDULED REFEREES: Referee: Mark Arblaster. Assistant Referees: Emiliano Monje (SAR), Alex Del Angel (JAR). Jr. Fourth Official: Yader Reyes. Sunday, May 13 – (6:00 p.m.) – Philadelphia (2-0-1) at New York (1-0-2) (CN8, MSG). Season series: First Meeting; All-time regular-season series: First Meeting. Leading scorers: Philadelphia: M Michelle Demko, D Doris Fitschen, F Erin Martin, M Margret Olafsdottir and F Kelly Smith (each w/1 g = 2 pts); New York: D Nel Fettig, F Tiffeny Milbrett and F Tammy Pearman (each w/1 g = 2 pts). Did you know? Philadelphia M/F Lorrie Fair is 32 minutes older than New York D Ronnie Fair, her twin sister. Key players out: Philadelphia: D Erica Iverson (stress fracture foot-R), G Melissa Moore (broken hand-R), F Kelly Smith (stress fracture ankle-R); New York: F Ann Kristin Aarones (lower back), M Jen Lalor (sprained ankle-L). Notes: Philly placed Iverson, Moore and Smith on the seven-day injured list. … New York, fresh from its paltry 3,184 attendance last week, has a special promotion on the day of the match, which is on Mother’s Day — fans who buy tickets can bring their mothers for free. The Power is promoting the fact that May Fair, the mother of New York’s Ronnie and Philadelphia’s Lorrie, will be at Mitchel Athletic Complex to watch her twins play against each other. KEY MATCHUP: Philadelphia F Lorrie Fair vs. New York D Christie Pearce: If Fair, normally a midfielder, plays up front as she did last week against the Bay Area, she will meet up with her Olympic teammate at some point. Fair and Charge F Erin Martin need to put pressure on New York’s right back, otherwise Pearce will be free to push forward and get into the attack. SCHEDULED REFEREES: Referee: Jennifer Bennett. Assistant Referees: John Konstantinidis (SAR), Irwin Medina (JAR). Fourth Official: Thomas Shenk.