Here to Stay

WPS all-stars overcome slow start to knock off Swedish champions; prove that start-up league is among world’s best

By Ron Clements



If the whole soccer thing doesn’t work out, Lori Chalupny could have a career as a fortuneteller.

Selected as an all-star for Sunday’s Women’s Professional Soccer all-star game at the Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park in Fenton, the St. Louis native said the league’s best players could get off to a slow start against the Umea IK, the champions of Sweden’s pro league.
“It’s going to take us a little bit into the game to kind of get all on the same page,” Chalupny said during Saturday morning’s press conference. “I don’t think it will take too long, because a lot of us have played together at high levels, and on the national team. We’re pretty comfortable with each other.”

How right she was. But after falling down 2-0 early, the WPS all-stars stormed back with four unanswered goals to defeat the Swedish champs 4-2.

“We knew it was going to be a tough game, and we wanted to win,” Chalupny said after the match. “But at the same time, we wanted to put on a display for the fans. We wanted to be in positions where we could excel and do all of the things that make us special players.”

Chalupny added that one advantage Umea IK had was that “they were experienced playing with one another” while the WPS all-stars had one practice Saturday afternoon to get adapted to each other’s style of play.
Umea’s advantage was evident early as it jumped out to a two-goal advantage within the first 17 minutes.

Mami Yamaguchi sent a pass toward Madelaine Edlund, who found the back of the net in the second minute. In the 17th minute, after WPS goalie Karina Leblanc was unable to corral a shot, Sofia Jakobsson deflected the rebound off the left post and into the net.

“We know each other so well,” said Umea coach Mika Sankala. “That was an advantage early, of course.”

The WPS all-stars finally got on the scoreboard in the 23rd minute when Marta’s cross was passed up by Cristiane and went to Kristine Lilly. The Boston Breakers midfielder sent a low shot to the left corner, beating Umea keeper Carola Soberg.

Marta, who squandered a pair of first-half scoring opportunities, got the equalizer in the 36th minute. The three-time FIFA player of the year, and 2009 WPS MVP, took a feed from Cristiane before blasting a shot past Soberg.
“We didn’t have too much time to practice, but we know the talent of all the players,” said Marta, who referred to the match as “a party game.” “We started out slow, but as the game goes by, we started organizing ourselves better, and kept going.” Chalupny said playing with Marta was an unforgettable experience.

“It was nice playing with her instead of trying to chase her down,” Chalupny said. “She’s a phenomenal player.”

The Nerinx Hall graduate and Crestwood native added that Marta’s goal made the halftime adjustments easier.

“It was nice that we went into halftime tied,” Chalupny said. “It would have been tough down a goal, and feeling like you had to come out and get one back right away in the second half.”

It didn’t take long for the WPS stars to take control in the final 45. Just over a minute into the half, Marta dribbled free down the left side before dumping the ball to Christine Sinclair, who then knocked it in from five yards out. Sinclair, a member of the Canadian national team and FC Gold Pride, notched another goal three minutes later. She got behind the Umea defense and beat Soberg to the right corner.
Sinclair nearly completed a hat trick after taking a pass from Washington’s Abby Wambach, but her centerfield blast caromed off the crossbar.

“We’ve all played together for so long, so we know what to expect,” Sinclair said. “I’ve played against Abby and Shannon Boxx, and with Kristine Lilly for seven years, it’s like, ‘Well, I know what they like to do.’”

WPS coach Abner Rogers, the league’s coach of the year from the Los Angeles Sol, mocked Sinclair’s hat trick attempt.

“I don’t know what Sinclair was trying to do when she smashed the ball to death off the crossbar,” Rogers joked. “It’s such a great feeling when you hit it so perfect, but unfortunately that one didn’t go in.”

Sinclair countered the Los Angeles coach’s comment with a laugh.

“As a forward, you score two goals, but all you think about is the one you missed,” Sinclair said. “Being an all-star game, it would have been nice, but oh well.”

Rogers added that having Sinclair and Wambach coming off the bench was a nice luxury.

“To have Christine, and Abby as targets is a dream,” Rogers said. “They can both hold onto the ball, get to the goal and play off each other. They’re smart players. It really helped us to have two players like that.”
Umea, champions of the Damallsvenskan, were without seven players, including star forward Ramona Bachmann, who woke up Sunday morning with a fever. With a short bench, Sankala said fatigue played a factor in the second half.

“In the first half, we showed what kind of football we can play,” said Sankala, who proposed a league champions tournament. “In the second half, the U.S. team sent in seven new players, and we have only one substitution. That was a big difference.
“We were happy to be here, and I’m so proud of my team. We showed that, although we were missing many players, we have a very good Swedish team.”
Chalupny was one of just a handful of WPS players to remain on the field for all 90 minutes. She said the setting allowed for things fans normally don’t see, like a bicycle kick in the second half from Megan Rapinoe.

“The way we created scoring opportunities was exciting, and it was unpredictable,” Chalupny said. “There were fun performances from a lot of different players.”
The victory proved that the WPS was legit and here to stay.

“There’s this on-going battle over which league is the best,” Chalupny said. “The Swedish league is very good, the German league is good, the league in England is really good. There are leagues all over, but in order for us to get the best players in the world in this league, we have to prove that we’re the best league.”

Marta and Sinclair both agreed that Sunday’s performance should help the league grow.

“I think it shows that we have a lot of the best players in the world,” Sinclair said. “For us to be able to come together shows the level of play we have. This league still has a ways to go to reach the longevity of the European leagues.”