Washington Freedom 1, Chicago Red Stars 1
There’s no doubt that Abby Wambach’s goal-scoring will play a crucial part in the foundation and storyline of Women’s Professional Soccer.
But on a night when Wambach – in many ways still newly recovered from a broken leg suffered nearly a year ago – did everything put the ball in the back of the net, WPS found itself with dissipating clouds revealing a spectacular blue-skied evening to reintroduce the region to the Freedom (0-1-1), who dominated a 1-1 tie with the Chicago Red Stars (1-0-1) in front of 5,028 at Maryland SoccerPlex.
“It was fabulous,” said Freedom head coach Jim Gabarra. “It’s so much different than anything we’ve had here at SoccerPlex in W-League and even exhibition games. I think everybody left here real happy, and the product on the field looks great.”
Instead of Wambach, who has 99 goals in 127 appearances, scoring the Freedom’s first WPS goal, it was defender Becky Sauerbrunn, who has played for the U.S. twice, redirecting a free kick by insatiable French left wing Sonia Bompastor into the top left corner the 54th minute.
“Sonia played a great ball in with her left,” said Sauerbrunn. “It was near post, and I just got my head on it, and it just went where it had to go. It was actually kind of lucky. But it wouldn’t have happened if Sonia hadn’t played such a nice ball.”
Chicago defender Frida Östberg, who received a yellow card for a foul on Bompastor that led to the free kick and goal, was booked a second time nine minutes later after taking down Freedom forward Lisa De Vanna, leaving the Red Stars with ten players for the remaining 27 minutes.
The advantage played a big part in Washington’s 26-8 advantage in shots (14-0 in the second half), none better than Wambach’s diving header in the 82nd minute, which Chicago goalkeeper Caroline Jönsson equaled with a diving save to her right.
“I’m not frustrated,” said Wambach. “I just want to score.”
Fellow U.S. national teamer Lindsay Tarpley beat Freedom goalkeeper Briana Scurry from the right side after latching onto a through ball that had missed its target and the Washington defense to put the Red Stars ahead in the 29th minute.
But the night belonged to the Freedom and to the biggest SoccerPlex crowd since the 2006 ACC men’s championship.
“We weren’t expecting that many people so it was great that everyone turned out,” said Sauerbrunn. “It was nice that the weather cleared up, and the atmosphere was amazing. It sounded like a stadium. The fans were great. You couldn’t ask for anything better than that.”
