The Washington Freedom blew a chance to clinch a playoff berth last weekend with a 2-1 loss to Chicago, but they still control their destiny headed into the final game of the season this weekend at Maryland SoccerPlex against Atlanta.
Ahead of Chicago (7-11-6, 27 points) and Sky Blue (7-10-6, 27 points) by just a single point – the Red Stars’ season is over, however – the Freedom (7-9-7, 28 points) will clinch with a victory over the bottom-feeding Beat (5-12-6, 21 points), but they could advance if they draw and Sky Blue does the same in its final game at home against Boston.
In the meantime, Freedom goalkeeper Briana Scurry, who manned the nets for the 1999 World Cup-winning U.S. women, is making a major career announcement tomorrow (retiring? Seems likely). Scurry, who turns 39 today, has played only 45 minutes this season while dealing with a head injury and saw just three starts last year.
On the current U.S. women’s team front, Freedom players Abby Wambach and Sarah Huffman were called up as part of a 30-player preliminary roster for CONCACAF qualifying for next summer’s 2011 Women’s World Cup. Dumfries native Ali Kreiger was also named to the camp. Eighteen players will make the roster for two matches against China, on Oct. 2 at Kennesaw State University outside of Atlanta and Oct. 6 at PPL Park outside of Philadelphia, and then 20 will be selected for the CONCACAF qualifying tournament, which begins at the end of October in Cancun and Playa del Carmen, Mexico.
