Flash Takes Title on Penalties

One hundred and twenty minutes of soccer didn't end in a decision between the top two teams in WPS. The first four penalty kicks for each side didn't render a decision either. But after Yael Averbuch converted Western New York's fifth attempt, Ashlyn Harris correctly guessed on Laura del Rio's attempt and pushed it wide of the net to give the Flash the 2011 WPS Championship.

The afternoon's action included one goal from each team, a physical battle leaving several players on the turf at times, overtime, and a wayward squirrel. The crowd of 10,461 in Rochester were rewarded with an exciting match and a title for the home team.

Independence Coach Riley repeated his starting lineup from their first playoff match, employing a 4-4-2, with Veronica Boquete in the midfield. Aaran Lines elected to go with a 4-3-3, starting all of his big three, Christine Sinclair, Marta, and Alex Morgan.

The first half saw few scoring chances. There was no flow to the game whatsoever and most of the opening 45 minutes were played in the middle of the field. Two rather long interruptions made the first half an even more disjointed affair.

In the 10th minute of the match, Tasha Kai and Brittany Bock went up to contest a header, with Bock winning the ball and her elbow finding Kai's head. Kai was down for several minutes before being helped off the field. She soon returned to action, but it was hard to tell just how much the knock affected her play.

Five minutes later, a squirrel decided to get into the action in the Philadelphia penalty area, near Independence goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart. When asked politely to leave the field, the squirrel refused, which forced security to escort the confused animal off the field before play could resume. The delay lasted over four minutes.

The first good scoring chance of the match came in the 28th minute. Veronica Boquete burst into the right side of the penalty area, then hit a low ball across to Kai. The ball was slightly behind Kai and she got nothing on her shot which rolled right to Harris.

The defense for both teams stood out in the first half. Anytime either team got anywhere close to the goal, the chance was quickly thwarted by the opposing back line. With both teams attacking directly, several players were often bunched in the center of the field and little progress was made there.

The Flashes' best opportunity came late in the half as an Ali Riley cross from the left side appeared headed toward Alex Morgan, but Jen Buczkowski stepped in just in time to head the ball out of trouble.

The first half ended scoreless, a position which given their history, seem to favor the Independence. They had been blanked in the 1st half ten times previously, but managed to win six of those matches with another two ending in ties. No changes were made to the lineups at the half.

Philadelphia had a golden opportunity to take the lead in the 54th minute. Veronica Boquete played a beautiful ball over the top of the Flash back line, with Amy Rodriguez getting behind the defense. Rodriguez was in on a clear cut breakaway. With Ashlyn Harris coming out to cut her off, Rodriguez' touch was too heavy getting around the Flash keeper and she forced herself to a wide angle to get a shot off. Eventually, the Independence striker found Kai, whose shot went wide.

Western New York came close in the 63rd minute with Christine Sinclair getting off a shot from the left side of the penalty area from 12 yards, but her chip went just over the bar and landed on top of the netting. The Independence weren't nearly so fortunate a minute later.

Candace Chapman took possession in the center circle and sent a ball over the top of Philly's defense to the left side, with Sinclair timing her run perfectly. Sinclair dribbled in and placed her shot inside the right post, beating Barnhart to give the Flash a 1-0 lead.

Paul Riley sent Danesha Adams and Laura del Rio in for Kai and DiMartino in the 73rd minute, the first substitutions of the match. Lines followed by sending in Beverly Goebel in for Becky Edwards, who had earned a yellow card earlier in the match.

Play opened up a bit after the goal, but scoring chances were still hard to come by. Riley attempted a low shot from 30 yards in the 83rd minute that was smothered by Barnhart.

Philadelphia made their final substitution in the 84th minute, sending on Lianne Sanderson for Jen Buczkowski. The move was designed to provide more offense in the final few minutes. It was the first time all season that Buczkowski had been subbed out.

With Philadelphia pushing forward and time winding down, the Independence took advantage of their final chance. Sanderson sent the ball to forward to Kia McNeill, who had been sent forward into an attacking position from her normal back line role. McNeill gained control and sent a short pass to Adams, just inside 18 yards. Adam's shot was deflected by Flash defender Rebecca Moros, with the ball hitting the right post and then off Harris to the right side of the box.

Waiting for the ball was Rodriguez, who hit a hard, low shot from a seemingly impossible angle. The ball caught Harris still off balance from the previous shot and went right through her legs and into the net to tie the score as the clock ticked into the 88th minute.

The Flash had one final chance to end it in regulation with Marta crossing the ball to Goebel, who put the ball off the crossbar. The first 90 minutes ended in a 1-1 tie.

Midway through the first overtime, Goebel picked up a yellow card, which at the time seemed inconsequential, but later nearly proved otherwise.

In the 102nd minute, Laura del Rio sent a perfect cross over the Flash defense. Rodriguez tried to one-time it, but struck it poorly with the ball rolling wide of the right post. A minute later, Sanderson centered the ball for Rodriguez who, under heavy pressure, sent the ball over the net.

Aaran Lines made his final two substitutions, sending in Averbuch for Brittany Bock near the end of the first overtime and then subbing in McCall Zerboni for Alex Morgan in the intermission between overtimes.

At the start of the second overtime, Marta took a shot from 15 yards out on the left side of the box, with the ball going high over the net.
Three minutes into the second overtime, Goebel received her second yellow card of the match and was sent off, leaving the Flash shorthanded for the remainder of the match.

A couple minutes later, del Rio sent a shot just wide of the net from 20 yards out. Rodriguez had another opportunity in the 117th minute. She was fed by Boquete, but couldn't settle the ball and skied it over the net.

The Flash came within an eyelash of winning it in the 120th minute. Zerboni's header from 12 yards out was headed for the left side of the net, but Barnhart dove and was able to reach behind her to keep the ball out and tip it wide. It was the best save of the match to that point.

The game went to penalties and Marta stepped up to take the first one for the Flash. Barnhart guessed correctly, getting her hand on it, but she couldn't keep it out of the net. 1-0 Flash in penalties.

Lianne Sanderson went first for the Independence and went dead center as Harris' dive took her out of the way. Christine Sinclair and McCall Zerboni converted for WNY, while Danesha Adams made hers to make it 3-2 in favor of the Flash going into the Independence's third attempt.

Harris was able to get her arm on Leigh Ann Robinson's attempt headed for the right side of the net, but the ball caromed off her arm, landed squarely on the goal line and rolled over before Harris could do anything else about it. It now stood even at three apiece.

Caroline Seger of the Flash and Boquete for Philadelphia converted the fourth attempt for each team. Yael Averbuch stepped up to take the Flashes' fifth attempt and placed it perfectly inside the right post, with Barnhart guessing wrong.

That left it to del Rio to attempt Philly's fifth penalty. del Rio hit it just inside the right post, but elevated to near waist level. Harris anticipated perfectly and was able to parry the ball away with both hands. Western New York had survived, taking the match by a 5-4 margin in penalties.

The expansion Western New York Flash had won the title, although they were expansion in technical terms only. Most considered them one of the preseason favorites from the start.

Christine Sinclair was awarded the MVP of the Championship match. For Sinclair, it was her second consecutive championship after winning in 2010 with FC Gold Pride. The same was true of teammates Candace Chapman, Ali Riley, Becky Edwards, Kandace Wilson, Brittany Cameron, and Marta.

Both teams played brilliant defensively for the majority of the match. The center backs for both teams snuffed out attack after attack. In the end, the only thing that separated the two teams was a penalty kick.

Philadelphia finished runner-up for the second consecutive season, playing against several of the same players that they faced in last year's championship against Gold Pride.

It was an exciting conclusion to the WPS season, which saw improved all-around play throughout the season and significantly improved attendances after the World Cup. Hopefully, that will bode well for the 2012 WPS season. But as for the 2011 season, it belonged to the Western New York Flash.

Western New York Flash 1, Philadelphia 1 (WNY wins on penalties 5-4)

WNY-Christine Sinclair (Candace Chapman) 64'
PHI-Amy Rodriguez (unassisted) 88'

Western New York - Ashlyn Harris, Ali Riley, Candace Chapman, Whitney Engen, Rebecca Moros, Caroline Seger, Becky Edwards (Beverly Goebel 76), Brittany Bock (Yael Averbuch 104), Marta, Christine Sinclair, Alex Morgan (McCall Zerboni 106).

Philadelphia - Nicole Barnhart, Leigh Ann Robinson, Nikki Krzysik, Kia McNeill, Estelle Johnson, Jen Buczkowski (Lianne Sanderson 84), Tina DiMartino (Laura del Rio 73), Sinead Farrelly, Veronica Boquete, Tasha Kai (Danesha Adams 73), Amy Rodriguez.

Shots - Western New York 10, Philadelphia 12
SOG - Western New York 5, Philadelphia 2
YC - Becky Edwards 25; Veronica Boquete 90+; Beverly Goebel 96; Marta 103; Beverly Goebel 108 (second yellow-ejection).

Attendance - 10,461