We have growing to do but it felt good to get this match under our belts. — Philadelphia Independence Head Coach, Paul Riley

There were no goals scored, but Sunday night’s opener between expansion clubs Atlanta Beat and Philadelphia Independence had just about everything else, including 6,028 fans at John A. Farrell Stadium.  The opening WPS match for both clubs capped a spectacular weekend for soccer in Philadelphia where one day earlier the city’s MLS entry, the Union, opened in front of 34,870 that included several Independence players.

“The atmosphere was awesome,” said forward Amy Rodriguez of the Independence’s match.  “It was actually quite motivating to play in front of all those spirited fans.  It was pretty cool.  I had a good time.”

Rodriguez may have had a better time had she finished a late chance that would have given the home side the full three points.  She had just received word from referee Daniel Fitzgerald that the final whistle would blow in about 30 seconds when she found the ball at her feet and played a give-and-go with Lianne Sanderson that set her up with a chance to win it.

“That was tough.  I look back and I just wish that I could have another go at it,” Rodriguez said.  “I ended up going right in on goal with (Allison) Whitworth the Atlanta ‘keeper and to her credit she made a great save.  I just knew at that moment that was going to be the last chance of the game.”

The Beat’s best scoring opportunity came in the first half through Amanda Cinalli whose header hit the right post.

“The score was probably what was warranted,” Beat General Manager Shawn McGee said.  “I think our team played really well.”

Both teams played shorthanded on the night as well.  The Beat were without Ramona Bachmann and Monica Ocampo who were both ruled out shortly before the team boarded its plane for Philadelphia.  The Independence were missing an injured Heather Mitts and a suspended Allison Falk.

“Estelle (Johnson) played her first professional match tonight and she did well but she was a bit like a deer in headlights,” Independence coach Paul Riley said of Mitts’s replacement on the backline.  “I thought we played well for our first game together.  We had national team players leave during preseason and we have only one game played with everyone there so I think overall it was a good showing.  We have growing to do but it felt good to get this match under our belts.”

Most important though, the match and the stadium experience drew high praise, even from the Beat, who will open their very own stadium in less than a month.

“It was a great day and Philly was a great host all weekend long,” McGee said.  “I thought it was very professional.  The whole event was a very good thing.”

Both teams are out on the road for their first matches against returning teams this Sunday.  The Independence will head to Boston for the Breakers’ home opener and the Beat will visit the Freedom at the Maryland SoccerPlex.

One mom plays, one mom watches

To look at Christie Rampone, you would never guess she gave birth less than six weeks ago or that she has not so much as run for more than two months.  But there she was Sunday night, relegated to spectator for Sky Blue FC’s opening match against the Chicago Red Stars.  Just don’t expect Rampone’s stagnant state to last for long.  She’ll be running this week and has June 6 circled on her calendar as the day she hopes to return to the lineup.

“I was actually on bed rest for a little bit and it’s six weeks now so it’s been like two months since I’ve done anything so I’m ready,” Rampone said after the match.  “I’m itching, especially with this nice weather I’m like ‘let’s go!’”

“That girl’s a rock star,” said Red Stars defender Kate Markgraf, who delivered twins last June and was playing her first competitive match since.  “I’m surprised she’s not playing already.  She’ll have no problem and she’ll be one of the best in the whole (league) within a day.  She’ll be fine.”

Rampone though, is taking nothing for granted as usual.

“I still have to earn my spot back,” she said.  “I’ll have to definitely prove myself to get back on the field.”

Teammates on the storied 1999 Women’s World Cup championship team, Rampone and Markgraf now share in being Soccer Moms.  In addition to newborn daughter, Reece, Rampone and her husband, Chris, also have a four-year-old daughter, Rylie.  Markgraf and her husband, Chris, meanwhile, have a son, Keegan, who will turn four in July, along with soon-to-be one-year-old twins son, Xavier, and daughter, Carson.

After Sunday’s match, Rampone had high praise for Markgraf.

“She did awesome tonight,” Rampone said.  “She looked great out there.  She had her speed back and was tracking everyone back and I think she organized the defense for them and did a great job.  It’s fun to see her back on the field.  She’s coming back from twins, which is amazing.”

It was Markgraf’s first time on the field since she last played for the National Team nearly a year and a half ago.  She wore the captain’s armband for the Red Stars and seemed pleased—if tired—with her 90 minutes.

“I don’t think I’ve had so many muscles cramp in my life as I did tonight,” she said.  “It’s my first game since December 2008.  The quality of the league is pretty impressive.  If you let down for five minutes, they’re going to score.”

Asked if it was fun to be back, Markgraf answered, “I have three kids.  If this wasn’t fun, I’d retire.  I had fun.”

Last week’s matches, formations, and tactical tidbits

Washington Freedom 1, Boston Breakers 2:  Lauren Cheney and Kelly Smith put the Breakers ahead two goals before 20 minutes were up and the Breakers withstood a late Freedom surge that included an Allie Long goal.  Cheney scored on a low-driven ball following a short corner kick and Smith capitalized when Cat Whitehill misjudged a ball in the box.  Developmental goalkeeper Ashley Phillips made a pair of saves to win on her WPS debut.

Boston Breakers:  Kasey Moore won the only open job on the backline and started centrally next to Amy LePeilbet.  As expected, Alex Scott (r) and Stephanie Cox (l) manned the wings.

Washington Freedom:  Despite earlier decrees to the contrary, Jim Gabarra sent Sonia Bompastor out as the left back and Rebecca Moros took the right side.  Rookie Nikki Marshall joined Cat Whitehill in the middle.  Last year’s starting center back Becky Sauerbrunn moved up to play on top of the defense next to Allie Long in the Freedom’s 4-2-3-1 formation.  Abby Wambach was the lone forward.

Saint Louis Athletica 2, FC Gold Pride 0:  After failing to score for three games and to win for four in 2009, Athletica got 2010 off to a flying start behind two Eniola Aluko goals that spoiled Marta’s FC Gold Pride debut.  Shannon Boxx assisted on both goals in her first time suiting up for Athletica.  Hope Solo made six saves to keep a clean sheet.

Saint Louis Athletica:  Right to left in front of Hope Solo, they went with Sarah Wagenfuhr, Tina Ellertson, Kendall Fletcher, and Elise Weber.  Jorge Barcellos went with a 4-3-3 for the first time with Lori Chalupny (yes, she’s back!) playing wide up top opposite Aya Miyama.

FC Gold Pride:  Kaley Fountain got the nod at right back over Kandace Wilson before yielding early to Wilson.  Candace Chapman joined Rachel Buehler in the middle with Ali Riley on the left.  Marta spent most of the match in midfield playing behind Christine Sinclair, Tiffeny Milbrett, and Kelley O’Hara.

Sky Blue FC 1, Chicago Red Stars 0:  Tasha Kai put the champs ahead in the 6th minute and the Red Stars gradually wore down their hosts late, but there was no equalizer to be had.  A late sequence saw Sky Blue FC goalkeeper Karen Bardsley take down fellow Englishwoman Karen Carney in the box, but referee Ted Unkel held his whistle, denying the Red Stars a penalty that could have leveled the match.

Chicago Red Stars:  Right to left, the back line featured Marian Dalmy, Kate Markgraf, Ifeoma Dieke, and Whitney Engen.  The rest of the team mixed and matched throughout the night with Katie Chapman and Brittany Klein among those playing everywhere from defensive midfield to forward.

Sky Blue FC:  Keeley Dowling and Meghan Schnur returned to the right and left fullback spots they won midway through last season while Daphne Koster and Brittany Taylor slotted in centrally.

Philadelphia Independence 0, Atlanta Beat 0:  The new expansion teams each collected a point in a scoreless draw.  The Beat carried play in the first half, the Independence in the second and both teams had their share of near misses.  Amanda Cinalli had the closest call for the Beat when she headed one off the woodwork midway through the first half.  Amy Rodriguez’s chance to win it in stoppage time was saved by Allison Whitworth, who along with Karina LeBlanc posted shutouts.

Atlanta Beat:  Kia McNeill and Stacy Bishop lined up in the middle of the defense with Leigh Ann Robinson at right back and Lauren Sesselman on the left side.  Tobin Heath started and nearly lasted the whole match despite missing most of training camp due to illness.

Philadelphia Independence:  A 4-3-3 formation saw Estelle Johnson fill in for Heather Mitts at right back with Kia McNeill and Sara Larson in the middle. Holmfridur Magnusdottir, the league’s first Icelandic player, started at left back.

Bird’s-Eye View

Here are three personal observations from Sunday night’s Sky Blue FC-Red Stars contest.  I will include this section in The Lowdown whenever I have the luxury of taking in a live game:

1) Meghan Schnur was far and away the best Sky Blue player.  She not only thwarted attacks with smart play and aggressive tackling, she was often able to win balls outright from Red Stars attackers.  Schnur was recently brought into the U.S. National Team fold and could well be the left fullback of choice in time for the FIFA Women’s World Cup next summer.
2) Sweden’s Kosovare Asllani displayed some impressive ball skills in her WPS debut.  If her teammates can find ways to make better runs and finish the chances they get from her, Asllani will be as difficult a player to deal with as there is in WPS.
3) Watching live it sure looked like Karen Carney had won a penalty near the end of the match.  Of course we can never tell for sure from press level and short of barging into the FSC booth, there were no other television replays available at Yurcak.  Asked if she was nervous watching the sequence, Sky Blue FC coach Paulliina Miettinen laughed and said, “Yes, a little bit.”

Free Kicks

-There were five ironwomen who played every minute of every match in 2009.  One week into 2010 and two of them have already fallen by the wayside.  We knew Caroline Jonsson wouldn’t make it after she was released by the Red Stars in January.  Then on Saturday, Homare Sawa lasted only 62 minutes before the Freedom replaced her with Lisa De Vanna.  That leaves Becky Sauerbrunn (Freedom), Kristine Lilly (Breakers), and Aya Miyama (Athletica, last year Sol).  The trio is at 1,890 minutes and counting.

-Karina LeBlanc now has 13 shutouts in 20 WPS starts and a career goals against average of 0.50.

-Ramona Bachmann came down with the flu on the eve of the Beat’s flight to Philadelphia and was forced to skip the trip.

-Brittany Bock (foot surgery) is expected to begin running this week and will be re-evaluated in two weeks.

-Athletica lost half of their starting back line to injury during the opening match shutout of FC Gold Pride.  Sarah Wagenfuhr strained a hamstring and Tina Ellertson left with a lower body issue.  Both will be examined further this week.

-Tony DiCicco said developmental goalkeeper Ashley Phillips won the starting job fair and square from incumbent Ali Lipsher and rookie Alyssa Naeher.  One asset Phillips’ brings that gave her an edge was her aggressive play coming out to thwart attacks by winning balls early.

-Everything about the opener at Maryland SoccerPlex got rave reviews—except the performance of the home team, which did not sit well with the head coach.   “Completely disappointed.  I didn’t recognize a lot of players and didn’t recognize the team overall,” Jim Gabarra said.  He also called the defensive miscues that led to both Breakers goals “inexcusable.”

-The Red Stars unveiled three members of North Carolina’s 2009 National Championship squad on Sunday—but they did not play altogether.  Whitney Engen started and was later joined by Casey Nogueira.  Jessica McDonald came on for the last four minutes, replacing Engen.  McDonald was returning from a knee injury that prematurely ended her senior season.

-There were some rave reviews for Kelley O’Hara’s WPS debut on the FC Gold Pride frontline.  The 2009 MAC Hermann Trophy winner was FC Gold Pride’s primary threat creating a number of chances in the attacking end.

-Julianne Stich joined the Red Stars as a free agent, but the former Sky Blue midfielder can be forgiven if she spent a little time thinking about last season when the 2009 WPS Championship trophy was brought onto the field before Sunday’s season opener.  “It was very exciting to come back to New Jersey and play.  I get to see my friends and everything like that especially friends that I’ve made off the field.  They got to be here tonight as well so it was really exciting and special to get to come back and play here tonight.”

Have a question, a suggestion, or a story idea? Did you see something we didn't? Let me know at thirtymtp@aol.com.

Dan Lauletta is a freelance writer and can be reached at thirtymtp@aol.com . The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author's, and not necessarily those of Women’s Professional Soccer or www.womensprosoccer.com.