Sonia Bompastor celebrates Lisa De Vanna's goal.  The Washington Freedom defeated FC Gold Pride, 3-1, on Sunday May 31 at the Maryland SoccerPlex. (Argueta | isiphotos.net)

Boxscore (all statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial)

GERMANTOWN, Md. (May 31, 2009) - The Maryland Soccerplex Stadium was filled with screaming youth girl soccer players and their families and U.S. Women’s National Team Head Coach Pia Sundhage was in attendance, and the Washington Freedom (3-2-3) did not disappoint. Taking on FC Gold Pride (3-5-1), the Freedom won, 3-1, in one of their most convincing performances of the season.

After a frenetic first few minutes, the game settled down, with the game’s first scoring chance falling to Pride midfielder Tina DiMartino. After a savvy spin in the box to get by two defenders, DiMartino blasted a shot on frame that was turned away by Freedom goalkeeper Erin McLeod. 

Although Freedom and U.S. National Team star Abby Wambach struggled to get involved in the game early, Lisa De Vanna was active along the left flank making probing runs through the defense and posing a dangerous scoring threat. Following the first scoring chance by the Freedom that saw a Wambach touch go begging, the Freedom got on the scoreboard in the 15th minute. Defender Cat Whitehill made a long run down the right flank and crossed a low dangerous ball into the six-yard box that was deflected in for an own goal by the Pride’s Kristen Graczyk.

The Pride almost evened the score a minute later on a shot from inside the six by Pride forward and Canadian international Christine Sinclair that sailed over the crossbar. Sinclair squandered a pinpoint through ball from former U.S. Women’s National Team player Tiffeny Milbrett a minute later when her touch let her down and went across the end line for a Freedom goal kick.

In the 22nd minute, the Freedom would double their tally when De Vanna produced a chance from nothing, receiving a pass from midfielder Sonia Bompastor and pushing the ball through to herself and past a central defender. She touched it around onrushing Pride goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart and tapped it in for an easy finish.

As the half wore on, the Freedom’s took over the match, highlighted by a few world-class tackles by center back Becky Sauerbrunn and defensive center midfielder Lori Lindsey. Lindsey in particular was instrumental in winning possession for the Freedom and controlling play.

In the 32nd minute, Wambach was taken down outside the area, setting up a dangerous free kick. After a bit of deception, the ball was rolled to Sonia Bompastor, who stopped the ball for center back Whitehill who blasted a shot past Barnhart to push the Freedom lead to three goals to nil. At the end of the half, a Pride giveaway in the center of midfield resulted in a run into the box by Bompastor who was taken down. Despite the contact in the area no foul was called and Bompastor was given a yellow card for diving. FC Gold’s Formiga got her name taken just before halftime as well for a foul on Wambach. 

The beginning of the second half saw the Pride take control as they fought to get back into the game. The Freedom lacked much of the confidence going forward that had gotten them their three goal cushion and had to absorb the Pride’s pressure. This pressure eventually got the Pride on the board in the 57th minute, when following a corner won by forward Adriane, a Tiffeny Milbrett cross found Christine Sinclair, who nodded home FC Gold Pride's lone goal.

“This was a difficult loss especially when we gave two goals up for them,” said FC Gold Pride Head Coach Albertin Montoya.  “You can’t give anyone two goals in this league, it’s very difficult to come back from that.  I’m very proud of our team, they came out in the second half and played really well, created plenty of chances to get back in the game and scored a very good goal. It’s difficult when things aren’t going your way.” 

Following the Sinclair goal, Wambach started to get herself more involved, and her teammates found her feet as she helped the Freedom control play in midfield. With her renewed involvement came a few hard fouls and Wambach found herself hitting the turf routinely as the half wore on, eventually earning Pride defender Carrie Drew a yellow card in the 65th minute. Wambach's hulking presence in the box produced another dangerous scoring opportunity for the Freedom when another Whitehill free kick banged off the shoulder of the Pride’s Barnhart as Wambach applied pressure. The loose ball fell to a Pride defender who cleared it from danger.

After a flurry of substitutions from both teams, the Pride switched to a three-forward system led by goal-scorer Sinclair and subs Eriko Arakawa and Tiffany Weimer. This three-headed monster combined with midfielder dynamo DiMartino to produce a flurry of dangerous crosses and opportunities for the Pride, culminating in a counterattack that saw Weimer deliver a perfect cross to Sinclair, only for her effort to clang off the post.

Wambach’s tenaciousness annoyed the Pride defenders all half and in the 83rd minute, the frustration boiled over. Wambach received a ball in the offensive third and pushed it past Pride defender Drew. Drew hacked Wambach down and then said something to the center referee, earning her a second yellow card and an ejection from the game.

The Freedom quelled any tension following Drew’s ejection by dominating the possession for the last seven minutes and into stoppage time, settling the game down and pleasing the home crowd. With the victory the Freedom moved into second place in the WPS standings while FC Gold Pride dropped to fourth place.

The Freedom hit the road to face the Los Angeles Sol on Sunday, June 7 on Fox Soccer Channel (6pm ET/3pm PT), while FC Gold Pride returns home to the Bay Area to host the Chicago Red Stars on Sunday June 7 at 8pm ET/5pm PT.

Boxscore (all statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial)