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Marta's goal was her team-leading fourth of the season.

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Castro Valley, Calif. (June 6, 2010) -- FC Gold Pride (5-2-1, 16 pts) and the Washington Freedom (4-2-2, 14 pts) battled to a 1-1 tie on Saturday, June 6, at Castro Valley High School Athletic Stadium in front of 3,442 fans.  The match, which pitted the top two teams in the WPS standings, ended with the Pride continuing to hold first place and the Freedom in second.

In a game that featured some of the league’s most potent attacking threats on the same pitch,  the action started quickly as the newest member of FC Gold Pride, midfielder Shannon Boxx, connected on a cross forcing Freedom goalkeeper Erin McLeod to make the first big save of the night in just the 4th minute. The fans were on their feet once again just minutes later, as Freedom forward Abby Wambach beat Pride goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart, but her shot sailed wide of the post. In the 22nd minute, Boxx would threaten again as she connected on a Marta corner kick but her header went just inches over the post.

Despite eight corner kicks from the Pride in the first half, the Washington Freedom found the back of the net first as Allie Long put the Freedom up 1-0 in the 38th minute. Off of a give-and-go down the sideline, Long cut to the middle and ripped a shot from 25 yards out to beat Barnhart to the far post. Both teams put together a few more scoring chances before the close of the first half, but the Freedom defense held tight, sending Washington into half time with the lead.

Just minutes into the second half, the Pride’s offense was at it again, as Kelley O’Hara ripped a shot from 25 yards out that hit the cross bar and the rebound found Marta who put her header just inches wide of the far post. O’Hara would strike again from the same spot, forcing Freedom ‘keeper Erin McLeod to make a diving save. The Pride would find the equalizer in the 75th minute off of a goal by Marta. Sinclair sent a pass to Marta on the right sideline, outran her defenders, and slipped her shot past McLeod.  The goal was her team-leading fourth of the season and tied her with the Atlanta Beat’s Eniola Aluko for the league lead.

Freedom midfielder Homare Sawa, a second-half substitute, almost found the go-ahead goal in the closing minutes, when Sonia Bompastor found her open in the box, but Sawa sent her shot just wide of the goal. With two minutes to go, Marta ripped a shot from outside the 18, but once again McLeod was there to make the save. Excellent goalkeeping and 28 total shots later, the game would end in a 1-1 draw.
 
The Washington Freedom return home to the Maryland Soccerplex, in Boyds, Md., as they host the Chicago Red Stars Saturday, June 12, at 7pm ET. FC Gold Pride travels to West Chester, Pa. on Sunday, June 13, to take on the Philadelphia Independence at John A. Farrell Stadium for the WPS Sunday on FSC game of the week. The game will be broadcast on Fox Soccer Channel at 6pm ET.

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