Carson, Calif. (May 15, 2009) – Brazilian superstar Marta is quickly becoming a nemesis for Sky Blue FC. The three-time FIFA World Player of the Year accounted for the only goal of the game as the Los Angeles Sol knocked off the visiting side from New Jersey 1-0 in a Women’s Professional Soccer match at Home Depot Center.

With the game-winning goal, Marta sent Sky Blue FC to defeat for the second time this season. In the first meeting between the teams, the Sol attacking midfielder connected twice in a three minute span late in the first half to give Los Angeles a 2-0 victory in New Jersey.

The win kept the Sol at the top of the WPS standings with a 4-1-2 mark for 14 points. The victory was the first since April 19th for the Sol, which snapped a three match winless run. After claiming its first victory of the season last weekend, Sky Blue FC dropped to 1-3-2 for five points. Karina LeBlanc posted three saves to record the shutout - the fourth time Sky Blue FC has been held scoreless this season.

After a first half in which Los Angeles had more of the attack, the second half was a more even battle and it appeared as if Sky Blue FC would get the draw on the road against the league leaders. But Marta had other ideas as she broke the deadlock in the 80th minute. She ran onto a long ball behind the defense, avoided a sliding goalkeeper in Jenni Branam, and finished past two defenders into the vacated net.

To make matters worse, Sky Blue FC lost forward Natasha Kai to an apparently serious injury about a minute later when she collided with Los Angeles Sol goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc and had to be taken off on a stretcher.

Sky Blue FC had two good scoring chances in the game but couldn’t capitalize on either one. Both came in the second half with the first in the 73rd minute. Heather O’Reilly served a cross into the box from the right side and Kai rose up to head the ball, but her effort was cleared off the line at the right post by the Sol’s Liz Bogus.

In the closing moments of stoppage time, Meghan Schnur had a golden opportunity to knot the score. A misplay on a cross by the Sol fell right to Schnur, who had ventured forward after playing left back for most of the game, but her awkward shot rolled harmlessly past the left post from six yards out.

Los Angeles claimed the best opportunities in the opening 45 minutes. Branam made a top class save to keep the Sol off the board in the 10th minute when she dove to her left and tipped wide a shot from Aya Miyama. In first half stoppage time, Marta made a nice move into the box before firing a left-footed
shot past the far post.

Sky Blue FC completes a run of five straight road games when it travels south to take on the Washington Freedom on May 23rd at 4:30 p.m. at RFK Stadium. Sky Blue FC returns home on May 31st when it hosts the Boston Breakers at 6 p.m. at Yurcak Field on the campus of Rutgers University in Piscataway, N.J. (888-SBFC-TIX | www.skybluestore.com)

May 15, 2009 – Home Depot Center	1	2	-	F
Sky Blue FC (1-3-2)	0	0	-	0
Los Angeles Sol (4-1-2)	0	1	-	1

Lineups:
Sky Blue FC – Jenni Branam; Meghan Schnur, Christie Rampone, Anita Asante, Keeley Dowling; Collette McCallum (Yael Averbuch 58’), Julianne Sitch, Kelly Parker, Heather O’Reilly; Natasha Kai (Jen Buczkowski 84’), Rosana (Kacey White 67’).
Los Angeles Sol – Karina LeBlanc; Stephanie Cox, Brittany Bock, Allison Falk, Martina Franko; Aly Wagner (Liz Bogus 61’), Shannon Boxx, Camille Abily, Aya Miyama; Han Duan, Marta.

Scoring Summary:
LA – Marta (Abily) 80th minute

Misconduct Summary:
None

Game Summary:
Referee – Margaret Domka
Assistant Referees – Colin Arblaster; Adam Brugman
4th Official – Francisco Orozco
Attendance – 6,115
Weather - Cloudy, 60 degrees

BOXSCORE (All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial.)

QUOTES

Sky Blue FC Head Coach Ian Sawyers
"Overall, we were unlucky not to come away with a win. The difference was Marta's breakaway that led to the only goal of the game."

"We didn't play well in the first half, so we made some adjustments at halftime and dominated a large part of the second half."

"Overall, we are disappointed, but the team played well."

Los Angeles Sol Head Coach Abner Rogers
"It was a close battle and each team had opportunities, we had better opportunities in the first half, but we just didn't capitalize. But, at the end of the game, we scored the goal that mattered."

"We had a great fan base tonight; the fans really got to see an exciting match and we were able to reward them with three points."

Los Angeles Sol Forward Marta
"Even though it was an individual play that I scored the goal on, it was the result of a lot of hard work by a lot of my teammates."

"We have a lot of players who are just getting used to one another, the goals will come."