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Late goal crimps road trip
The Vancouver Whitecaps snapped a tie in the 89th minute to topple the Colorado Force 2-1 on Sunday afternoon.
All of Sunday’s scoring occurred in the final 20 minutes. After a scoreless first half, Vancouver tallied the game’s first goal in the 70th minute off of a free kick. The ball was played into the box where defender Martina Franko, a veteran who played for the WPS Los Angeles Sol last season, headed the ball into the top right corner of the goal past Force keeper Maria Del Guercio.
The Force rallied to tie the match in the 86th minute. Force defender Yolanda Hamilton, one of two Jamaicans on the team, broke free down the left side of the field before sending a crossing ball low into the box. The ball was collected by forward Ali Andrzejeski, who struck a shot that went under the keeper’s arms.
But Vancouver netted the game winner three minutes later, also off a set play. The ball was lofted to the back post, where Vancouver forward Melissa Tancredi redirected it with her head into the goal. Tancredi, like Franko, is a former WPS player. Tancredi played last season for the St. Louis Athletica.
The setback left the Force with a record of 0-1-1 in the W-League after its annual Pacific Northwest road trip.
Seattle Start: On Friday night, Force opened its 2010 season with a valuable road draw, capturing a 1-1 result against the Seattle Sounders on a wet pitch Friday night.
Stocked with new faces to start the 2010 season, it was fitting that the first goal of the season for the Colorado Force came from a newcomer. Midfielder Christie Ehrhardt knocked in the Force’s only goal in the first half, scoring on a header in the 21st minute.
Ehrhardt’s goal occurred after the Force executed a quick throw-in into the right corner. Force forward Andrzejeski, another newcomer, struck a crossing ball that found Ehrhardt in front of the goal. She headed the ball unto the upper left corner of the goal.
Seattle bounced back five minutes later, scoring off a set piece. A corner kick from Justi Baumgardt-Yamada, a former University of Portland player, reached the front of the net where Seattle’s Erin Redwine outjumped a group of players to head the ball past Force keeper Elizabeth Ruiz.
Force Coach Craig Deacon said it rained throughout the match, and the pitch was “very spongy and wet, which made it very difficult. We haven’t practiced in anything like that.”
Deacon credited Ruiz for “coming up big in the last five minutes” to preserve the tie. Ruiz was credited for 10 saves in the match. Officially, Seattle placed 12 shots on goal to just two for the Force.
Next: Seattle and Vancouver come to Colorado next weekend to help the Force open the home season. Seattle visits Loveland Sports Park at 7 p.m. Friday. The Force then get a return match with Vancouver at 7 p.m. Sunday.
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