Courage Fight Back, Down Beat

June 15, 2002 - Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) News Release


ATLANTA, GA - After falling behind early, the Carolina Courage (5-1-3, 18 pts.) battled back to defeat the Atlanta Beat (5-4-1, 16 pts.) on Saturday evening at Herndon Stadium. The loss snapped the Beat's five-game unbeaten streak, dating back to May 4. Unni Lehn scored the game-winning goal in the 58th minute, extending Carolina's unbeaten streak versus the Beat to five games.

Lehn gave the Courage its first lead of the match with a goal in the 58th minute. During a scramble for the ball in the Beat penalty area, defender Tiffany Roberts poked the ball to an open Lehn. The Norwegian midfielder blasted a shot past goalkeeper Briana Scurry to make the score 2-1. The goal was Lehn's second of the season.

Atlanta's Homare Sawa had a goal called back in the 28th minute after Sun Wen was called on a handball foul prior to the score. Sawa got her goal in the 32nd minute to give the Beat an early 1-0 lead. Sawa sent the ball from 30 yards out into the box. Liping Wang tried to make a play on the ball but was unable to reach it. With the ball knuckling towards the net, Carolina goalkeeper Kristin Luckenbill had to make a save on the shot. Luckenbill was able to get a hand on the ball however it found the back of the net.

Carolina tied the match in the 45th minute when Danielle Fotopoulos was able to collect a loose ball inside the box. With possession of the ball, "Fotop" buried a shot past Scurry for her sixth goal of the season. The goal snapped Scurry's streak of 375 minutes without allowing a goal.

Lehn's goal in the 58th made the score 2-1 Carolina. German striker Birgit Prinz extended the Courage lead with a goal in the 78th minute. Hege Riise sent a through pass to a streaking Prinz in the right side of the box. Prinz, who got past Atlanta defender Sharolta Nonen to reach the Riise pass, blasted a shot to the far left post, beating Scurry.

Carolina remains the only team that Atlanta has never beaten.



Women's United Soccer Association Stories from June 15, 2002


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