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Homare Sawa Scores Beat's Only Goal; Beat Record Moves to 5-4-1

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


ATLANTA (June 15, 2002) - The Atlanta Beat still has not figured out how to get past the Courage, as Carolina defeated the Beat 3-1 tonight off goals from Danielle Fotopoulos, Unni Lehn and Birgit Prinz. Homare Sawa scored the Beat's lone goal, in the first half of play. The Beat's record moves to 5-4-1 with 16 points placing Atlanta fourth in the WUSA standings.

The Beat met the Courage tonight with the chance for redemption after being defeated 1-0 on May 4 at Carolina. The Beat opened the match dominating possession and had the first scoring opportunity in the 6th minute when Liping Wang played a short pass to Sun Wen at the top of the penalty box. Sun Wen dribbled by a defender and shot the ball at a tough angle and Courage goalkeeper Kristin Luckenbill made the save.

The Beat would have the next clear chance and scored an apparent goal in the 28th minute. Beat defender Nancy Augustyniak sent a cross from the right side of the field into the penalty box that deflected off Sun Wen and landed at the feet of Homare Sawa, who shot and scored, but the goal was called back due to a handball infraction on Sun Wen.

The Beat would score the game's first goal only four minutes later. Homare Sawa gathered a Courage clearance on the left side of the midfield about forty yards out from goal. She dribbled her way through the defense and sent a long ball to the back post. Beat midfielder Liping Wang challenged for the ball in the box, but missed. Luckenbill dove to her left and got a hand on the ball, but it curled into the far post for Sawa's second goal of the season.

The Courage struck back in the 45th minute with a Danielle Fotopoulos goal. The scoring chance started when the Beat midfielder Kylie Bivens cleared a ball to the top of the penalty box that landed at the feet of Fotopoulos, who hit a one-time shot. The shot deflected off Beat defender Julie Augustyniak and rolled into the left corner of the goal. The goal was the first given up by Scurry and the Beat in 371 minutes.

The Courage came out the aggressor in the second half holding much of the possession early on. During a Courage counter attack, Bivens committed an apparent dangerous foul on a Courage player and was given her fourth yellow card of the season, for which she'll serve a one game suspension.

In the 58th minute the Courage took the lead as the Beat failed to clear a high Courage pass. Bivens headed the ball to the top of the box where Tiffany Roberts touched it to the side in the path of Lehn, who shot past Scurry for the go ahead goal.

The Beat looked to have a chance to grab a goal in the 67th minute when forward Emily Burt was tackled in the penalty box. Burt touched the ball by Courage defender Danielle Slaton and would have been clear to goal, but Slaton tackled Burt and no call was made.

The Courage extended the lead in the 78th minute. Birgit Prinz received a ball with her back to goal, made a one touch pass to Riise, who in turn played the ball over the defense back to Prinz. After taking two touches Prinz ripped a shot from the right side across the goal and into the far side netting, for her second goal of the season. The loss was the fourth to the Courage all-time. Atlanta has yet to defeat Carolina and moves on to face San Jose in a rematch of last year's Founders Cup. The Beat will face the CyberRays at home on Saturday, June 22 at 7 p.m. The CyberRays are coming off a 4-3 victory over the New York Power and have a record of 5-3-2 with 17 points. The Beat defeated San Jose 2-1 on May 18, with Charmaine Hooper notching the game winner.

Tickets for Atlanta Beat home games range in price from $8-$20 and can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling the TicketMaster number in your area. In Atlanta, call (404) 249-6400 and from outside Atlanta call 1-800-326-4000. Fans can also find a link to TicketMaster on the Beat's web site at www.theatlantabeat.com.

The Atlanta Beat is one of eight professional women's soccer teams that make up the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA), the world's premier women's soccer league. In the inaugural 2001 WUSA season, the Beat finished as champions of the regular season and runner-up in the league's championship game, Founders Cup. For more information about the Atlanta Beat visit www.theatlantabeat.com.

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