Sky Blue FC Upsets Los Angeles Sol To Win First League Title
August 22, 2009 - Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) News Release
CARSON, CA - Under bright sun on a warm day at The Home Depot Center in Carson, CA, Sky Blue FC capped an improbable run to win the 2009 WPS Championship presented by MedImmune, 1-0, over top-seeded Los Angeles Sol, which came in as the favorite having run away with the 2009 WPS Regular Season title.
A goal in the 16th-minute by Sky Blue FC midfielder Heather O'Reilly held up, as Los Angeles went down a man in the 27th-minute after Referee Kari Seitz showed Allison Falk a red card for a foul from behind on Sky Blue FC forward Natasha Kai.
But the Sol responded quickly with several near misses, despite having just 10 players, and often had the run of play. The Sol continued to press for the entire second half, urged on by a crowd of 7,218 who cheered wildly for the home side.
As the final whistle blew, players on both sides collapsed to the field in exhaustion and Sky Blue FC had won three consecutive road games in the WPS Playoffs, all by one goal, to capture the first-ever WPS Championship.
For her efforts, O'Reilly was selected as WPS Championship MVP. Sky Blue FC player-coach Christie Rampone, who took over as Sky Blue FC's third head coach of the team's roller coaster season on July 30, finished 4-1 during the team's late season run.
Women's Professional Soccer Stories from August 22, 2009
- Sky Blue FC Upsets Los Angeles Sol To Win First League Title - WPS
- Can You Believe It? Sky Blue FC Captures WPS Championship - Sky Blue FC
- Sol Fall to Sky Blue FC in First WPS Championship - Los Angeles Sol
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