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Spirit Gives Up Two Early Goals, Falls 2-1 to Philly Charge

June 7, 2003 - Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA)
San Diego Spirit News Release


SAN DIEGO - The San Diego Spirit had their seven-game unbeaten streak broken by a 2-1 loss to the Philadelphia Charge. The Spirit gave up two early goals, back-to-back in the 9th and 10th minutes, and despite a Julie Foudy penalty kick in the 20th minute, couldn't recover from the early deficit. The Charge won its second game of the year and moved to 2-5-1 (7 points).

Both Charge goals came off long throw-ins from Jennifer Tietjen-Prozzo that bounced in the penalty area and produced world-class finishes from Frenchwoman Marinette Pichon and German Melanie Hoffmann, who both scored of first-time volleys. The goal gave Pichon 20 for her WUSA career and Hoffman's strike may well be a candidate for goal of the year.

After going down 2-0 on the first two Charge shots of the afternoon, the Spirit controlled the rest of the match and Philadelphia fired just one more shot on goal during the entire game. The Spirit pulled a goal back in the 20th minute after Lorrie Fair was called for a handball in the penalty area when she knocked down Kerry Connors' cross with her left arm. Foudy stepped up to drill her third penalty kick goal in as many games.

Chinese international Zhang Ouying had several good chances in the match, including one in the 14th minute after Fair was disposed in the back. Zhang got behind the Charge defense, but from a bad angle, rolled her shot wide left.

In the 35th minute, Spirit midfielder Aly Wagner struck a free kick from the left side of the penalty area, but Charge goalkeeper Melissa Moore made a solid save, pushing the ball over the crossbar.

The Spirit was playing without leading scorer Julie Fleeting, away on national team duty with Scotland, and San Diego's finishing suffered. Zhang had another great chance in the 53rd minute as a nifty pass put her one-on-one with Moore, but she took her angle away with a dribble and Moore saved the shot. Allie Sullivan managed to toe poke the ball away from the scrambling Moore, and passed it back to Zhang, but her second shot dribbled harmlessly wide right.

Christine Latham, who played a hard-working match up top for the Spirit, almost pulled off the goal of the year in the 58th minute, hitting an acrobatic scissors kick off corner kick that flew just over the crossbar.

The Charge played low pressure the entire second half, challenging the Spirit to break them down, and took only two shots after the break. The only real Charge danger came in the 72nd minute when Spirit goalkeeper Jaime Pagliarulo bobbled corner kick, but Spirit managed to clear, and in the 78th minute when Pichon burst through on the left side, but slid her shot past the right post.

The Spirit hits the road next weekend, facing the Charge in Philadelphia in a match televised live on PAX TV at 1 p.m. PT. The Spirit will be without their three national team players, Joy Fawcett, Foudy and Wagner, who will be the U.S. National Women's National Team for a match against Ireland in Salt Lake City, but Fleeting will return from Europe to play against the Charge.



Women's United Soccer Association Stories from June 7, 2003


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