WPS Enters Final Weekend of Regular Sason with Championship up for Grabs
Published on August 12, 2011 under Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) News Release
San Francisco, CA (August 12, 2011) - Women's Professional Soccer (WPS) enters the final weekend of the regular season schedule with some of the season's most significant games still yet to be played. This Sunday, the final day of the regular season, all six teams will be on the pitch with the Regular Season Championship Title and the final seed in the playoffs still up for grabs.
Sky Blue FC, who needed only one point to secure their spot in the postseason last Sunday, were turned away in stoppage time by the Philadelphia independence, and now must battle the Boston Breakers for fourth place in the regular season standings and the final spot in the playoffs. Boston, in a must-win situation, have home field advantage, but to make it to the postseason they must first snap their four-game losing streak this Sunday against the hungry New Jersey based club. Kickoff for this decisive match between the Boston Breakers and Sky Blue FC is scheduled for 4 PM ET at Harvard Stadium. The winner of this game will move on to face magicJack, who has clinched third place and the right to host the First Round playoff game in their home stadium at Florida Atlantic University.
With the regular season title, and the right to host and play in the 2011 WPS Championship game on the line, Philadelphia Independence and the Western New York Flash enter the final day of regular season competition separated by just three points in the standings. Both teams have clinched a playoff berth and the right to host a postseason game, but their months-long battle for the regular season crown comes to an end on Sunday.
The Independence will head to Boca Raton for their final regular season game against third place magicJack. The Independence must win to keep pace with the Flash to have a shot at the Regular Season title. Kickoff for this match is scheduled for 4 PM ET at FAU Soccer Stadium. Should Philly be victorious on Sunday, they'll then have to turn their eyes to the final regular season game between the Flash and Atlanta Beat and wait to learn their post-season fate.
After completing the sweep of the three-game season series with magicJack on Wednesday with a 2-1 result, the Western New York Flash have a three-point advantage and currently hold sole possession of first place. The Atlanta Beat, who made an early exit from the playoff race, still play a critical role in determining the final standings as they take on the Western New York Flash in the final match of the regular season. The Flash need just one point against the Beat on Sunday (a win or tie) to clinch the regular season title and home field advantage in the WPS Championship match. A loss to Atlanta, which may result in a tie atop the standings table, means Philly will be crowned as the Regular Season Champs as they hold the advantage in the standings tie breakers besting the Flash in the head-to-head record.
Following the exciting final weekend of the regular season, post-season play will commence on Wednesday, August 17 at FAU Soccer Stadium at 7:30 PM ET as third place magicJack host the First Round of the playoffs. The team that finishes second in the WPS regular season standings after this Sunday, either Philadelphia or Western New York, will host the Super Semi-Final on Saturday, August 20. One week after that, the WPS season will culminate with the WPS Championship presented by Citi, hosted at the home field of the WPS Regular Season Champions on Saturday, August 27. Tickets are now on sale for all three home games hosted by magicJack (FAU Soccer Stadium), Philadelphia Independence (PPL Park) and Western New York Flash (Sahlen's Stadium).
Women's Professional Soccer Stories from August 12, 2011
- Beat on the Road for Last Match of the Season - Atlanta Beat
- WPS Enters Final Weekend of Regular Sason with Championship up for Grabs - WPS
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
