Washington Freedom face crucial point tonight against Red Stars

by Joe Dougherty

If a game can make a season, tonight’s match against the Chicago Red Stars is it for the Washington Freedom.

With four games remaining on the regular season, the Freedom are tied for the fourth and last playoff spot with Sky Blue FC. But the team from New Jersey has one game in hand, adding pressure to a Washington team that has the benefit of having three of its final four games at the Maryland SoccerPlex. Tonight’s kickoff is 7:30 pm.

“We have three out of our last four games at home, and [tonight’s] is the biggest game because it could be a six-point swing for us,” said Freedom Coach Jim Gabarra in an interview with Potomac Soccer Wire.

The top four teams in the seven-team Women’s Professional Soccer league earn post-season berths. Standing at the top with 40 points (12-3-4), Marta’s FC Gold Pride has already clinched a playoff spot with five games still to play.

The first-year Philadelphia Independence, perhaps the league’s most surprising team this year, sits at second place with 34 points (10-6-4), and should make the postseason barring a late-season collapse with four games to play. The Boston Breakers hold a seven-point lead over Washington and Sky Blue FC with 29 points (8-6-5).

The six-point swing cited by Gabarra could happen if Washington (5-8-7) beats Chicago (5-9-6) tonight, and the Red Stars fall to FC Gold Pride on Sunday in Chicago. Those results will go a long way to eliminate one team from playoff contention, but still leaves Washington in a tight race with Sky Blue FC.

“This time of year, it’s all about getting points,” Gabarra said.

Points were difficult to find for the Freedom, which had a July schedule it would like to soon forget, going seven straight games without a win. Back-to-back 0-0 ties with Chicago and Sky Blue FC in early July were followed by losses to FC Gold Pride (3-2 and 4-1, at home), Boston (2-1 and 3-1), and Atlanta (3-2).

August has been a better month for Washington, earning five points out of three games, including a 2-0 win over Philadelphia at home, and a pair of ties on the road at Sky Blue FC (1-1) and FC Gold Pride (0-0).

The results came at an important time for Gabarra, who earlier this month was asked by team President and General Manager Mark Washo to supply a detailed plan on how the Freedom would pull out of its July tailspin.

As part of the plan provided to Washo, Gabarra recommended bringing on former Chicago coach Emma Hayes as a team consultant. It also resulted in the departure of assistant coach Clyde Watson, a long-time friend of Gabarra’s.

If Gabarra’s job was in jeopardy, his plan to right the ship added some security.

“We have decided that retaining Head Coach Jim Gabarra for the remainder of the season gives us the best chance at winning the WPS Championship,” Washo said in a statement Aug. 10. “We have addressed several critical areas that have led to our recent losing streak and Jim has developed a detailed strategic coaching plan of action which includes making critical changes to be implemented immediately.”

With four of those five losses on the road, Gabarra said it will be good to return to the friendly confines of the SoccerPlex, where he hopes his side makes up for the brutal loss to FC Gold Pride.

“We’re healthy,” he said. “And it’s nice to have a few days off between games to get on the training ground, train hard and focus on those things we need to work on.”

Lately, that means defending. While the team is averaging 1.35 goals per game, it is giving up 1.50 goals per match.

“There’s been no secret – we need to stop leaking goals,” Gabarra said. “We’ve asked the team to make a commitment to defending.”

For tonight, Gabarra expects to start Cat Whitehill and Nikki Marshall at center back, with Becky Sauerbrunn and Rebecca Moros on the flanks. The “box” midfield will consist of holding midfielders Homare Sawa and Anita Asante and attacking midfielders Sarah Huffman and Allie Long.

Abby Wambach and Lene Mykjaland are slated to start up top. Midfielder Sonia Bompastor is absent while competing with the French national team, and midfielder Beverly Goebel is expected to dress after missing several days of training due to illness.

“We’re tying to build off our recent results, just being hard to beat and keeping a clean sheet,” Gabarra said. “At home, we have the confidence of winning this game.”