Washington Freedom's Abby Wambach named WPS Player of the Week

U.S. national team forward Abby Wambach is Women\'s Professional Soccer\'s Player of the Week for Week 20 after rallying the Washington Freedom to a 2-1 victory over Sky Blue FC in a pivotal match fraught with playoff implications.

Wambach earned and converted a penalty kick in the 79th minute to tie the score, then finished a feed from Allie Long five minutes later to give the Freedom (7-8-7) a three-point advantage on the defending WPS champion in the race for the final playoff berth with just two weeks remaining in the regular season.

Sky Blue FC has three games left to Washington\'s two, but the Freedom win the tiebreaker -- head-to-head results -- if they finish level on points.

The goals were Wambach\'s 11th and 12th of the season. She has 20 goals in two WPS campaigns, second to FC Gold Pride forward Marta\'s 27, and her WUSA/WPS total of 43 is the top mark for professional women\'s soccer in the U.S.

This is the second time Wambach has been honored as Player of the Week this season -- she also won in Week 2 -- and the fifth time in two seasons, matching Marta\'s record. Washington\'s Sonia Bompastor won the award in Week 4.

The WPS Player of Week is selected by a panel of journalists from the North American Soccer Reporters.

Week 1: Eniola Aluko (Saint Louis Athletica)
Week 2: Abby Wambach (Washington Freedom)
Week 3: Lori Lindsey (Philadelphia Independence)
Week 4: Sonia Bompastor (Washington Freedom)
Week 5: Karen Bardsley (Sky Blue FC)
Week 6: Marta (FC Gold Pride)
Week 7: Kosovare Asllani (Chicago Red Stars)
Week 8: Amy Rodriguez (Philadelphia Independence)
Week 9: Marta (FC Gold Pride)
Week 10: Danesha Adams (Philadelphia Independence)
Week 11: Amy Rodriguez (Philadelphia Independence)
Week 12: Marta (FC Gold Pride)
Week 13: Ella Masar (Chicago Red Stars)
Week 14: Christine Sinclair (FC Gold Pride)
Week 15: Caroline Seger (Philadelphia Independence)
Week 16: Hope Solo (Atlanta Beat)
Week 17: Kelly Smith (Boston Breakers)
Week 18: Amy Rodriguez (Philadelphia Independence)
Week 19: Eniola Aluko (Atlanta Beat)
Week 20: Abby Wambach (Washington Freedom)