AJC.com > Sports > Soccer blog > Archives > 2007 > September > 26
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
Silverbacks in USL Finals!
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
They go to Portland 1-1 after the first leg in Atlanta, hold the Timbers to a scoreless draw, then prevail in penalty kicks.
It’s first finals in 12 years for an Atlanta soccer team. Ironically, Saturday’s championship game matches the same two cities as the 1995 A-League Finals. Then, it was the Ruckus falling to the Seattle Sounders, who return to play host to the USL title tilt.
Fox Soccer Channel is showing the game live at 10 p.m., and a Decatur establishment is hosting a viewing party, with live music beforehand.
One big ground rule, however: You’ve got to be 21 or older to get through the doors.
A few of the diehards/Westside 109ers are heading to the Pacific Northwest.
The league has announced finalists for its varioius awards, and Silverbacks Dan Antoniuk and David Hayes are in the hunt for MVP and defender of the year, respectively.
Elsewhere in the footy world, the U.S. women’s coach Greg Ryan has made a stunning lineup change for Thursday’s World Cup semifinal match against Brazil.
Instead of No. 1 goalkeeper Hope Solo, who’s played every minute of the tournament, it will be former Atlanta Beatnik Briana Scurry. She’s a four-time World Cup veteran, and at the age of 36, has plenty of experience against Brazil.
Ryan said he made the switch because Scurry hasn’t lost to the South American powerhouse, which has perhaps the most potent offense in the world led by 21-year-old sensation Marta.
Scurry’s second-best moment, right behind the penalty kick save she made in the 1999 finals against China, was the semifinal game she had that year against the Brazilians. It was, in the mind of this eyewitness, a game-saving performance. Her play against Brazil in the 2004 Olympic finals also was terrific.
Apparently this scenario had been anticipated for some time, and Solo said she wasn’t entirely surprised:
“The moment I got tapped on the shoulder saying I need to meet with you, I had a pit in my stomach and I knew what it was.”
If the Yanks should prevail to face a formidable German team that dispatched Norway 3-0 on Wednesday, which keeper does Ryan use? And how does all this play with the rest of the team?
A risky move, to be sure, but provocative. As the game ought to be.
