Saturday, July 12, 2014
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - In what was set up to be the playoff battle to see who would secure the all-important second playoff spot from the Western Conference, the Colorado Pride dominated the Seattle Sounders Women 4-0 to earn a postseason berth in their first season.
The Pride, 8-2-1 entering their regular-season finale Sunday, will face the LA Blues next weekend for a berth at the 2014 W-League Championship presented by Nike.
The Pride have yet to concede a goal at their home ground, turning it into a defensive fortress. Colorado took control of the game from the start, piling on the offensive pressure and defensive precision until they finally broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute. Pride Captain Laura Kane received the ball in midfield and played a pass to Australian International Chloe Logarzo, who took the ball in stride just outside the 18-yard box and calmly placed her shot past the Sounders keeper Anna Picarelli.
This goal had a positive effect on the Pride’s play as Colorado continued to knock on the doorstep of the Sounders goal but couldn’t add to their lead. The entertaining first half ended 1-0 for the Pride, who had an 11-3 lead in shots.
The second half kicked off just as the first had ended, with Colorado maintaining much of possession and creating chances. The Sounders were struggling to come to terms with the Pride's passing accuracy and movement off the ball, as well as the constant pressing tactics employed.
Sounders keeper Picarelli was tested on several occasions and managed to keep Seattle in the game. In the 62nd minute Logarzo was once again in the limelight, this time released by W-League assist leader Sarah Schweiss with a delicate pass that left Logarzo with only the keeper to beat. Logarzo was clinical from 15 yards out and made it 2-0.
Colorado was awarded a penalty kick in the 70th minute when Mallory Weber was fouled in the box by Sounders defender Rachel Melhado. Schweiss stepped up to extend Pride’s lead from the penalty spot, but was disappointed when Picarelli made the save.
Seattle adopted a more direct game being down 2-0, as it needed to get on the score sheet. The Sounders pushed numbers forward and searched for that vital first goal, but in the 73rd minute they were opened up for a third goal, this time coming from Kane who scored a highlight-reel goal assisted by Weber. Kane received the ball inside the 18-yard box and dribbled past two opponents and faked several shots before delicately slotting the ball into the roof of the Sounders net.
Picarelli turned away wave after wave of attacks and worked hard to keep the score at 3-0. Pride substitute and U20 Australian International Tara Andrews finished the scoring with a classy lob from 25 yards over Picarelli in the 85th minute.
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