The 2009 Cinderella Team, Sky Blue FC, prove that they're not out yet. Their win against the Philadelphia Independence push them to 25 points, meaning they're tied for 4th place with the Washington Freedom. Sky Blue FC and the Washington Freedom will face off in a battle for 4th place in one of the most pivotal and critical fixtures of the playoff race on August 28th.As was the case in 2009, the playoff race is getting quite intense, as we are nearing the end of the 2010 season. There are only 3 spots up for grabs, since FCGP is automatically in the Championship match after clinching the regular season title. Who's going to make it, and who's not? That's the question everyone is asking, but only time will tell. Let's take a look at how close the playoff race really is, and how good of a chance each team has going into their next match.
Let's go by each teams rank in the standings.
FC Gold Pride- No playoff worries for these girls, they're in. Clinching the WPS regular season title means that they get an automatic bye into the Championship match, and will host the game.
Philadelphia Independence- Next in line in the standings. A team who I've praised all year for being the surprise of 2010. Even though they're a rookie franchise, they've got quite the fight in them and play like experienced contenders. They're a team to reckon with any day of the week. They currently sit in 2nd place with 34 points, which sets them a game and 2 points ahead of the 3rd place team, Boston Breakers. I think Philly should have a playoff spot in the bag at this point. Their next match will be against the Boston Breakers. If they win that match, they'll move up to 37 points, setting them more than 2 games ahead of everyone else in the standings who isn't FCGP. If they lose, however, they'll remain at 34, while Boston will be on their tails at 32. With Philly, I think its mostly a question of which berth they'll get, not whether or not they'll get one.
Boston Breakers- A team who had somewhat of a slump this season, dealing with scoring problems especially, but has turned it around and has really kicked it up a notch when it was crunch time. Boston currently sits at 3rd with 29 points. Their next fixture will be important, especially if they really want to shake Sky Blue and Washington, who are right behind them with 25 points. In their next match, they'll be meeting up with Philly, who is ahead of them in the standings with 34 points. A Boston win will get them close to Philly, as they'll have 32. A loss will keep them at 29, meaning they'll be at the risk of having either Sky Blue or Washington a mere 1 point away by the end of the game week.
Washington Freedom- A team who had been consistently among the upper ranks this season, but hit a slump midway and has hiked a rocky road back to form for the later part of this season. The Freedom sit in 4th place with 25 points, but they're not alone. Sky Blue FC is right there with them, reaching 25 points after their win against Philly. Washington's next match is going to be critical in their playoff campaign. They play 4th place rivals Sky Blue FC on the 28th. A win for Washington will mean that they will gain sole possession of 4th place with 28 points, only 1 point away from Boston's current total. A loss will set them back, keeping them at 25 points, and pushing them into 5th; a full game behind the 4th place holder Sky Blue FC. This match is extremely important for Washington, and they need to win if they want to gain sole possession of 4th place and shake Sky Blue FC.
Sky Blue FC- The Cinderella Team from 2009 and the current WPS Champions. Despite their title, the Champions haven't had the smoothest walk through the 2010 season. The team has been fairly inconsistent this year, but once again, are right in the thick of the playoff race, proving that they are never ready to call it quits. Sky Blue FC is tied for 4th with the Washington Freedom. Both have 25 points and are vying for sole possession of 4th place. Sky Blue FC's next match is pivotal, as they will encounter their 4th place rivals, the Washington Freedom. A win will give them sole possession of 4th place, and will put them a full game ahead of 5th place. A loss will set them back a full game behind 4th place holders. A tie will keep both teams locked in place. Sky Blue's match against Washington will prove to be one of the most critical matches of the season, for both teams.
Chicago Red Stars- A team that always proves that they can hang with the big boys, but unfortunately, sometimes they do it a little late. However, their excellent performance against FCGP shows that they are a team to reckon with. They aren't out of the race yet, and if they play like that they might just be able to push another team out of the picture. Chicago sits in 6th place with 21 points. They are more than a full game behind 4th place holders Washington and Sky Blue, but if the circumstances fall in their favor, they might have the ability to pass one of them. Their next match is going to be against the Philadelphia Independence. While this will be a tough match, Chicago has the ability to do it. Winning this match will also make the race farther up in the standings (2nd-4th place) even closer. Losing this match will hurt Chicago's chances severely, however. If the Red Stars want to stay in the race, they're going to need to win their next match.
Atlanta Beat- A team who started the season rather slow, but has come from behind and is only a few points away from the other contenders. They're only 1 point behind Chicago, but they are more than a full game behind the 4th place holders. At this point, its going to be very difficult for Atlanta to get in. They're going to need a lot of things to go in their favor. Atlanta's next match is going to be against FC Gold Pride. FCGP is on a roll right now, especially after winning the season title, and I doubt they'll be showing any mercy to the last placers, however, Atlanta has proven to be quite the feisty team. A loss against FCGP will kill any hopes they have of getting into the playoffs. Atlanta should give it a valiant effort, but I don't think they're going to make it.
Here's my analysis and predictions. What do you think?
Denise
