The expansion Western New York Flash won their first-ever Women's Professional Soccer game this past weekend, besting a very good Boston Breakers team 2-1. The team's excitement after the opening game was clear, and it's only going to get bigger.
"I think we just keep possession so well," Flash defender Ali Riley said after the match. "We play soccer how it's supposed to be played. We didn't even have Marta and there were still just beautiful passages where it's just keeping the ball [and] finding everyone."
While the Flash didn't have their best -- and the world's best -- player, Marta, just yet, they still had an imposing forward line featuring Christine Sinclair, Marta's strike partner last year with FC Gold Pride, and No. 1 overall draft pick Alex Morgan, this fall's hero with the U.S. women's national team. The pair teamed up for a goal, with Morgan assisting Sinclair to give the Flash a 1-0 lead in the second half.
"I think that I did pretty well," Morgan said of her pro debut. "I think I had some good passes, some good balls behind the backline and gave [Sinclair] a pretty good assist."
A forward, Morgan was solid throughout the match and showed the pace that has made her a late-game super sub for the U.S. national team. Western New York coach Aaron Lines offered high praise for her performance.
"Excellent performance … she was quality. She gave them all trouble tonight," he said.
As for Marta, the two-time WPS Player of the Year arrived in Buffalo on Monday after sorting out visa issues. She should make her debut for the team this weekend, but without much training time with the team. She said Tuesday in an interview with espnW that recent nasal surgery kept her away from training for 20 days, and while she isn't 100 percent, she expects to be fit for Sunday's game.
Riley can't wait for her former FC Gold Pride teammate to take the field for the Flash.
"I think we'll be unstoppable," she said with a laugh. "I think a player of that caliber fits in -- no matter if she's been here for a day [or] five weeks."
The Flash will visit the Atlanta Beat on Sunday before making their home debut in Rochester on May 1.
This week begins a busy time for members of the U.S. women's national team as they shuttle between training camp in Florida and WPS matches on the weekend. With the Women's World Cup just two months away, U.S. coach Pia Sundhage is trying to get the team together for as much training as possible. There are also three friendlies left to play before the tournament begins. Each national team player's availability for WPS games will likely be a game-time decision each week.
"The schedule's going to get a little bit crazier in the next month or two," Morgan said. "But that's just how it's going to be and how we're going to have to work with it."It'll be up to the coaches of the WPS teams to figure out the right plan for their club teams and be mindful of national team commitments for both the U.S. players and the internationals from nations participating in this year's World Cup.
"It'll be interesting," Breakers coach Tony DiCicco said. "It gives the other players opportunities."
In the first two years of WPS, every individual award has been won by a national team player. With so many players missing time because of the World Cup this summer, it appears there is a good chance that streak will be broken this year.