4.) Who’s More Desperate For Redemption?

Both Philadelphia and Boston are coming off of pretty disappointing losses last weekend. At least when they fail they fail together.. Playoff spots are up for grabs with a victory by either side, although ten other things have to go right as well. Each of the three previous match-ups between these two teams have resulted in some pretty entertaining games. There was that thrilling 2-2 tie on FSC a few weeks ago and it was Boston’s 2-1 win over Philadelphia back on July 4th that started the Breakers’ improbable run. Perhaps it’s only fitting for these two teams to meet at this juncture.

3.) Who Wants 4th Place More?

Both the Washington Freedom and Sky Blue FC are locked in fourth place with 25 points each. The Freedom haven’t lost a game since that time they nearly lost their manager. That was four matches ago. Sky Blue FC – or namely, Yael Averbuch – stunned the Philadelphia Independence with a gorgeous goal last week that lifted the team into the playoff race. Whenever these two teams meet they do nothing but tie (a 0-0 and 1-1 decided the previous two meetings). A tie won’t really help either team but Sky Blue FC can probably afford it as they still have a game in hand. Goals of two kind can be expected from this match: either beautiful belters or own goals.

2.) Is Atlanta Actually On To Something?

The Beat’s 3-2 win over Boston last weekend was mightily impressive. Even if Atlanta’s back four nearly lost the plot at the end. They’ll be coming up against a FC Gold Pride team that has nothing to play for. If FCGP are the sporting kind, they’ll actually let Atlanta play them. Albertin Montoya’s team has outscored the Beat 6 goals to 1 this season. The Beat will be without both Johanna Rasmussen who is mysteriously still on National Team duty and Ramona Bachmann who has actually created two goal-scoring opportunities in two games. Thank goodness Eniola Aluko is still around. She’s coming off what was perhaps her best game of the season last weekend. If Atlanta can take all three points, they’ll leapfrog Chicago and will be out of last place for the first time this season.

1.) Will Philadelphia Clinch A Playoff Spot?

Let’s all take a moment to laud the Philadelphia Independence and the job that Paul Riley has done. Riley, a former WPSL coach, took a troupe of cast-off’s, rejects and unfamiliar internationals. No one, other than Lianne Sanderson, was a proven goal-scorer. So would the goals come? Would the players gel? By golly, would they ever. The Independence have scored 35 goals (which leads the league) from 10 different players (which always leads the league). Riley has worked wonders with an expansion team that entered the league with pretty low expectations. He’s the coach of the year, no questions asked.

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