WPS: Marta scores twice in L.A. Sol victory

Brazilian star Marta tallied her first two WPS goals to lead the Sol to a 2-0 win Sunday over Sky Blue FC at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, N.J.

"I was very happy with our performance today," said Los Angeles Sol head coach Abner Rogers. "To come back and play a very different style than we had to last week and still come up with the result we did pleases me a great deal."

Sky Blue took a hit in the 27th minute when team captain and defender Christie Rampone left the match with a strained hamstring. Three minutes later, it had a chance to score. Jen Buczkowski headed the ball toward goal. Sol goalkeeper Karina LeBlanc made the save.

Ten minutes later Los Angeles took the lead. Marta put the Sol ahead 1-0 after splitting two defenders inside the box and sent the ball just inside the far post. Two minutes later, she tapped in a cross from Chinese star Han Duan. The ball slid under Sky Blue goalkeeper Jenni Branam for a 2-0 lead.

"I am very happy to have scored my first two goals in WPS," said Marta. "They were both opportunities that I was glad that I was able take advantage of and give us the win."

With time running out, Sky Blue continued to push. In the 85th minute, Kacey White sent a corner kick to Sarah Walsh. LeBlanc blocked the shot. Anita Asante shot the rebound over the bar.

Los Angeles held on for the remaining minutes, collecting the 2-0 win. The Sol have won two straight matches, while outscoring opponents 4-0.

Tiffeny Milbrett showed she still has what it takes to lead a team to victory. Milbrett tallied a 90th minute goal to lead FC Gold Pride to a 2-1 win Sunday at Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

FC Gold Pride started the scoring early. Tiffany Weimer crossed the ball to Eriko Arakawa in the 15th minute. Arakawa headed it in past Breakers goalkeeper Kristin Luckenbill for the 1-0 lead.

The home team held the advantage for the majority of the match. But in the 79th minute, Boston knotted things up. Kelly Smith rocketed a shot into the top of the goal from the right side of the box.

But as time began running out, Milbrett emerged as the hero. In the 90th minute, Brandi Chastain sent the ball to Kandace Wilson, who ran down the right side of the field. Luckenbill denied Wilson's cross. Milbrett collected the rebound and fired the ball into the net for a 2-1 lead.

Boston took 11 shots, including six on goal. It looked as if the Breakers might tie things up again in the 88th minute. Smith lobbed the ball over the FCGP defense for Kelly Schmedes, who shot the ball over the bar.

"We are disappointed, but I thought we had some good performances and some average ones out there," said Breakers head coach Tony DiCicco. "We just need to get better consistency. It was an exciting game and I think it would have been a fair result as a tie, but they took their chances and we didn't."