By CHRISTA MANN
After a twenty game regular season and two opening rounds of the playoffs, today's Women's Pro Soccer Championship (4:00 PM EST on FSN and Comcast affiliates) features the L.A. Sol against Sky Blue FC (NJ).
One team was always expected to be in the championship game, while the other, well the other wasn't even expected to make the playoffs amid inner turmoil and early-season struggles.
Here's a closer look at the two teams participating in the first WPS Championship Game.
Since Day One, the Sol has dominated this inaugural season. With Marta, the best female player in the world, and her supporting cast of notable talents, L.A. suffered only one loss in the first twelve games and finished 12-3-5 overall. Week in and week out, opposing teams have struggled against this obvious favorite. They basically walked away with the regular season title and a guaranteed spot in the final despite ending the season with two losses in a tie in the last five games but the best of the best ended the season on a pretty sour note. Going 2-2-1in the last four games. The Sol is a fan favorite without a doubt but its opponent has won over the hearts of many.
Sky Blue FC is the ultimate underdog in WPS after overcoming constant drama behind the scenes and a four game winless opening. Somehow this team found a way when there was no way and performed at its best when not one but two head coaches had to go. In each of those instances, SBFC had one of its best games of the season. Adversity to them is a good thing. It inspires the team's will to pull off some astonishing results. In the playoffs alone, SBFC found a way to upset two teams that it had never defeated in the regular season. The Washington Freedom and St. Louis Athletica both went down in the SBFC's quest to the final. They have battled through injuries and forgotten all the drama but can they overcome the best team in the league?
Who wins it all? Can SBFC's Jenni Branam make it for 90 more minutes in goal? Who deserves it more? Will you be watching?
Share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below. Enjoy the match.