Power, Beat Can’t Find Net in Tie
Despite having prolific scorers in Sun Wen and Tiffeny Milbrett, the Atlanta Beat and New York Power fought to a 0-0 tie in their Women’s United Soccer Assn. opener Saturday at Atlanta.
“It’s incredible, I think, to be going against my former teammates and friends,” said Milbrett, a star on the U.S. women’s team who took four shots.
On a sunny, warm day at Georgia Tech’s Bobby Dodd Stadium, a crowd of 20,170 was energized most when Chinese star Sun entered the game for Atlanta in the 78th minute. The forward, voted the FIFA Co-Player of the Century, did not start because of a tender left knee that required major surgery four months ago.
Sun looked close to 100%, though, as she tried to break between New York defenders Kristy Whelchel and Christie Pearce as she dribbled inside the left corner in the 86th minute.
Whelchel stepped in from the left and kicked the ball out of bounds.
Milbrett, whose 83 goals rank No. 4 on the U.S. women’s career list, took New York’s final shot in the 85th minute. The Power captain was dribbling in the right corner when she took a high shot that went wide left of goalkeeper Brianna Scurry.
Boston 1, Carolina 0--Maren Meinert scored in the first half as the Breakers defeated the Courage in the opener for both teams in front of 6,134 at Chapel Hill, N.C.
Meinert, one of two German national team members playing for Boston, scored on a breakaway off an assist from defender Keri Raygor in the 14th minute of the first half.
