Rally Lifts Atlanta, 2-1

Charmaine Hooper scored in the fourth minute of overtime to send the Atlanta Beat to its second title game in three years with a 2-1 victory over the San Diego Spirit on Sunday in front of 8,123.

Conny Pohlers scored in stoppage time to force the extra period. She tapped in her goal after beating San Diego goalkeeper Jennie Branam to a ball at the top of the goalie box.

For most of the afternoon, San Diego appeared headed for the championship game, taking the lead on a goal by Aly Wagner in the 38th minute.

But after Pohlers tied the score, Hooper took a pass in overtime from Leslie Gaston and outran Joy Fawcett for a one-on-one attempt, beating Branam with a shot to the left side of the goal.

Atlanta Coach Tom Stone said the momentum shifted with Pohlers’ goal.

“We’d just gutted San Diego with Conny’s goal,” Stone said. “To have to come back out there for overtime after something like that is very difficult.”

The second-seeded Beat will play the fourth-seeded Washington Freedom in Founders Cup III on Sunday at San Diego.

“This is a tough one because you have yourself in a position to play at home [in the final],” San Diego’s Julie Foudy said.