The most anticipated football match of the young Women’s Professional Soccer season takes place Saturday night (May 2) in Boston as the visiting, and first-place Los Angeles Sol and Brazilian superstar Marta take on the third-place Boston Breakers, led by WPS Player of the Month, England national Kelly Smith and the WPS Number 1 draft pick, forward Amy Rodriguez.

“I think the best thing about this league is it’s challenging and it’s competitive,” Rodriguez said following Thursday’s training session. “That’s what we’re expecting Saturday. Hopefully we’ll put on a good show.”

The talk of the league, Marta, isn’t the only player the Breakers have to worry about. U.S. national, midfielder Shannon Boxx, and keeper Karina LeBlanc have the potential to stop the Breakers attack.

“The nice thing is, I’m not a defender so I don’t have to play against her (Marta), but playing against her team is going to be fun,” said Rodriguez, whose U.S. temmates Boxx, Stephanie Cox, and Aly Wagner play for the Sol. “We’re so used to playing with each other, we know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and now going against each other is very interesting because they know us so well and they know what we’re going to do. It’s just fun to play against your friends like that. It’s been awesome (playing U.S. teammates). We joke about it all the time.”

Rodriguez, who played college soccer at the University of Southern California and comes from Lake Forest, Calif., will go up against her former youth soccer coach, Sol Head Coach Abner Rodgers.

“Abner’s a great friend of mine and a good coach,” Rodriguez said. “He’s taught me a lot of things, and hopefully I’ll show him a thing or two this weekend.”

Breakers notebook: As far as the Player of the Month Smith, she has scored in every game she’s played for Boston this season. She also won the WPS Player of the Week award on April 12 … Brazil’s Fabiana has yet to join the Breakers due to visa issues. She won’t be in town Saturday night, but she may make her debut when the Breakers travel to LA to take on the Sol next Sunday … Although they’re in third place, the Breakers lead the WPS in goals scored (6). The Sol are second with five tallies … The projected starting lineup for Boston, in its 4-4-2 formation is Alex Scott at left back, Heather Mitts at right back, Nancy Augustyniak Goffi and Amy LePeilbet in the middle
(supporting keeper Kristin Luckenbill), Kasey Moore at defensive midfielder, Smith, Kristine Lilly, and Angela Hucles in the middle, and Kelly Schmedes and Amy Rodriguez up front.

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