The Boston Breakers celebrate Midge Purce’s first NWSL goal (Photo credit J. Alexander Dolan).
Rookie forward Margaret Purce scored her first pro goal after the break to send the Breakers to a long-awaited 1-0 win over the Washington Spirit on Saturday at Jordan Field in Allston, Mass.
Purce, who entered Saturday’s match in the 62nd minute, broke the deadlock in the 73rd minute on a pass from Rosie White to end the Breakers’ recent eight-match winless rut.
“We said this at halftime to the group that we’re driving into players when we can give it and then receive it back in the space and we’ve got to a better job of that, but I thought (Purce) did well with that today,” Breakers head coach Matt Beard told the media after the match. “She was getting her head up. She was looking for the passes.”
The Spirit outshot the Breakers 17-10, forcing Sammy Jo Prudhomme to make four saves in order to collect her second straight clean sheet.
Washington’s Estefania Banini made a bid for the equalizer in the 80th minute, but her shot was denied by Prudhomme.
“I’m proud of them, I thought we defended well today. We knew we needed to come away with a win today,” said Beard. “It’s a pleasing, win and it’s another clean sheet, which is another positive, and we can build from that.”
The Breakers will look to make it two straight on Friday at Jordan Field where they’ll host the Chicago Red Stars. Kickoff is set for 7:00pm.
Breaker defenders Julie King and Allysha Chapman cut off the run led by Spirit forward Francisca Ordega (Photo Credit: J. Alexander Dolan).
Boston Breakers
