Women's Professional Soccer All-Star Game
Encyclopedia
The WPS All-Star Game was founded in the league
's inaugural season
, originally modeled after the MLS All-Star Game, where the WPS All-Star team play against a club team from a level-one league from another country, though this changed as of the second year to feature two teams of WPS All-Star players.
WPS All-Stars are chosen either by being voted on to the starting eleven(s), or by being selected by the league. Voting is equally weighted between fans, media, players, and coaches (25% each), while the 'at-large' selections are chosen by the WPS Commissioner, currently Anne-Marie Eileraas. The All-Star head coach(es) are chosen by the players.
by the 17th minute. Both teams were missing multiple players, because the EURO was taking place at the same time. WPS in fact had 20 players in the game, as two ex-Umeå players (Östberg
and Frisk
) suited up for their former team. Marta, also an ex-Umeå player, was incredibly impressive the whole game, notching one goal and two assists for WPS, apart from constantly making fast runs and drawing multiple defenders.
and Marta were elected team captains by the voting process, and were allowed to choose their teammates in a playground pick-'em style. Marta's XI defeated Abby's XI by a score of 5-2 (HT 3-1).
Women's Professional Soccer
Women's Professional Soccer is the top level professional women's soccer league in the United States. It began play on March 29, 2009. The league was composed of seven teams for its first two seasons and fielded 6 teams for the 2011 season, with continued plans for future expansion...
's inaugural season
2009 Women's Professional Soccer season
The 2009 Women's Professional Soccer season served as the inaugural season for WPS, the top level professional women's soccer league in the United States...
, originally modeled after the MLS All-Star Game, where the WPS All-Star team play against a club team from a level-one league from another country, though this changed as of the second year to feature two teams of WPS All-Star players.
WPS All-Stars are chosen either by being voted on to the starting eleven(s), or by being selected by the league. Voting is equally weighted between fans, media, players, and coaches (25% each), while the 'at-large' selections are chosen by the WPS Commissioner, currently Anne-Marie Eileraas. The All-Star head coach(es) are chosen by the players.
2009
The inaugural WPS All-Star game, held in St. Louis, was won by the WPS All-Stars 4-2, after falling 0-2 to Umeå IKUmeå IK
Umeå IK is a prominent women's association football club based in the city of Umeå, Sweden. The club was established in 1917 as a general sports club, and started competing in women's in 1985. In 1996 the team reached the premier division, the Damallsvenskan but was relegated the following year. In...
by the 17th minute. Both teams were missing multiple players, because the EURO was taking place at the same time. WPS in fact had 20 players in the game, as two ex-Umeå players (Östberg
Frida Östberg
Frida Christina Östberg is a retired Swedish football midfielder who played for Umeå IK, Linköpings FC and Chicago Red Stars of Women's Professional Soccer. She is a former member of the Sweden women's national football team.-Club:Östberg started her career with Hägglunds IoFK, who she played for...
and Frisk
Johanna Frisk
Johanna Frisk is a Swedish football defender who plays for Tyresö FF in the Damallsvenskan. She previously played for Umeå IK and in America for the now–defunct Los Angeles Sol of Women's Professional Soccer....
) suited up for their former team. Marta, also an ex-Umeå player, was incredibly impressive the whole game, notching one goal and two assists for WPS, apart from constantly making fast runs and drawing multiple defenders.
2010
During the off-season, it was decided that the 2010 All-Star game would take place mid-season instead of postseason, the date set to June 30, and held in Atlanta. Instead of facing a club team from another country's league, there were two teams of WPS All-Stars. In a novel process, Abby WambachAbby Wambach
Mary Abigail "Abby" Wambach is an American professional soccer player, coach and Olympic gold medalist. A four-time winner of the U.S. Soccer Athlete of the Year award, she has been a regular on the U.S. women's national team since 2003...
and Marta were elected team captains by the voting process, and were allowed to choose their teammates in a playground pick-'em style. Marta's XI defeated Abby's XI by a score of 5-2 (HT 3-1).
2011
Due to the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup, the All-Star game will not be held in 2011 season, thew new commissioner Anne-Marie Eileraas (who took over for Tonya Antonucci after the 2010 WPS final) citing http://www.womensprosoccer.com/news/general/101003-q-a-wpsceo that the likely All-Star players will already be stretched thin with national team duties.Results
| Year | Date | Winning Team | Score | Losing Team | Stadium | City | Attendance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 WPS All-Star 2009 The 2009 Women's Professional Soccer All-Star Game was the first WPS All-Star Game. In a format similar to that of recent all-star games in Major League Soccer, the WPS All-Stars played Swedish club powerhouse Umeå IK on August 30, 2009, eight days after the league's championship game... |
8/30 | WPS All-Stars | 4 - 2 | Umeå IK Umeå IK Umeå IK is a prominent women's association football club based in the city of Umeå, Sweden. The club was established in 1917 as a general sports club, and started competing in women's in 1985. In 1996 the team reached the premier division, the Damallsvenskan but was relegated the following year. In... |
Soccer Park Anheuser-Busch Center The Anheuser-Busch Center, also known as Soccer Park, is located in Fenton, Missouri, a suburb southwest of downtown St. Louis. It was the home field of A.C. St. Louis. Opening in 1982 as the St. Louis Soccer Park, the Anheuser-Busch Center has been the home to regional sporting events at the... |
Fenton, Missouri Fenton, Missouri Fenton is a city in St. Louis County, Missouri, United States, and a suburb of St. Louis. The population was 4,022 at the 2010 census.-History:Due to its proximity to fertile land and the Meramec River, the Fenton area has been inhabited for over 1,000 years... |
4,115 |
| 2010 WPS All-Star 2010 The 2010 Women's Professional Soccer All-Star Game was the second WPS All-Star Game, taking place on June 30th, 2010. Thirty-six players were divided into two teams with the top US vote-getter and the top international vote-getter as captains... |
6/30 | Marta's XI | 5 - 2 | Abby's XI | KSU Soccer Stadium Kennesaw State University Soccer Stadium Kennesaw State University Soccer Stadium is a soccer-specific stadium near Kennesaw, Georgia that opened on May 2, 2010, with the first match played on May 9. It is primarily used for soccer, and is the result of a public-private partnership between the university and the Atlanta Beat of Women's... |
Kennesaw, Georgia Kennesaw, Georgia Kennesaw is a city in Cobb County, Georgia, United States. It had a population of 29,783 according to the 2010 census. It is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. Founded in 1887, Kennesaw has a past surrounded with railroad history... |
4,610 |
Records
- Most All-Star goals: Marta and Christine SinclairChristine SinclairChristine Margaret Sinclair is a Canadian soccer forward who plays professional soccer for the Western New York Flash and is the captain of the Canadian national team. Sinclair has spent ten years with the Canadian national team participating in two World Cups in 2007 and 2003 and the 2008 Summer...
(3) - Most All-Star assists: Marta and CristianeCristiane Rozeira de Souza SilvaCristiane Rozeira de Souza Silva , better known as Cristiane, is a Brazilian association football player...
(2)
- Biggest Win: Three goals, Marta's XI 5-2 Abby's XI (2010)
- Highest attendance: 4610
- Average attendance: 4363