2001 WUSA Founders Cup

2001 WUSA Founders Cup

Match program cover
Event	2001 WUSA season
Bay Area CyberRays Atlanta Beat 3 3
CyberRays won 4–2 on penalties
Date	August 25, 2001
Venue	Foxboro Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts
Player of the Match	Julie Murray (CyberRays)
Referee	Sandra Hunt
Attendance	21,078
Weather	Sunshine, Puffy clouds 80 °F (27 °C)

The 2001 WUSA Founders Cup, also known as Founders Cup I, was the first championship match in Women's United Soccer Association history, played between Bay Area CyberRays and the Atlanta Beat to decide the champion of the league's inaugural season. The game was played in bright sunshine at Foxboro Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts on August 25, 2001. Bay Area CyberRays defeated the Beat 4–2 on a penalty shootout when the match finished 3–3 after sudden death extra time.[1]

Pre-match

Ticket prices for the final started at $15 and were also available at $28 and $45, with a discount for group purchases.[2]

Atlanta's star player Sun Wen had been afflicted by injuries to her left knee and ankle and was only fit enough to be a substitute. She had entered the semi-final victory over Philadelphia Charge to decisive effect, scoring a goal and assisting another for Cindy Parlow as Atlanta recovered from 2–0 down to win 3–2.[3]

Match

August 25, 2001

14: 00 EDT

Bay Area CyberRays	3–3 (a.e.t.)	Atlanta Beat
Chastain 6' Murray 43' Venturini 86'	Report	Bivens 11' Hooper 14' Sun Wen 83'
Penalties
Venturini Dorn Kátia Murray	4–2	Sun Wen Serlenga Hooper Blalack

Foxboro Stadium,
Foxborough, Massachusetts

Attendance: 21,078

Referee: Sandra Hunt

Bay Area CyberRays[4]

Atlanta Beat[4]

BAY AREA CYBERRAYS: GK 1 LaKeysia Beene DF 6 Brandi Chastain (c) DF 5 Kelly Lindsey DF 2 Thori Bryan DF 17 Gina Oceguera  90' MF 15 Tisha Venturini MF 10 Sissi  90' MF 4 Carey Dorn FW 7 Christina Bell  66' FW 8 Julie Murray FW 9 Kátia Substitutes: MF 20 Ann Cook  90' FW 18 Megan Horvath  66'  104' FW 23 Jacqui Little  104' Coach: Ian Sawyers

ATLANTA BEAT: GK 1 Briana Scurry DF 21 Lisa Krzykowski DF 6 Sharolta Nonen DF 17 Dayna Smith  41' DF 25 Nancy Augustyniak MF 8 Homare Sawa  104' MF 5 Nikki Serlenga MF 4 Kylie Bivens  63' MF 15 Julie Augustyniak  39' FW 12 Cindy Parlow (c) FW 10 Charmaine Hooper Substitutes: MF 23 Amy Walsh  39' FW 9 Sun Wen  63' FW 22 Bryn Blalack  104' Coach: Tom Stone

Player of the match Julie Murray (Bay Area CyberRays) Match officials Assistant referees: Jon Wilson Sharon Wheeler Fourth official: Peter Kokolski

Match rules 90 minutes. 15 minutes of golden goal extra-time if necessary. Penalty shoot-out if scores still level. Three named substitutes. Maximum of three substitutions.

Statistics

	Bay Area CyberRays	Atlanta Beat
Total shots	13	8
Shots on target	9	7
Corner kicks	8	10
Fouls committed	17	14
Offsides	2	1
Yellow cards	1	1
Red cards	0	0

Source

References

1. "Bay Area beats Atlanta for inaugural championship". CNN Sports Illustrated. August 25, 2001. Archived from the original on August 28, 2001. Retrieved January 10, 2014.
2. "WUSA Announces Boston as Site for Inaugural Championship Game". United States Soccer Federation. July 11, 2001. Archived from the original on January 10, 2014. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
3. Yannis, Alex (August 25, 2001). "SOCCER; Title Game Could Depend On a Substitute's Impact". The New York Times. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
4. Kassouf, Jeff (October 19, 2011). "Classics: Bay Area CyberRays top Atlanta Beat in first-ever Founders Cup". The Equalizer Soccer. Retrieved January 10, 2014.