Match Preview: Sky Blue FC vs. Boston Breakers

Sky Blue FC vs. Boston Breakers

Yurcak Field; Piscataway, New Jersey

August 26, 2017

7:00 p.m. ET

Watch: go90 or NWSLsoccer.com

Sky Blue FC (8-9-2, 26 points) returns to National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) action on Saturday as the New Jersey club hosts the Boston Breakers (3-9-7, 16 points) at Yurcak Field in Piscataway, New Jersey. The match is set to kickoff at 7 p.m. ET, and fans can watch the match on go90.com, the go90 app or on NWSLsoccer.com.

The match-up marks the second and final meeting of the season between Sky Blue FC and the Breakers, with the first contest taking place in Boston back in April. The Breakers earned a 1-0 win off a tally from Rose Lavelle in the 37th minute. Historically, Sky Blue FC leads the series with a 6-3-3 overall record, and has not lost a match to Boston at Yurcak Field since the NWSL was founded in 2013.

The New Jersey club is coming off a historic comeback victory against Seattle Reign FC last weekend, earning a 5-4 result with seconds remaining in the match. Sky Blue FC trailed 3-0 at halftime before Sam Kerr scored a hat trick to even the match at three goals apiece. Kiersten Dallstream reclaimed the lead for the Reign in the 85th minute, but Sky Blue would not say goodnight just yet. In the 91st minute, Maya Hayes converted the equalizer, and then Kerr headed home the game-winner as time expired for the 5-4 win.

The Australia international became the first NWSL player to score two hat tricks in a single season and is also the first player to record four goals in a game. She currently has 15 goals on the season, and is one shy of Kim Little’s 2014 league record.

Sky Blue FC also became the first NWSL club to win a match where it trailed by three goals, as well as the first NWSL team to win a game that was losing in the 90th minute.

The Breakers enter Saturday night’s contest with a seven-game winless streak, with its last victory coming on July 1 against the Washington Spirit. However, Lavelle has been upgraded to questionable and could see her first minutes since June 3. She injured her hamstring on June 11 in the 85th minute of the U.S. Women’s National Team’s 1-0 win over Norway. The rookie midfielder has two goals and one assist so far this season and was named April Player of the Month.

Injury Report:

SBFC

OUT: Leah Galton (back strain), Christie Pearce (SEI – accumulative injuries), Erin Simon (D45 – left foot fracture)

DOUBTFUL: None

QUESTIONABLE: Tasha Kai (right calf strain); Kelley O’Hara (right adductor strain), Raquel Rodriguez (left hamstring strain)

PROBABLE: None

BOS

OUT: Christen Westphal (right foot nerve damage)

DOUBTFUL: None

QUESTIONABLE: Rose Lavelle (strained left hamstring)

PROBABLE: Allysha Chapman (groin strain)