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Eniola Aluko's sixth goal of the season gave Saint Louis Athletica a 1-0 win over the Boston Breakers Saturday evening.

Boxscore (all statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial)

ST. LOUIS (Aug. 1, 2009) – Saint Louis Athletica clinched a playoff spot and home field for the WPS Super Semifinal by beating the Boston Breakers 1-0 at The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park on Saturday night. Eniola Aluko scored the game-winner in the 36th minute when Amanda Cinalli slipped a through ball to Aluko inside the penalty area. Aluko slotted home her shot beating Boston goalkeeper Allison Lipsher. The goal was Aluko’s sixth of the year.

“A good striker has to expect that ball,” said Aluko. “It came through a lot of players and I was able to put it through the keeper’s legs. This is a very tough league and strikers need to score, I bear that responsibility.”

Athletica have clinched second place by virtue of Washington losing early in the afternoon to FC Gold Pride. Athletica now have 30 points and cannot be caught or tied in the WPS standings. While Athletica took the field already in a playoff spot due to Washington’s loss they were not informed until halftime that the Freedom had fallen. Athletica took the field in the second half knowing they were 45 minutes away from securing second place.

“It helped that we knew at halftime because it helped later in the game to push us, when the legs got tired you just needed to think about what was at stake,” said captain Lori Chalupny. “It was a big relief, a lot of pressure off our shoulders and now we are in the best position we could possibly be in after Los Angeles clinched first. Tonight was great, the park was packed, and the atmosphere was great. I love this home field and playing here. We have played a lot of games and now we have two games left and 19 days to prepare for the semifinal.”

Boston had one great chance in the second half when Kelly Smith launched a shot from the top of the 18-yard box in the 65th minute. Hope Solo made a diving save to deny Smith and keep the game 1-0 in favor of Athletica. This was the 10th game of the year for Athletica that produced a 1-0 result, Athletica have won seven of them.

“I have to say our defense did a great job and Kia McNeill helped make that an easier save since she only gave Smith a small window to shoot from,” said Solo.

Despite the loss the Breakers (7-8-4, 25 points) remain in fourth place and in contention for a playoff spot.  The final two spots in the WPS Playoffs will come down to next weekend, the final weekend of the regular season, as the Breakers, the third-place Washington Freedom (7-7-5, 26 points) and the fifth place Sky Blue FC (6-7-5, 23 points) vie to reach the post-season.

“I think we played pretty well,” said Breakers assistant coach Lisa Cole, who filled in for head coach Tony DiCicco tonight following his suspension handed down by the league on Friday. “There were moments in the first half in which we kind of got away from our game plan. We put together a good half and put together several good opportunities that just didn’t fall for us. I’m proud of how we played and competed, but we have to finish.”

Athletica have now posted more points in the last eight games than they posted in the first half of the season in their opening 10 games. Saint Louis has now won five of their last seven games coming down the stretch run of the season and taken points in six of their last seven.

“I said it all along it is not how you play at the start it is how you finish and where you finish. None of us were worried through those early games because we were playing good soccer,” reflected Solo. “We never lost sight of that.”

At the conclusion of the game Head Coach Jorge Barcellos got showered with water by his players and conducted his post-game interviews dripping wet.

“I didn’t see it coming and I got soaked,” said Barcellos. “My biggest dream is to give St. Louis a title in the WPS and god willing we will make this happen. I identify a lot with the fans here, the fans are part of the club, they come here to have fun and they believe in the work we do so we want to return that by giving them some happiness.”

Barcellos will now enjoy two remaining games that will let him rest some players who need rest, play some players who need to see some playing time and set the table for August 19.

“For me it is going to be marvelous to let players recover,” said Barcellos. “The rules of the league are a little complicated but we will work some other players in. The work we have done has paid off and reflects well on what we have now accomplished.”

Tickets for the WPS Super Semifinal are now on sale www.saintlouisathletica.com and by calling 1-888-STL-GOAL starting on Monday morning August 3rd. The WPS Super Semifinal will be played Wednesday night August 19 at 6pm CT (7pm ET) at The Anheuser-Busch Soccer Park. The game will be shown live on the Fox Soccer Channel, FSC.

With the regular season concluding this coming week, the Athletica host the Chicago Red Stars on Wednesday, Aug. 5, while the Breakers return to Boston to host the first-place Los Angeles Sol on Sunday, Aug. 9 at 6pm ET/3pm PT on Fox Soccer Channel and webcast at womensprosoccer.com.  As the Washington Freedom and Sky Blue FC play each other on Saturday, Aug. 8, the Breakers will know what result they need to reach the playoffs heading into Sunday's match.

Boxscore (all statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial)