Flash and Marta Favored in Saturday's Women's Professional Soccer Title Game

If Hurricane -- or even Tropical Storm -- Irene doesn't force cancellation, the No. 1 and No. 2 playoff seeds will meet at 4:30 p.m. Saturday in the Women's Professional Soccer title match in Rochester, N.Y.

The game is scheduled to be televised on Fox Sports.

The Western New York Flash finished first atop the three-year-old WPS this season, and won the automatic berth and right to host the title game. The Independence finished close behind in second place and dispatched No. 3 magicJack in the semifinals last week to earn their spot in the final Saturday.

Though their regular season records are close, the Flash have to be considered the favorite heading into the match, according to an ESPN online story. They boast a forward line that consists of five-time reigning FIFA Player of the Year Marta, Canadian captain Christine Sinclair and United States World Cup star Alex Morgan.

Marta and Sinclair both played for and won a title with FC Gold Pride last year -- combining to score 29 goals. This year, they picked up where they left off, each netting 10 goals despite missing time for this summer's Women's World Cup.

"You just can't beat that," Flash defender Ali Riley said after Friday's practice of Marta and Sinclair. "I think they're the two best players in the world."

The match is a rematch of sorts of last year's title game. Though FC Gold Pride folded after last season, a core group of players joined the expansion Western New York Flash -- most significantly the forward tandem of Marta and Sinclair.

Last year, the Independence had just two days' rest after two extra time playoff games and were promptly beaten 4-0 in the title game, with Marta and Sinclair scoring three goals. This year, there's a week off in-between the matches, so the Independence are a much more well-rested team.

"The worst memory for us was the fact we never showed up," Philadelphia coach Paul Riley said after his team's final training session Friday. "We didn't play well. We didn't really turn it on. This year, we've got a chance to put that right."

It's also a homecoming of sorts of Independence midfielder Veronica Boquete who played for Lines and the Flash when they were the Buffalo Flash that won last year's W-League title. Now, she's the MVP of the league leading the opposing offense.