Mitts, Fair Invited To National Team Training

Heather Mitts and Lorrie Fair were both invited to train with the U.S. Women's National Team in preparation for the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup, which begins in September. Head coach April Heinrichs invited 29 players to the training. She is expected to cut that number to between 18 and 20 for the final World Cup roster. Fair has 114 caps with the national team, having been the only Charge member to be on the U.S. team that won the 1999 World Cup title. Mitts has only four caps, but her play this past season in the WUSA has catapulted her into the mix. Heinrichs has not decided when she will announce her final roster.

Founders Cup III goes to Washington

Abby Wambach scored twice, including the game-winner six minutes into overtime, to lift the Washington Freedom to a dramatic 2-1 victory over the Atlanta Beat in Founders Cup III at Torero Stadium in San Diego, Calif. The Freedom raised their first WUSA championship trophy while the Beat endured a third straight season of qualifying for the playoffs only to go out in a match that went past the regular 90 minutes.

The Beat went to overtime for the fifth time in as many playoff games while the Freedom finished this year's playoffs without surrendering a goal in the run of play over 201 minutes. The Beat's goal came in first-half stoppage time. Charmaine Hooper nailed a penalty after a controversial whistle for a foul by Jacqui Little on Leslie Gaston.

Wambach is the first player to score twice in a Founders Cup. For her efforts, she will receive a 2003 Hyundai of her choice for being named MVP of the match.

Pichon Leaves for France

Charge forward and 2002 WUSA MVP Marinette Pichon has left France to begin training with her national team in preparation for the 2003 Women's World Cup that will be played this September in the United States. Pichon's club will actually open World Cup play on Saturday, September 20 at Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field against world power Norway. That game starts at noon (ET) and will be followed by Nigeria versus Korea. The United States will play at Lincoln Financial Field on Thursday, September 25 at 7:30 p.m. (ET) against Nigeria. That game follows the opener of the doubleheader, Sweden versus Korea, which starts at 4:45 p.m. (ET).

Media Note

The Charge's PR Department will be sending out the Media Update every other Monday. The next Media Update will come on Monday, Sept. 8. Press releases will continue to be distributed in a timely manner when necessary. For player interview requests or for any other Charge inquiries, please contact the Charge PR Department at 215-952-5492.