At the beginning of the year the Freedom were the envy of most of the league, boasting great offensive players such as Mia Hamm, Pretinha, and Roseli, as well as U.S. national team members Michelle French Siri Mullinix at goaltender. They also obtained Chinese national team defender Bai Jie.

Coach Jim Gabarra has had to change his lineup numerous times to fill the team's needs, which included moving French and Bai into the midfield. The defense has struggled to mark opponents consistently, particularly towards the end of matches.

Washington has given up late goals in losses to San Diego, twice against Atlanta, in extra time against San Diego, and again in Thursday's 2-0 loss to Philadelphia.

Jen Grubb and Emmy Barr have played well at defense this season, but Washington had to play without Barr on Thursday. Barr suffered a calf-strain injury and missed her first game of the year. Her status will be re-evaluated after visiting with the doctor.

Again Gabarra had to shuffle his lineup, this time going with a starting back line of Amanda Cromwell, Lindsey Stoecker, Skylar Little and Michelle French. Little was substituted in the second half by Carrie Moore.

"Are we playing the right players?" asked Gabarra in Thursday's post-game press conference. His team has fallen to 6-9-2 (20 points) and is in danger of missing the inaugural WUSA playoffs after failing to gain ground on fourth-placed Philadelphia. "Should we play with three defenders? Tonight's performance just poses more questions."

Philadelphia (7-6-3, 25 points) scored on Washington defensive lapses in the late stages of the first and second halves. The Charge had numerous scoring chances, controlling the ball in midfield and finding open players up field.

The first goal came in the 44th minute when Mandy Clemens sent a lob from 40 yards out to a streaking Michelle Demko, who slipped by a frozen Washington defense that was setting up for an offside trap. Demko beat the trap with a well-timed run and chipped a breakaway shot over Mullinix for the first goal.

"We allowed them to put through balls in and that came from our backs not stepping high enough," said Grubb. "We (defenders) didn't push high enough and that allowed them to play without pressure on the ball."

Deidre Enos scored the second goal on a great individual effort in the 78th minute. Enos, who entered the game in the 69th minute, took a bouncing header from Rakel Karvelsson and took advantage of a Washington defense that was pushing forward, beating Lindsey Stoecker - who appeared to have slipped on the muddy ground - and placed a breakaway shot past Mullinix to the right corner.

"When they see numbers on the field, they knock it forward," said Cromwell of Philadelphia's offensive style. "They knock it back to the midfield and try to get the ball through (to their forwards). That's their game and they did it well tonight."

Gabarra wanted to see his defenders push the ball up more, forcing Philadelphia attackers to play back while also setting up more scoring chances for Washington.

"We were tentative and disorganized in the back," he said. "We're sitting back there and that put pressure on our midfield and they were outnumbered.

"We were back on our heels and we had no initiative, especially in the back. It was almost like we were waiting for someone to come to us and anytime you wait for something to happen it's usually bad."

The Freedom's next game comes Sunday, when they will travel to Boston's Nickerson Field to take on the Breakers.

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