Francisca Ordega of the Washington Spirit goes up against Danielle Colaprico of the Chicago Red Stars.
BRIDGEVIEW, IL–Getting the results the Chicago Red Stars really wanted on their home match-up against the Washington Spirit maybe and should’ve been at a higher level, but they managed to get something out of it.
All-in-all, the Red Stars settled for one-point, which has given the club 14 points over its last six matches. Chicago (5-2-2, 17 points) remains in the second spot in the NWSL standings behind league leading North Carolina (7-3, 21 points).
The Red Stars had to settle for a 1-1 draw with visiting Washington Saturday afternoon at Toyota Park.
“We played the way we trained all week,” Chicago Red Stars head coach Rory Dames said. “We had high expectations coming into the game because we didn’t train that heavy. With what we prepared and what we went over, there wasn’t anything that went on in the game that caught us off guard that we weren’t prepared for.”
Trying to get the results recently hasn’t been to the liking of Coach Dames and even the players have to be a bit disappointed too. Maybe the players need to take their game up to another level collectively.
“We took the result that we were disappointed in Boston and put it on the players.” Dames said. “The players weren’t good enough. I’ve thought we’ve played well as a group, but I think the Summer has been better with the points a bit. But I don’t think anybody has done great. Nobody has done bad, we’ve got a lot of good players. So, I just don’t think anybody has been great.”
Washington Spirit Estelle Johnson battles with Chicago Red Star Casey Short (Photo Credit Don MacGregor).
On Saturday, Washington (2-5-2, 9 points) nudged itself ahead in the 42nd minute of play. As Francisca Ortega beat the Red Stars defense and keeper Alyssa Naeher for a 1-0 lead and the Spirit carried that score into the break.
The Red Stars kept pushing for the equalizer in the second half and finally found it in the final 10 minutes. Christen Press was fouled by the Spirit’s Shelina Zadorsky in the penalty area. Press calmly converted the penalty kick in the 82nd minute tying the match 1-1. But Chicago couldn’t find another as the it ended in a draw.
The Red Stars’ Taylor Comeau left the match due to an injury and according to coach Dames afterward that she was spitting up blood. However her status was unknown and was taken to a hospital to get diagnosed.
This was a rematch of last years National Women’s Soccer League semifinals.
Chicago will next host Sky Blue on Sunday, June 25th at 5pm at Toyota Park.
SCORING SUMMARY:
WAS-Francisca Ordeda (Williams) 42
CHI-Christen Press (penalty kick) 82
BOOKING SUMMARY:
CHI-Julie Ertz (caution, tactical foul) 9
CHI-Katie Naughton (caution, tactical foul) 31
WAS-Meggie Dougherty Howard (caution, tactical foul) 62
WAS-Shelina Zadorsky (caution, tactical foul) 81
CHICAGO RED STARS (4-3-1-2): #1-Alyssa Naeher; #7-Taylor Comeau (#30-Lauren Kaskie 80), #5-Katie Naughton (#19-Summer Green 68), #16-Samantha Johnson (#14-Sarah Gorden 68), #6-Casey Short; #4-Alyssa Mautz, #8-Julie Ertz, #24-Danielle Colaprico; #10-Vanessa DiBernardo; #23-Christen Press (C), #11-Sofia Huerta
Subs not used: #18-Michele Dalton, #2-Jen Hoy, #9-Stephanie McCaffrey, #13-Morgan Proffitt
WASHINGTON SPIRIT (4-4-2): #1-Stephanie Labbe; #24-Estelle Johnson, #5-Whitney Church, #4-Shelina Zadorsky, #6-Kassey Kallman; #20-Cheyna Williams (#7-Line Sigvardsen Jensen 70), #9-Havana Solaun (#2-Arielle Ship 89), #29-Meggie Dougherty Howard, #22-Alyssa Kleiner (#3-Caprice Dydasco 61); #14-Francisca Ordega, #19-Kristie Mewis
Subs not used: #21-Did Haracic, #8-Lindsey Agnew, #12-Katie Stengel, #16-Cameron Castleberry
TOTAL SHOTS: CHI 9-4 WAS
SHOTS ON GOAL: CHI 4-2 WAS
FOULS: CHI 12-12 WAS
OFFSIDES: CHI 2-0 WAS
CORNER KICKS: CHI 8-3 WAS
SAVES: CHI 1-3 WAS
Referee: Christopher Greer
Referee’s Assistants: Joshua Haimes, Gjovalin Bori
Fourth Official: Jeffrey Swartzel
Weather: Cloudy and 84º
Attendance: 3,189
Woman of the Match: Christen Press (CHI)
Chicago Red Stars
