Kansas City 0-2 Chicago Red Stars
KANSAS CITY, KS—The Chicago Red Stars finally got their first goal and first win of the 2021 regular season spoiling Kansas City’s home opener, 2-0, at Legends Field. It is the first win for the Red Stars since September 20th of last year during the NWSL Fall Series.
Squad rotation was in place as Rachel Hill, Mallory Pugh, and Rachel Hill started on the bench while Arin Wright, Makenzy Doniak, and Katie Johnson started up front. Doniak nearly put the Red Stars in front in the first half with a 22nd minute shot going off the bar. Kansas City nearly opened the scoring themselves four minutes later when Mariana Larroquette’s shot was parried over by Alyssa Naeher.
Both Watt and Pugh would come on at the hour mark and both would contribute to the first goal seven minutes later. Pugh collected a ball from her own half and took it fifty yards before passing off to Watt who beat Nicole Barnhart far post. Three minutes after that, Pugh would take advantage of a miscue by Desiree Scott and pass off to Doniak to make it 2-0.
Kansas City would not come close to scoring after that and the Red Stars netted their first win and have now kept back-to-back clean sheets.
“It’s definitely a relief,” said Watt. “One thing that we were really encouraged about in our last game was that we were creating chances and we were so close. [Red Stars head coach Rory Dames] kept reminding us as soon as one comes, they all start coming. And so, we are just relieved and very excited and mostly excited about getting three points.”
The Red Stars travel to face the Houston Dash on Saturday at 6:30pm CT on CBS Sports Network. Kansas City travels to Orlando on Sunday at 5pm CT.
SCORING SUMMARY:
CHI-Kealia Watt (Pugh) 67
CHI-Makenzy Doniak (Pugh) 70
BOOKING SUMMARY:
CHI-Katie Johnson (caution, tactical foul) 42
CHI-Morgan Gautrat (caution, tactical foul) 66
KC-Mallory Weber (caution, reckless foul) 82
CHI-Alyssa Naeher (caution, time wasting) 89
KANSAS CITY (4-3-3): #18-Nicole Barnhart; #6-Katie Bowen, #24-Taylor Leach (#29-Kate Del Fava 46), #2-Rachel Corsie, #18-Michelle Maemone; #14-Gaby Vincent, #11-Desiree Scott (#26-Jordyn Listro 76), #99-Victoria Pickett (#16-Jaycie Johnson 79); #21-Mariana Larroquette (#20-Mallory Weber 65), #8-Amy Rodriguez, #13-Darian Jenkins (#15-Michele Vasconcelos 65)
Subs not used: #27-Carly Nelson, #28-Addie McCain, #4-Ashley Nick, #22-Madeline Nolf
CHICAGO RED STARS (4-3-3): #1-Alyssa Naeher; #28-Kayla Sharples, #11-Sarah Gorden, #26-Tierna Davidson, #6-Casey Krueger; #13-Morgan Gautrat, #16-Sarah Woldmoe, #10-Vanessa DiBernardo (#7-Nikki Stanton 90); #3-Arin Wright (#9-Mallory Pugh 60), #15-Makenzy Doniak (#5-Rachel Hill 81), #33-Katie Johnson (#2-Kealia Watt 60)
Subs not used: #38-Cassie Miller, #24-Danielle Colaprico, #19-Sarah Lubbert, #23-Tatumn Milazzo, #22-Bianca St. Georges
TOTAL SHOTS: KC 11-19 CHI
SHOTS ON GOAL: KC 3-8 CHI
FOULS: KC 7-11 CHI
OFFSIDES: KC 3-0 CHI
CORNER KICKS: KC 8-8 CHI
SAVES: KC 5-3 CHI
Referee: Danielle Chesky
Assistant Referees: Jack Ryan-Feldman, Ryan Cook
4th Official: Nathan Colling
Weather: Sunny and 84º
Attendance: 5,272
Woman of the Match: Makenzy Doniak (CHI)
