Photo: Leslie Smith
(Editor’s Note: For more of Leslie Smith’s phots from this match, please click on the link.)
Chicago Red Stars 1-0 Racing Louisville
BRIDGEVIEW, IL—The Chicago Red Stars kept their slender playoff hopes alive as they defeated Racing Louisville, 1-0, at SeatGeek Stadium in Bridgeview. The win lifts the Red Stars off the foot of the NWSL table and within three points of sixth place OL Reign who play Sunday against North Carolina. Racing Louisville remain ninth in the table ahead of the Red Stars on goal difference.
The first half was end-to-end action with both teams having numerous opportunities to score, but only one would find the back of the net. Bianca St. Georges collected a ball in the 34th minute from Julia Bianchi and went down the flank and then scored from an acute angle past keeper Katie Lund to put the Red Stars ahead.
The goal was upheld by VAR after a lengthy check to see if St. Georges was offside as she collected the pass. It was not clear and obvious enough to disallow the goal.
VAR would come to the Red Stars’ rescue again in the 59th minute as Louisville thought they would get a penalty after Savannah DeMelo appeared to have been fouled in the box by Bianchi. Another another lengthy check, the contact was deemed incidental as Bianchi was going for the ball and no penalty would be given.
The Red Stars had to withstand a late flurry of chances, including one in the eighth minute of stoppage time where Thembi Kgatlana had gotten by Alyssa Naeher, but her set up pass for Uchenna Kanu was cleared away by Casey Krueger.
“I think that’s old school Chicago Red Stars right there grinding out a, 1-0 win,” said Naeher. “And, it’s nice to see [Bianca] score on somebody else like that. She does it to me in practice all the time with the near post blast It’s huge. It was a great team performance. Everyone was locked in for 98 minutes and proud of the fight, and proud of the resiliency. Right now all we can control is our outcomes and now we’ll go see what’s happening around the league, but just trying to stay alive, take it one game at a time.”
The Red Stars will look to continue in the playoff hunt next Saturday when they take on Kansas City Current on the road. Kickoff is at 7pm CT on Paramount+.
SCORING SUMMARY:
CHI-Bianca St. Georges (Bianchi) 34
BOOKING SUMMARY:
CHI-Cheyna Matthews (caution, tactical foul) 80
LOU-Uchenna Kanu (caution, reckless foul) 90+10
CHICAGO RED STARS (4-2-3-1): #1-Alyssa Naeher; #6-Casey Krueger, #12-Tierna Davidson, #3-Arin Wright, #23-Tatumn Milazzo; #5-Julia Bianchi, #4-Cari Roccaro, #55-Penelope Hocking, #7-Yuki Nagasato, #22-Bianca St. Georges (#20-Cheyna Matthews 76); #8-Ella Stevens (#34-Allie Schlegel 74)
Subs not used: #21-Emily Boyd, #14-Jill Aguilera, #24-Jenna Bike, #25-Ava Cook, #2-Sam Fisher, #32-Taylor Malham, #28-Kayla Sharples
RACING LOUISVILLE (4-3-3): #1-Katie Lund; #16-Carson Pickett, #20-Abby Erceg, #15-Julia Lester, #2-Lauren Milliet; #7-Savannah DeMelo, #4-Elli Pikkujamsa, #9-Kayla Fischer (#29-Uchenna Kanu 74); #22-Kirsten Davis (#17-Maddie Pokorny 53), #10-Nadia Nadim (#21-Parker Goins 85), #5-Paige Monaghan (#11-Thembi Kgatlana 53)
Subs not used: #18-Hillary Beall, #99-Olivia Sekany, #26-Taylor Aylmer, #13-Emina Ekic
TOTAL SHOTS: CHI 14-22 LOU
SHOTS ON GOAL: CHI 3-5 LOU
FOULS: CHI 13-13 LOU
OFFSIDES: CHI 4-2 LOU
CORNER KICKS: CHI 5-7 LOU
SAVES: CHI 5-2 LOU
Referee: Sergii Demianchuk
Referee’s Assistants: John Krill, Rhett Hammil
Fourth Official: Rebecca Pagan
VAR: Luis Guardia
AVAR: Tom Felice
Weather: Clear and 78º
Attendance: 4,104
Woman of the Match: Bianca St. Georges (CHI)
