The Chicago Red Stars returned to Toyota Park on Sunday, Sept 4 to face the Seattle Reign. Seattle rocketed out of the gate with two goals in under ten minutes. Chicago worked their way back into the match, eventually salvaging a 2-2 draw to remain the only team still unbeaten at home.
Seattle pressed from the first whistle. Their energy paid off in the fifth minute. Jess Fishlock intercepted a Chicago throw-in, one-touching the ball to Bev Yanez. She drove to the penalty arc as Chicago’s Julie Johnston stepped up to stop her. Yanez calmly nutmegged Johnston. The pass found Manon Melis on a nice diagonal run through the Chicago defense. Melis’ first touch found the upper right corner of Chicago’s net for the first goal of the game.
Just four minutes later, Chicago gave up the second goal. Samantha Johnson was called for handling the ball just outside the Red Stars’ penalty area. Lauren Barnes and Kim Little stood over the ball for the Reign. It was Barnes who sent a gorgeous left-footed shot curling inside the near post.
The Red Stars continued to have trouble getting out of their own half, but slowly worked their way forward. Cara Walls and Stephanie McCaffrey almost pulled one back for Chicago in the 22nd minute. Walls bodied a crossed ball toward the net, eventually colliding with Reign goalkeeper Haley Kopmeyer. McCaffrey was there for the rebound but couldn’t take the advantage and put the ball into the side netting. Chicago kept working and Casey Short earned their first corner kick of the match. Vanessa DiBernardo lofted the ball to the back post and Sofia Huerta out leaped her defender to head the ball into the upper ninety.
Chicago goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher came up with a big double save just before half to keep the momentum in the Red Stars’ favor. Beverly Yanez got a shot off near the penalty mark and had Naeher going the wrong direction. Somehow, Naeher got her right hand to it, but the ball continued toward the net. She managed to get behind it again and swatted it away for good.
Seattle and Chicago traded chances and good defensive stops for the first half hour of the second half. Christen Press nearly scored on a breakaway in the 62nd minute, but Kopmeyer cut the angle and forced Press wide. Shortly thereafter, the Fishlock ran through the midfield for the Reign. Her attempted pass to Manon Melis was broken up by a perfect sliding tackle from Julie Johnston. Johnston immediately turned and started the Red Stars’ counter attack. Press was robbed by Kopmeyer again in the 64th minute. The Reign goalkeeper had to dive at full stretch to keep Seattle in the lead.
Again, it was Casey Short doing the hard work for Chicago to create a scoring chance. As she dribbled in the Reign’s penalty area, Merritt Mathias tripped her and the referee called the foul. Press stepped up and buried the resulting penalty kick, pinging it off the inside of the right post. Kopmeyer read the kick wrong and didn’t have a chance.
The Reign ratcheted up the pressure once again and almost went up 3-2 when Chicago’s Samantha Johnson nearly scored an own goal trying to clear a cross from Mathias. The post was in the right place at the right time for the Red Stars. Seattle then almost scored off a corner kick, but a brave save from Naeher kept the score level.
The Olympic break was great for Chicago. The offense is much more on the same page now than they have been the entire season. They were easily finding one another with their passes and moving well off the ball. The Red Stars’ counter attack is also much improved. They are now looking to go forward quickly and exploit their opponent rather than passing back and slowing their attack. Despite the shaky defensive start, Chicago’s defense was able to regroup over the first half. They become more compact as the game progressed hindering the dangerous runs of Manon Melis that turned them inside out early in the match.
Next Match:
Chicago (8-4-5 , 29 pts) host FC Kansas City (5-8-4, 19 pts) in the first of back-to-back matches to wrap up the Battle of the Midwest on Wednesday, 7 September at 6pm CDT.
Seattle Reign (6-5-5, 24 pts) travel to Washington to face the top of the table Spirit (11-3-3, 36 pts) on Wednesday, 7 September at 7pm EDT.
Lineups:
Chicago Red Stars 4-4-2
Naeher; Gilliland, Johnston, Johnson, Short; Colaprico, DiBernardo, Huerta, Walls, Press (C), McCaffrey
Substitutes:
59’ Da Costa for Walls
91’ Naughton for Da Costa
91’ Mautz for McCaffrey
Seattle Reign
Kopmeyer; Mathias, Fletcher, Barnes, Utsugi; Winters (C), Fishlock, Little; Yanez, Melis, Kawasumi
Substitutes:
69’ Rapinoe for Melis
83’ Pickett for Yanez
Goals:
5’ SEA – Melis (Yanez)
9’ SEA – Barnes
27’ CHI Huerta (DiBernardo)
79′ Press (PK)
Misconduct:
80’ – Yellow – SEA Fishlock
