Before Sunday’s clash with two-time NWSL Shield winners Seattle Reign FC, the Chicago Red Stars had lost only one match. With arguably the most effective defense in the 2016 season so far, entering this game off of a four-game shut-out record in only five weeks, Chicago kept their composure, kept the ball, and brought Seattle down in their once impenetrable home, leaving with a 2-1 win.
The Red Stars had the ball for much of the first half, with Reign FC having a few good spells of possession here and there.
Seattle had a good chance in the 18th minute with a free kick taken by Scottish international Kim Little. The ball was deflected out of the box, and after a few short passes to swing to the right side, a cross went into the box to Little’s head who wasn’t able to put it on frame as Chicago keeper Alyssa Naeher put pressure on her.
The ball went back and forth for the first 45, with Chicago having a couple of really good chances. But Reign FC keeper Haley Kopmeyer and her defense were up to the task.
After the starting whistle for the second half, Chicago pressed hard. Their defense became a brick wall. Seattle’s usual patience on the ball hadn’t been there through much of the game, leading to turnovers and errors, both forced and unforced. In the 54th minute, Chicago was gifted a counter. Christen Press, unmarked, raced down the middle onto a through ball and tried to bend her shot around Kopmeyer. Kopmeyer made an acrobatic save, but Jen Hoy was able to tap the rebound in.
Only 12 minutes later, another through ball to Jen Hoy had the Red Star on a breakaway. She slammed the ball past a charging Kopmeyer and hit the back of the net, putting Chicago up 2-0. That left Seattle with around 24 minutes to try and get back into the game.
However, the Red Stars defense held fast, while Seattle showed impatience, frustration, and a lack of creativity. With Jess Fishlock still recuperating from her broken tibia sustained in the match against Boston in Week 2, Reign FC is missing her leadership. Megan Rapinoe injured her ACL in off-season a few months ago, leaving her off of the roster, and it seems that has cost the team in the creativity department. With Jess out, and now Manon Melis, also breaking her tibia in last week’s match against the Portland Thorns FC, Coach Harvey has had to push players out of the positions where they might be the most effective. Rookie Carson Pickett’s pressed up, as well as Elli Reed. Bev Yanez has been pulled into the midfield where she’s showed an impressive work rate. Kim Little, the team’s “wizard”, has been slotted into a more defensive role. Without Yanez and Little higher up the pitch, and now with Melis out for 4-6 weeks, Kiersten Dallstsream, Lindsay Elston, and Merritt Mathias will need to find a way to make a difference in the Reign FC attack, at least until Jess Fishlock returns. We’re left to wonder if the Seattle Reign FC ship will already be too sunk to recover by then.
Chicago Red Stars coach Rory Dames will be happy with Sunday’s result, especially considering the way his team kept Seattle Reign FC at bay for those last 24 minutes. However, they gave up a PK in the 88th minute when Bev Yanez was pulled down in the box by her arm. Kim Little stepped up to the spot and finally broke the Red Stars’ 4 game shut-out streak with a low shot into the right corner as Naeher went the other way. The game ended with a 2-1 score, however, Red Stars preventing a Reign FC rally, and Chicago is 2nd in the league behind Washington Spirit, while Seattle sits at 6th.
